The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

From Dave Hunnicutt
Oregonians In Action

Last month, Utah Governor Gary Herbert approved House Bill 143, a bill that gives the State of Utah  the authority to use eminent domain to condemn federal lands within Utah’s borders.  At a ceremony for the bill signing, Governor Herbert urged the legislatures of all western states to follow Utah’s lead.

On April 15, we accepted Governor Herbert’s challenge.  In the upcoming session of the Oregon legislature, Oregonians In Action will work with the Oregon legislature to pass similar legislation in Oregon. This legislation would provide the biggest economic boost for rural Oregon communities in decades.   Faced with skyrocketing unemployment rates, the loss of natural resource industries, and a huge budget deficit, Utah leaders are taking every step possible to revitalize their economy and create family wage jobs for Utah residents.  House Bill 143 is a prime example of Utah’s strategy.

By Lynne Finnerty
American Farm Bureau Federation,

Another Earth Day has come and gone. The observance each year on April 22 is an opportunity to recognize our environmental achievements and discuss what more we should do. The “doing more” discussion usually centers on things like intricate carbon trading schemes and federal permitting processes. Meanwhile, a simple and non-punitive means of environmental protection is staring us in the face. When farmers and ranchers die, they typically want their children to be able to continue the farming business they have worked hard to establish. These surviving family members have grown up doing farm chores, essentially apprenticing to carry on farming and good stewardship of the land when they start their solo careers. The tradition of passing farms from one generation to the next keeps the farm in the family and sustains agricultural production.

By Ken Ozda,
Stoel Rives LLP, Attorneys at Law

I’ll be moderating and speaking on a panel at the upcoming ACI’s Advanced Summit on Food Safety Regulatory Compliance in Chicago, June 28-29. Scott Rickman from Del Monte, public relations professionals and I will be presenting on  “Effectively Responding to Negative Media Coverage: How to Avoid the Backlash” (If you plan to attend, register soon and contact me for a conference discount). In my practice, I abide by two principles when involved with a case that has potential for negative media coverage:

1. Preservation of the Brand May Trump the Litigation: Even the most serious food-borne illness or consumer fraud claims may not be as significant as preservation of the client’s brand. And what may seem like a smart litigation strategy may not be in the best interest of the brand.

Forest Policy Briefs
by Rex Storm, Forest Policy Manager
Associated Oregon Loggers

Proposal to Increase State Forest Harvest: at its April meeting, the County Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee heard an industry proposal that illustrated how state forests could be managed for greater timber harvest volume and state revenues.  The Hampton Affiliates-prepared analysis allocated 30% of forest acreage to habitat protections, while still increasing harvest by 100 million bdft/year and generating almost $30 million/year more in revenue to the state and counties.  The analysis was presented as part of a Board of Forestry effort to revise the regulatory purpose of state forests, referred to as the “greatest permanent value” administrative rule.

Governor Warns of State Budget Peril: Governor Kulongoski in his recent ‘State of the State’ speech warned that Oregon is “speeding toward a budgetary cliff,” where spending outpaces tax & fee revenue collection.  On the eve of the Governor’s last months in office, he now finally acknowledges the dire fiscal dilemma, which Republican legislators have warned of for years.  The $18.3 billion state budget is rapidly overspending the $16 billion in current projected revenues— a projected deficit of $2.3 billion.  This debacle is on the heels of the Democrat’s largest tax increase in Oregon history.

Oregon Initiative Petition 50 regarding redistricting
By Oregonians For Food and Sheleter,

We must make sure that the 2011 redistricting in Oregon is done fairly. The next reapportionment will be based on the 2010 Census. The last reapportionment was done by Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and it was drawn to favor Democrats. We should not have reapportionment done to favor either Democrats or Republicans.

Initiative Petition 50 is a Constitutional Amendment that would call for the appointment of an independent, non-partisan commission to carry out reapportionment of legislative districts rather than having either the legislature or the Secretary of State do the job.

