The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

Oregon State University Extension Service: CORVALLIS, Ore. – Although admired for its yellow blooms, the Scotch broom shrub has become an invasive species throughout the Pacific Northwest, where it competes with native plants and forms dense stands that are difficult to manage and remove.Scotch broom was introduced from Europe as a garden ornamental by early settlers of the Pacific Coast.

By John Hart
American Farm Bureau Federation

The talk on Capitol Hill is not to expect climate change legislation to become law this year, but do expect Congress to take action before the 2010 elections. Any delay in sweeping climate change legislation is welcome news for America’s farmers and ranchers because whatever action Congress takes could have a profound and permanent impact on production agriculture.

Oregon Cattlemen Association,

Items reviewed in this article:
1, Brand Bill Heads for Full Senate Vote
2. Landowner Preference Passes panel
3. Wolf Control Up to ODF&W
4. Wildlife Services Budget Help!
5. Provisions for Humane Special Agents Passes Committee
6. Omnibus Land Use/Big Look Bill Passes House

By Oregon Department of Forestry

When asked to characterize the upcoming wildfire season, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) fire managers are likely to fall back on Nobel physicist Niels Bohr’s maxim, “Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future.” That’s not to say they don’t try. There are dozens of scientific indicators to pore over prior to the summer – weather trends (El Nino/La Nina), snowpack levels, forest fuel moisture content, et al. But the most critical factor in the equation plays out real-time: the weather during fire season.

Congressman Greg Walden reiterates that scientists see ban on turning federal biomass into energy as pointless
From Congressman Greg Walden (R-Oregon)

Nursery Association Praises Congresswoman Doris Matsui For The Energy Conservation Through Trees Act
By Association of Oregon Nurseries,

[May 26, 2009] The Oregon Association of Nurseries applauded the inclusion of the Energy Conservation Through Trees Act as part of the larger American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. The larger bill, which was approved Thursday (May 21) by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, will now proceed to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

By Dave Hunnicutt,
Oregonians In Action

Despite Oregon’s economic troubles and problems with high unemployment, the legislature is spending time debating and passing land use bills.  Although no land use bill has received approval from both the Oregon House and Oregon Senate as of late April, there are a few land use bills that are expected to pass, including bills that could have significant impacts on rural property owners.  Here is a list of some ofthe major land use bills currently making their way through the legislature, and Oregonians In Action’s position on each bill:

Company’s Proprietary Tracking System Follows Fish from Dock to Dinner Table
Pacific Seafood

PORTLAND, Ore. – Pacific Seafood, a family-owned seafood company based in Portland, Ore., is leading the seafood industry in implementing traceability practices with its Automated Production Control© (APC) tracking system. The system helps protect consumers and the health of the industry, while addressing recent food safety concerns and consumers’ growing demand that seafood processors can identify the source of the seafood they are selling.

Items reviewed: Unemployment, biomass, old-growth ban, stimulus wood, spotted owl, Federal GVW Reform and more
by Rex Storm, Forest Policy Manger
Associated Oregon Loggers,

New Economy=Record Unemployment: There’s been a total failure of liberal claims about Oregon’s so-called, diversified “New Economy”—characterized by high tech, services and tourism.  In March, Oregon’s New Economy was shamed with the nation’s worst unemployment rate—12.1%. Oregon’s unemployment is its worst since OR records began in 1947, and matched the early-1980s recession.  State economists say the meteoric rise (5-months of a point-per-month climb) is unusual and unexpected.  After the 1980 recession walloped Oregon, progressives promoted their New Economy, and said manufacturing, agriculture and forest products were less important economic drivers.  As it turns out, the politically-correct high tech, services and tourism failed to save Oregon.

American Farm Bureau Federation,

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 21, 2009 – Agriculture and energy groups said today that indirect land use calculations should not be used to regulate the production of renewable fuels, calling the idea “a theory that defies reality.” The comments were made in a letter sent by the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Farmers Union and Growth Energy to House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson (Minn.) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (Okla.) in support of ‘The Renewable Fuel Standard Improvement Act’ (H.R. 2409).

