The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

Bipartisan team says action needed now for healthier forests and job creation in rural America
Congressman Greg Walden
and Congressman Kurt Schrader

In recession-hit rural forested communities, forest stewardship yields self-reliance and sustainable renewable energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan team of House members announced this morning their plan to address forest health issues and put rural America back to work. Without waiving any environmental laws, the plan would allow federal scientists and foresters to manage fire-prone forests back to health and encourage the growth of an important new renewable energy industry.

Partnership between Oregon Environmental Council and Oregon Association of Nurseries creates sustainable model for Oregon agriculture
Oregon Association of Nurseries,

PORTLAND, Ore.—August 20, 2009—The Oregon Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Environmental Council today announced the launch of a unique sustainability project for Oregon’s largest agricultural commodity – the ornamental horticulture industry. The Climate Friendly Nurseries project is an innovative partnership that will help nurseries use energy and other resources more efficiently, reduce costs, and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while achieving greater economic efficiency and profitability.

New technologies, supporting infrastructures, and greater demand will be needed to meet the country’s ambitious mandate to increase biofuel use.
By Amber Waves, USDA

- Constraints to future growth of the ethanol industry will present challenges to meeting the ambitious mandates for expanded biofuel use set forth in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

Oregon Farm Bureau Federation joins Oregon tax referendum petition campaign
By Guest Submission,

The Oregon Farm Bureau Federation has joined a broad-based coalition of business, natural resource and community groups and formed Oregonians Against Job-Killing Taxes to circulate petitions and collect signatures needed to place two tax measures on the ballot in a January special election.  The tax measures (HB 2649, HB 3405) raise the corporate minimum tax and income tax on higher earners.

Joining the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation are several agriculture based groups including: Oregonians for Food and Shelter, American Forest and Paper Association, Associated Oregon Loggers, Northwest Food Processors Association, Oregon Forestry Industries Council, and the Oregon Seed Council. With Oregon businesses struggling, the Farm Bureau fears that the tax measures will cost jobs, cause employers to lay off workers, reduce wages and benefits or force businesses to close their doors if the voters approve tax measures.

By Chris Chinn
Guest article from Farm Bureau

Call it H1N1, please. The last week of April 2009 will be a week hog farmers will never forget. The week changed our lives and not in a positive way.  The last week of April is when the H1N1 flu outbreak became news. Most media outlets tagged an inappropriate name to the flu virus. The unintended consequence of calling H1N1 the informal name “swine flu,” has been devastating to all farms that raise hogs, including my family farm. Because of the unfortunate name choice, exports of U.S. pork have dropped, eliminating a key market rally that is typically seen each summer. This summer’s rally was especially crucial; hog farmers have lost money since September 2007. In fact, hog farmers have lost more than half of their accumulated equity since September 2007. Hog farmers desperately needed a summer rally to return profit to our farms. The other name for H1N1 stole this from us.

- How do scientists predict the number of salmon that will return from the ocean next year?
- What are the ramifications of wave energy development off the Oregon coast?
- Why are urban centers so important to the future of Oregon’s salmon, trout and steelhead?

Oregon Dept. Fish and Wildlife: These are just a few of the more than 30 topics that will be addressed during the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department’s STEP conference in Salem Sept. 11-13.STEP stands for Salmon and Trout Enhancement Program, which was adopted by the Oregon Legislature in 1981 to mobilize teachers, students, and volunteers in an ongoing statewide effort to bolster the state’s salmon, trout and steelhead populations.

By Natural Resource Report,

More stimulus money in the form of Challenge Grants, administered by the Bureau of Reclamation is flowing Oregon’s way after two irrigation projects were recently approved for funding.

In a press release announcing the grants the Department of the Interior said, “Through the Challenge Grant Program’s Water Marketing and Efficiency Grants, Reclamation provides 50/50 cost share funding to states and irrigation and water districts for projects focused on water marketing, conservation and efficiency. Projects are selected through a competitive process, based on their ability to meet the goal of improving sustainable water supplies in the western United States.”  The Challenge Grant program is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Conversion of forests, farms, and rangeland to development slows overall;
Oregon Department of Forestry

Despite population and income growth over the past 15 years, the conversion of non-federal forestland, farmland, and rangeland to more developed uses in Oregon overall has continued to decrease, according to a new study. Development of these lands slowed after the mid-1980s, when comprehensive land use plans were adopted.  However, the study also found that although lands are remaining in forest, farm, and rangeland, many tracts are experiencing significant increases in structures and population.

By Rick Sohn,
Umpqua Coquille LLC
August 24, 2009

Lumber prices, housing starts and building permits fell slightly this month, signaling the reality of a longer, slower recovery in the wood products sector.  One bright spot is the continued decline of the unsold home inventory.  The 30-year fixed rate mortgage statistic, as compiled by Freddie Mac, is added to the Timber Industry Report this month.  The mortgage interest rate is lower in July than June.

By Oregon Department of Agriculture,

An early adopter of high technology, Oregon’s farming and ranching community remains among the national leaders in the usage of computers as part of their operations. Results of a recent survey indicate that computers are just as important to most Oregon agricultural producers as the tractor or any other common type of equipment.

“We know that Oregon farmers and ranchers are savvy when it comes to technology,” says Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. “We have consistently ranked high among all states each time these computer surveys have been done. What the latest results show, however, is that many other states are finally catching up to where we have been for the past few years.”