Oberstar “Clean Water” Bill Threatens Private Property Rights
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

WASHINGTON (April 21, 2010) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) are strongly opposing the so-called “America’s Commitment to Clean Water Act,” introduced earlier today by Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.). The Act would remove the word “navigable” from the definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act, granting the federal government unprecedented regulatory authority over all waters regardless of whether or not they have any environmental significance.

DEQ Launches Oregon Carbon Calculator in Honor of Earth Day
Department of Environmental Quality

On the eve of Earth Day’s 40th anniversary, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has launched a new interactive tool on its website, allowing Oregon residents to measure their total carbon footprint and discover ways to improve it. The Oregon Carbon Calculator, which can be accessed by visiting www.oregon.gov/DEQ/ , calculates all direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from personal transportation, household energy use and consumption of food, goods and services.

The interactive tool allows users to compare their household’s carbon footprint to households of similar size and income. After asking for numbers from one’s transportation patterns, energy use and shopping habits, the application provides a carbon footprint summary and rating with a total estimated number of annual metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The Web application then provides specific “Take Action” ideas and strategies for making lifestyle changes to reduce one’s carbon footprint.

AFBF responds to error-filled Sunday comic
From The Dairy Herd

Dairy farmers across the nation are upset about an error-filled and rhetorically loaded Sunday comic strip aimed at providing facts to kids, and American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman is helping them set the record straight. The comic strip “You Can with Beakman and Jax,” carried in syndication and printed in newspapers across the nation, focused on a dairy theme this past Sunday. The strip was rife with blatant misrepresentations about America’s dairies and leaned heavily on the use of overheated rhetorical terms such as “factory” rather than farms.

In a letter to cartoonist Jok Church, copied to the president of the strip’s distributor, Universal Press Syndicate, Stallman informed Church that the strip printed nationwide on April 18 was “filled with errors, inaccuracies and outright lies. You have done a great disservice to America’s hard-working dairy farm families and to consumers who purchase dairy products.” Stallman pointed out that few of the “facts” provided in the strip were correct.

OFRI and ODF launch Forest Values and Beliefs survey.
Oregon Forest Resource Institute

Values and beliefs about Oregon’s forests and forest practices is the subject of research now under way by OFRI and the Oregon Department of Forestry. Every four years, OFRI conducts similar research as a means of gauging public knowledge and attitudes about forests and forestry and to help OFRI develop more effective programs. The research also helps OFRI measure the effectiveness of its existing landowner, K-12 and public outreach programs. We want to know what you think.

ODA provides animal disaster response trailers to counties
By Oregon Dept. of Agriclture

A $52,000 Homeland Security grant has given the State of Oregon an opportunity to be better prepared for taking care of pets and livestock in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency. Four enclosed cargo trailers owned by the Oregon Department of Agriculture will be provided at the end of the month to counties throughout the state as part of a plan to rescue animals facing disaster conditions. Inside those trailers is a good set of tools to help emergency responders.

By Curt Kipp
Daily Digger Blog
Oregon Association of Nurseries

The woman who apparently thought that U.S. Customs agents at the Mexican border would never check the contents of a diaper, thought wrong. After the woman declared that she had no plants with her, the agents searched her vehicle and, underneath the seat, found a diaper containing 10 agave plants. For those concerned about invasive plants coming into the country and causing problems, it’s nice to know the customs agents have that kind of vigilance.

To see photo of the criminal diaper look below

Natural Resource News Note,

To find out more check out the story “Crime In the Country” from Agriculture.com and learn how to protect yourself.

Second and Sixth Circuits In Some Conflict on Pesticide Issue
By National Wheat Grower’s Association

The Second and Sixth Federal Circuit Courts appear to be in conflict on regulation of pesticide applications following a Second Circuit decision handed down March 30 in the Peconic Baykeeper vs. Suffolk County Department of Public Works case. According to information out this week from CropLife America and RISE, the crop protection product trade associations, that decision did not endorse the analysis used by the Sixth Circuit in the case National Cotton Council v. Environmental Protection Agency, which was decided in 2009 and said pesticide discharge is a point source of pollution subject to additional regulation and permitting under the Clean Water Act. The Second Circuit decision in fact affirmed that pesticide applications made in accordance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and EPA’s 2006 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Rule – existing law and regulation – are lawful.

