The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

Farmers seek their fair share of $12 billion tariff aid

By California Farm Bureau,

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture writes rules for how it will distribute $12 billion in assistance funding to farmers negatively affected by international trade disputes, California agricultural leaders are working to ensure farmers who grow specialty crops receive a fair share of the one-time aid package.

USDA unveiled last month a three-part plan aimed at helping farmers weather some of the impacts from retaliatory tariffs that other nations have imposed on U.S. agricultural products, including specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and wine. The aid package includes direct payments to some farmers, government purchases of surplus crops and a trade promotion program.

2018 Century Farm & Ranch Award winners

By Oregon Farm Bureau,

At the annual awards ceremony at the Oregon State Fair, families from across the state will receive recognition for operating as Century or Sesquicentennial (150-year) Farm or Ranch.  The 2018 ceremony will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018, at 11:00 am at the Oregon State Fair.  The public recognition ceremony and awards celebration will be held in the Picnic Grove Area.   Please join us for this special event that celebrates Oregon’s agricultural heritage.

Twelve farms and ranches from eight different counties will be honored this year as Century Farms or Ranches and two farms reached Sesquicentennial status, bringing the total number of Oregon Century Farms and Ranches to 1,212 & Sesquicentennial to 41. 

Trump fire tweets, Feds release water

Natural Resource News Note,

On August 6th, President Trump tweeted:

“California wildfires are being magnified & made so much worse by the bad environmental laws which aren’t allowing massive amounts of readily available water to be properly utilized. It is being diverted into the Pacific Ocean. Must also tree clear to stop fire from spreading!

and also…

Walden: Put Forest Fix in Farm Bill

Congressman Greg Walden,

Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River)  spoke in southern Oregon — where communities have faced unhealthy air quality from surrounding wildfires — to call for forest management reforms in the upcoming Farm Bill.  Walden secured sweeping improvements to federal forest policy in the 2018 Farm Bill that passed the House in June and today urged for those needed changes to be included in the Senate passed version of the legislation. Walden sent a letter to the lawmakers who will negotiate the differences between the House and Senate versions of the 2018 Farm Bill, which reads:

Wildfire largest in California history

The Mendocino wildfire is now the largest wildfire in California history.

Non-lead ammo to protect NW land

By Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife,

The North American Non-Lead Partnership — formed late last year by the Oregon Zoo, The Peregrine Fund and the Institute for Wildlife Studies — seeks to expand the coalition of hunters, anglers and other conservationists dedicated to improving ecosystem and wildlife health by choosing non-lead options.

“This is a long-term, multi-organization effort to help North America’s wildlife,” said Leland Brown, the Oregon Zoo’s non-lead hunting education coordinator and a lifelong outdoorsman. “Many of us are hunters ourselves, so we have a personal connection to this project. We’re proud of the contributions we’ve made to conservation, and we hope to inspire more outdoor enthusiasts and organizations to lend their support and help realize this vision in the months and years to come.”

Farm Bureau responds to White House quip

By American Farm Bureau Federation,

The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall:

“White House trade advisor Peter Navarro’s recent comments that the damage this trade war is doing to certain sectors of the U.S. economy, of which we all know includes agriculture, is little more than a ‘rounding error’ are out of touch with the pain our farmers and ranchers are experiencing. Making farmers and ranchers pawns in this chess game is extremely risky for our nation’s agriculture economy and food security.

NASA Map: West engulfed in smoke

Dr. Daniel Swain showcases the NASA imagery of the Western fires, saying “Another evening of ominous satellite imagery depicting a vast sea of wildfire smoke from fires in northern California, southern Oregon, and Nevada. I count at least 7 distinct pyrocumulus towers from large, actively-burning fires.”

Farmers win bird ruling…but it’s not over

By Oregonians For Food and Shelter,

Last month, we shared with you the Oregon Fish & Wildlife Commission’s consideration of uplisting the marbled murrelet from “threatened” to “endangered.” After receiving many comments through email, and testimony at the hearing in Baker City, from natural resource landowners, the Commission decided at that time not to uplist the marbled murrelet. While that was a great victory, some environmental groups were outraged, and are looking to pressure the Commission into reversing course at their meeting in Salem next week.