The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

Farm Union presses several tax extensions

By National Farmers Union

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson sent a letter to U.S. Senate Committee on Finance leaders expressing priorities for the renewal of expiring tax provisions in advance of the committee’s markup of the Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency (EXPIRE) Act.

Johnson praised Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, for maintaining the $500,000 maximum deduction for farm machinery, which will help family farmers and ranchers improve their businesses.

Walden: FDA rule hurts brewers, ranchers

By Oregon Congressman Greg Walden

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) has written to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressing concern about a proposed rule that could harm the craft brewing and livestock industries in Oregon. The rule proposes to tightly regulate brewers’ “spent grains,” a byproduct of the beer-making process. It has long been common in the industry for brewers to sell or give the spent grains to ranchers for use as animal feed.

“The FDA’s recent rule proposes to regulate spent brewers grains as animal food, and brewers as feed manufacturers. The result of this could be a disaster for jobs and tourism in southern, central, and eastern Oregon. I urge you to reassess this one-size-fits-all proposed rule and work directly with members of the craft brewing and livestock industries so that food safety can be ensured, without putting these industries out of business,” Walden wrote to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.

EPA’s new pesticide rules — first in 20 years

By Daily Digger
Oregon Association of Nurseries

For the first time in 20 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed new worker protection standards for the application of pesticides. These new rules would apply on farms, forests, nurseries and greenhouses, and would cover workers who handle and apply pesticides, as well as those who handle treated products.

“The EPA and the administration are attempting to use the rulemaking process, rather than legislation, so they have an easier path to setting new standards,” OAN executive director Jeff Stone said. “That’s very concerning to us. As far as the specific provisions of these rules, we’re still analyzing them, and our input will be forthcoming.”

Farm Bureau on 2014 Food Label Act

By American Farm Bureau Federation

Statement by Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding H.R. 4432, The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act

“As the nation’s largest general farm organization, the American Farm Bureau represents farmers and ranchers who use every type of agricultural production system to provide the safest food possible both here in the U.S. and abroad. Our farmers and ranchers are encouraged by the bipartisan leadership of Reps. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jim Matheson (D-Utah) and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) for introducing H.R. 4432, The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. This measure will make it clear that the Food and Drug Administration should be the nation’s foremost authority on the use and labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients.

Oregon delegation applauds $67.8M county payments

Sens. Ron Wyden, Sen. Jeff Merkley,  Rep. Peter DeFazio, Rep. Greg Walden, Rep. Kurt Schrader, & Rep. Suzanne Bonamici

Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Reps. Peter DeFazio, Greg Walden, Kurt Schrader, and Suzanne Bonamici applauded the Forest Service announcement that it will soon release $67.8 million in payments to 18 Oregon counties under the Secure Rural Schools program. Oregon is expected to receive more than $107 million in timber payments, once the Interior Department releases its funding to counties in the coming weeks. The program will distribute a total of $329 million to more than 700 counties across the United States.

“These payments are a lifeline for rural communities struggling to pay for law-enforcement, roads, schools and other essential services, which is why I fought so hard to renew them for yet another year,” Wyden said. “However, timber payments aren’t enough – these communities also need jobs in the woods. I am working to pass bills to get the harvest up and improve forest health on Oregon’s O&C lands and east of the Cascades.”

“We must ensure that Oregon’s rural communities have the resources they need to provide for their schools, roads, and public safety, and it is unacceptable that it took the federal government this long to get them to Oregon,” Merkley said. “Today’s payments will make a big difference in communities across our state, but they are no substitute for a long-term plan to grow our rural economy. I am working with Senator Wyden and other members of our delegation to increase and improve national forest management to support rural Oregon and create more jobs in the woods.”

Strong log prices, yet Ore. mills at reduced shifts

Timber Industry Report March 31, 2014
By Rick Sohn, Umpqua Coquille LLC
Strong log prices continue, and relatively stable product prices. Environment for home purchases remains positive, and should for at least a couple of years. Recent lumber manufacturing, home construction, and housing markets are compared to selected years.

Interpretation
This winter, log prices have been relatively stable which can be typical in the winter, but this year, unusually high. Stud prices are starting out more stable than unusual but relatively strong. The log prices are high enough to squeeze manufacturing somewhat. A look back at 2005 shows a different balance with studs higher, at 415, and logs lower, at 676, a much more favorable balance for the manufacturers.

Farm coaliton releases pro 15-119 ad

From Family Farms Coalition
Our Family Farms Coalition Asks You to Vote YES on 15-119

THE FAMILY FARMS MEASURE PROTECTS FAMILY FARMERS from the serious risk that their crops will be contaminated by genetically engineered crops that are patented and controlled by large out-of-state chemical corporations. There’s no practical way to stop genetically engineered pollen and seed from trespassing onto traditional farms that have been here for years. And when a traditional crop becomes contaminated with genetically engineered pollen, it can be impossible for the farmer to sell.

Farmer ad against Jackson Co. Measure 15-119

From No on Measure 15-119,

Big news: we’re releasing our first TV ad today and we wanted you to be the first to see it.

The ad highlights a new county report which details the cost of Measure 15-119 to local taxpayers and the county government of administering and enforcing the proposed measure. The report concludes it will cost Jackson County more than $200,000 each year just to fund the implementation of the complex measure, including the cost of hiring new government inspectors to police farmers, access property and confiscate crops.

Watch our ad today:

Elliot Forest could bring $40 Million for schools

Oregon Cascade Policy Institute

A new report released shows that if the Oregon State Land Board sold or leased the 93,000-acre Elliott State Forest, public school funding would increase by at least $40 million annually.

Roughly 85,000 acres of the Elliott State Forest are managed for the primary purpose of raising funds for public schools. These lands are known as “Common School Trust Lands,” and the Oregon State Land Board is required by law to manage them for the trust beneficiaries: public school students. Net receipts from timber harvest activities on the Elliott are transferred to the Common School Fund (CSF), where assets are invested by the Oregon Investment Council in various financial instruments. Twice each year, public school districts receive cash payments based on the investment returns of CSF assets.