By Natural Resource Report,

According to the latest statistics from the Energy Information Agency, non-hydroelectric renewable power provided three percent of total electricity generated in the U.S. for 2008 up from 2.5 percent in 2007.The growing importance of state renewable portfolio standards and the proposals for a national renewable energy standard have sparked an interest in the share of U.S. generation provided by renewable energy.

As seen in Oregon, wind power accounted for the greatest increase in capacity.  By the end of 2008, wind power provided 1.3 percent of total U.S. generation (from all energy sources) up from 0.4 percent in 2004.  Total wind capacity stood at 23,847 megawatts at year’s end, up from just 6,456 megawatts in 2004.

USDA Economic Research Service report on change in net farm income.

The “dirty dozen” is just as safe and nutritious as their organic counterparts.
By American Federation Farm Bureau,

As many of you may have seen last week in the news there seems to be this misconception surrounding the “dirty dozen” (the 12 fruits and vegetable considered by some to contain the highest levels of pesticide residue) and pesticide usage on fresh fruits and vegetables. Let me assure you that conventional growing methods produce fruits and vegetables that are as safe, if not safer, and as nutritious, and wholesome as those produced otherwise.

From Oregon Small Business Association,

Weyerhaeuser Company announced recently that it has agreed to sell approximately 140,000 acres of timberland in Oregon to an entity affiliated with the Campbell Group LLC for around $300 million. The sale is expected to close in the third quarter of 2009.  The transaction is expected to contribute approximately $100 million after tax to third quarter earnings.  The sale is designed to help Weyerhaeuser’s focus on improving financial flexibility and liquidity.  It is also considering a sale of up to an additional 82,000 acres in southwest Washington. 

Obama Administration gets more time to look at salmon plan
By Natural Resource Report,

For a second time the Obama Administration has asked for more time to review the 2008 Salmon plan prepared by the Bush Administration covering the Columbia and Snake rivers.  Recently, the government asked for and U.S. District Court Judge, James Redden granted an additional 30 days to finalize its position on the plan.  The plan is an attempt to balance the needs of people and salmon in the Columbia and Snake Rivers.  Environmentalists argue that salmon populations cannot recover without removing some of the dams on the lower Snake River.

A number of environmental groups are concerned that in asking for the delay the Obama administration may end up supporting the Bush Plan. In papers filed in federal court recently, the state, environmental groups and the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho complain they’ve been ignored in the administration’s deliberations over how to run the region’s network of big, power-generating dams without causing further harm to the salmon.

Update on Current Policy News Affecting Forest Business & Timber Supply
by Rex Storm, Forest Policy Manger
Associated Oregon Loggers

Logging Protestors Arrested on State Forest: After just two days of blocking a logging site, 50 police officers promptly arrested all 27 environmental protestors in Douglas County’s Elliott State Forest, near Reedsport (UmpCoos Ridge 2 Timber Sale).  Two days earlier on July 6, loggers found protestors had blocked the road with an overturned pickup, erected crude rope & pole structures, locked themselves to barriers, and perched in tree-sit platforms.  Timber purchaser, Scott Timber Co. (Roseburg FP), allowed law enforcement officers to quickly remove the crooks—intending to discourage further crimes.  The jailed protestors were charged with crimes of interference with agricultural operations, trespassing, and disorderly conduct.  Before they were jailed, an Earth First/ Cascadia Rising Tide press release said they’d “block logging until the sale was canceled.”

Below is a summary of a special report on Broadband Internet’s Value for Rural America issued by the USDA Economic Research. Click here for full report.

The Internet has become widely, but not universally, available. Two-thirds of U.S. adults had in-home Internet access by 2008. Rural businesses and consumers have become almost as likely as their urban counterparts to use the Internet, though broadband—or high-speed—access is less prevalent in rural areas than in more densely populated areas. The 2008 Farm Act reauthorized USDA’s telemedicine, distance learning, and rural broadband access grant and loan programs.

What Is the Issue?

Broadband access is viewed as necessary to fully utilize the Internet’s potential.

By Natural Resource Report,

Afraid that it may slow down Oregon’s rush to green, renewable energy, Governor Ted Kulongoski recently vetoed House Bill 2472 that would have reduced the Business Energy Tax Credits (BETC) for wind energy developments and other renewable energy projects exceeding 15 megawatts.  Under the current program developers can receive a credit for 50 percent of the cost of a project up to a cap of $10 million.  The legislation would have changed the limits to a cap of $3.5 million for a $10 million project.

Since 2007, the state has paid out $68.8 million in credits.  Opponents say the rise in the BETC program, project to be $143.8 million in the next biennium, is just too expensive.

Oregon Department of Agriculture:

August 5, 2009… Not nearly as developed as the state’s trading partners in Asia and a half a world away, a group of countries in the Middle East is now getting a look by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and other regional states as an emerging market filled with opportunity. With the bustling city of Dubai poised as an Arab version of Hong Kong, early overtures to the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates show promise.

American Farm Bureau Federation: Climate change legislation currently being considered by Congress will have a devastating impact on family farms and agricultural production across the country. The House-passed bill (H.R. 2454), which is being examined by the Senate to serve as the potential basis for its climate change legislation, poses a real economic threat for the U.S. agricultural economy. It also places our nation at a competitive disadvantage with our trading partners and fails to provide viable alternative sources of energy to keep our economy strong and hold down costs. And, after all this, the measure would have little or no impact on the climate.