Ag Groups Unify in Call for Immediate Estate Tax Reform
American Farm Bureau Federation

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 13, 2010 – The American Farm Bureau Federation has joined with other agricultural groups in a unified call for permanent and meaningful estate tax relief for America’s farm and ranch families. In a letter to Senate leaders, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), AFBF and 27 other organizations stated that inaction on fixing the looming estate tax challenge would be disastrous for agriculture.

“American agriculture is traditionally a family-owned enterprise, and estate taxes can take a severe toll on family members who wish to carry on the farm and ranch tradition,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “Portions of farm and ranch resources frequently have to be sold to pay for the resulting estate tax, and if something is not done soon, the bite of those taxes in 2011 will be even more severe.”

From Oregon Wheat Growers League

HB 3696 Signed by Governor — Department of Revenue is prepared to receive Refund Applications from Impacted Natural Resource Estates Reference: New Oregon Form NRE for Natural Resource Property Inheritance Tax Refund Application As provided in the Oregon Legislative Assembly, 2010 Special Session, House Bill (HB) 3696, Sections 85–88, an estate may apply for a refund of Oregon inheritance tax related to the natural resource property exclusion. If the estate filed an Oregon Form IT-1 and either claimed the natural resource property exclusion or would have qualified for the natural resource property exclusion but did not claim the exclusion, the estate may be entitled to a refund.

By American Forest Resource Council
Highlights below, Read entire report here

1. HFRA Attacks Continue
2. Wyden Bill Hearing
3. Greater Sage-Grouse Not Listed

HFRA Attacks Continue

For the second time in three months, environmentalists have objected to a Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) project on the Klamath National Forest. The Eddy Gulch Project located on the Salmon River Ranger District, is designed to protect communities and local home owners within the Salmon River area, and to provide protection measures from catastrophic wildfire to the Eddy Late-Successional Reserve (LSR). It was designed in close coordination with local fire safe councils and the established Community Protection Plans. However, the groups objecting are not part of the local fire safe council. The objectors have raised six issues which include: 1) their concerns will not be addressed in the Record of Decision; 2) the forest is not consistent with the latest court ruling for Survey and Manage; 3) mastication work is not an environmentally feasible activity; 4) work proposed within the LSR are not consistent with HFRA; 5) when subpart A of the travel rule will be implemented; and 6) no multiparty monitoring was identified in the FEIS.

Natural Resource News Note:

From The Oregonian, “The amount of wheat planted nationwide has declined sharply the past three years as the price per bushel retreated from record highs. The national total went from 63 million acres in 2008 to about 54 million acres that will be harvested this year.   But in Oregon, the amount of land planted in wheat this year — 965,000 acres — is the highest it has been since 2004.

By Helen Moore,
Water for Life,

During 2009, the 75th Legislative Assembly passed House Bill 3369. The legislation pertained to a number of discreet topics, including water storage grant and loan programs. One component of this legislation, however, called for the development of a statewide, integrated water resources strategy to help Oregon meet its future water needs in terms of water quantity, water quality, and ecosystem function. Water for Life aggressively opposed the inclusion of these provisions in the bill, but the Legislature insisted upon enacting them over Water for Life’s ardent objections.

Wyden, Merkley Win Singular Protection for Crater Lake from Air Tour Flyovers
From US Senator Ron Wyden

Washington, D.C. – In order to preserve the unique quiet and solitude of Oregon’s sole National Park, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today won greater authority for the National Park Service to ban air tour flyovers in Crater Lake. Their amendment, which was passed in the Senate as part of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, allows the Park Service the ability to deny air tours over the park without first having to prepare an air tour management plan, as is the case with every other National Park.

“I see this as a first step in keeping our National Parks free of noise pollution that can ruin visitors’ experience of our national treasures,” Wyden said. “From today on, the precious quiet of Crater Lake will be something future generations can count on as much as we do today.”