By Oregon Department of Agriculture,

About 15,000 gypsy moth traps will soon be placed statewide. By the end of the month, roughly 15,000 bright orange and green tent-like cardboard traps will be placed in trees and shrubs throughout Oregon as state officials go about the annual process of looking for gypsy moths over the summer months. Combined with a number of other traps for insect pests ranging from Japanese beetle and a variety of exotic fruit moths to Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer- two insect pests yet to be found in the state- the Oregon Department of Agriculture should learn which bad bugs are problems this year and where they exist.

“Our approach is early detection and rapid response,” says Helmuth Rogg, supervisor of ODA’s Insect Pest Prevention and Management Program. “Placing traps statewide will help us detect any small population of gypsy moths and other unwanted insect pests that can be eradicated before they spread.”

Mexico and Canada File WTO Complaints Regarding U.S. Country-of-Origin Labeling Regulations
By National Cattlemen’s Beef Association,

In formal complaints filed last week with the World Trade Organization (WTO), Mexico and Canada claim that the U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law appears to be inconsistent with U.S. obligations under the WTO. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is extremely concerned about the impact of COOL on our relationships with our top two trading partners. Beef trade with Mexico was worth nearly $1.4 billion in 2008, and trade with Canada came in at $716 million. Together, the markets account for 58% of our beef export trade.

Oregonians for Food and Shelter,

Do you remember OFS staff writing you about the BLM WOPR – Western Oregon Plan Revision?  We asked you to contact your Senator and Representative and also members of the Committees where House Resolution 3 and Senate Joint Resolution 24 were housed.  Our thanks to those of you who followed through and contacted the legislators.  Even though there was strong legislative support for both bills, neither one made it out of Committee.

SJR-24 sponsored by Senator Brian Boquist was assigned to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, where it died.  Senator Jackie Dingfelder is the Chairman of this committee.

MORE INFORMATION BELOW

From Oregon Congressman Greg Walden,

By Curt Kipp, Daily Digger Blog
Oregon Association of Nurseries

The Oregon Association of Nurseries, and numerous other green industry trade groups, are getting behind the Green Communities Act, a federal bill introduced recently by U.S. Rep. Alyson Schwartz (D-Penn.). The bill would direct the U.S. Department of Commerce to award matching grants to up to 80 municipalities towards improving their “green infrastructure.” This could include revitalizing public parks, landscaping community gateways and key corridors, planting trees, conducting urban forestry products, planning for open space preservation, training and educating and managing volunteers, constructing green roofs, building green stormwater infrastructure (presumably rain gardens, bioswales and the like), and managing vacant lots.

By Department of Fish and Wildlife,

Salem, Ore.— Fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing enthusiasts contributed $2.5 billion to Oregon’s economy in 2008 according to a new study conducted by Travel Oregon and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Residents and nonresidents spent more than $1 billion on trips and $1.5 billion on equipment and activity-related purchases at Oregon-based retailers and suppliers.

By Census of Agriculture
To see data by Oregon Congressional District Click Here

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2009 – Information from the 2007 Census of Agriculture is now available at the congressional district level in online profiles published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Oregon Wheat Grower’s League
Oregon Wheat Newsletter 5/2009

The OWGL recently traveled to Washington, DC to begin again the building of relationships within both the offices of our Congressional Delegation and the numerous agencies that implement policies affecting this industry. With every change in Administration, there are new relationships to be built and old friends to renew acquaintances with.

By AFTC,

Arlington, Va. – The American Trucking Associations’ Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference (AFTC) recently released the Manager’s Guide to Safe Trucking During Agricultural Planting and Harvest Season. Available free for download at AFTC’s webpage, this guide provides educational resources for truck drivers and their managers in the agricultural industry, encouraging active strategies to improve safety during peak times of production.

Natural Resource Report,

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) provides a handy pipeline for doling out Stimulus cash in Oregon.  The state is set to receive $18.648 million dollars to fund 30 projects on BLM lands. Oregon’s largest expenditure takes place in Jackson, Josephine, Curry and Douglas counties funding nine projects at a cost of $6.212 million dollars.  Three projects in Harney County get $3.63 million dollars; Douglas County has five projects funded at $4.116 million dollars.  Klamath and Lake Counties have seven projects costing $3.5 million dollars.  Six projects in Baker and Malhuer Counties receive $1.19 million dollars.