The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

By American Soybean Association,

July 29, 2010… Saint Louis, Missouri… The American Soybean Association (ASA) this week suggested key steps to meeting President Barack Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI) goal of doubling exports in the next five years in comments to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The comments came in response to a request from the Obama Administration published in the June 30, 2010, Federal Register.  “Soybeans and soybean products are the most important U.S. export commodity, with export sales exceeding $21 billion last year,” said ASA President Rob Joslin, a soybean farmer from Sidney, Ohio. “This represented over 50 percent of U.S. soybean production and 21 percent of total U.S. ag exports in 2009. In short, soybean producers are in the vanguard of efforts to improve the U.S. trade balance.”

ASA believes that achieving the NEI goal will require:

Strong returns expected for Columbia River fall salmon seasons
By Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Anglers can look forward to one of the best returns of chinook salmon in several years when the fall fishing season gets under way Aug. 1 on the Columbia River.  Fisheries managers are forecasting a return of 655,000 adult fall chinook this year, which is up from a return of 429,000 chinook last year. If the run materializes as expected, it would be the largest fall chinook return since 2004.  The outlook for another popular fall fish – coho salmon – is down from last year’s banner run. Fisheries managers are forecasting that 286,600 coho will enter the mouth of the Columbia this year. That compares to a return of 721,000 in 2009.

Natural Resource Report Note:
– Projects included in the agriculture Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill that has passed the Senate Senate Appropriations Committee include:

US-20 Sisters Downtown Improvements – $1,500,000
Funds will be used to reconstruct and widen sidewalks, improve pedestrian crossings by building curb extensions, and add streetscape features such as decorative lighting and landscaping in order to improve prospects for business development in the community.

U.S. Highway 97 and J Street Intersection Project in Madras – $750,000
Funds will be used to ensure a safe and efficient flow of interstate traffic through the intersection.

By Marri Carrow
U.S. Grains Council
Since 1960

USDA-Chief-Economist-Joseph-Glauber-SpeakingU.S. agriculture exports are projected to be second-largest on record and surpass $100 billion dollars this year, second only to 2008 when agriculture exports surpassed $110 billion, Joseph Glauber, chief economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told attendees of the U.S. Grains Council’s 50th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting.

“It’s a very big market,” he said.

U.S. Chamber and National Association of Water Companies Launch ‘Water Is Your Business’ Series
– Partnership Highlights Best Practices to Improve Economic Competitiveness for Businesses
By US Chamber of Commerce

MIAMI, FL—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) today launched the “Water is Your Business” series to educate public leaders, businesses, and citizens on the importance of water infrastructure to public and environmental health, and the economic vitality of their communities. The kickoff event brought together more than 50 business leaders to examine drinking and wastewater infrastructure needs in the context of regional water management issues.

By Bureau of Land Management,

WASHINGTON, DC – Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey today announced the findings of the interdisciplinary Western Oregon Task Force for moving forward in the management of BLM-administered forests in western Oregon.
“The recommendations of the task force will help us develop a common vision and a sustainable future for Western Oregon forests,” said Director Abbey. “Sustainable forest management provides certainty to local economies that will in turn provide for sustainable communities. To break the cycle of agency decision followed by litigation we need collaborative solutions built together with Oregon leaders, the public, and other agencies.”

NCBA Summer Conference to Address Shrinking U.S. Cattle Herd
By  National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

WASHINGTON (July 20, 2010) The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) will be hosting its Summer Conference July 28 through Aug. 1, 2010, in Denver, Colo. According to NCBA President and Illinois cattle producer Steve Foglesong, cattle producers attending the event will receive firsthand information pertaining to issues affecting the beef industry.

By Oregon Farm Bureau,

Heath Webb awarded Oregon Farm Bureau Associate Member Scholarship, funded by COUNTRY Financial for 2010-11 Academic Year

The Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation (OAEF) is pleased to announce that Heath Webb of Cottage Grove was awarded the Oregon Farm Bureau Associate Member Scholarship, funded by COUNTRY Financial. This scholarship program is open any Oregon high school graduate/resident with an associate membership (or a dependent child of an associate member) in Oregon Farm Bureau.

By Ken
National Corn Growers Association

Reading a study from Iowa State University on the possibility of losing the ethanol tax credit got me thinking, and I have learned I’m not alone in my thoughts. First, there’s this line from the summary: “Taxpayers would save more than $6 billion through elimination of the tax credit, or almost $7.00 per gallon of ethanol produced in excess of mandated amounts.”

First, ignore the fact that ISU does not explain the $7 per gallon adequately in its report. What does it mean to say that taxpayers would save? Which taxpayers? Are we all going to see a tax cut of some sort?

New range rider helps protect livestock from wolves: Program funded by USFWS grant
By Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife,

ENTERPRISE, Ore.—In an effort to reduce wolf-livestock conflicts in Wallowa County, a new range rider will accompany cattle grazing in areas of the Imnaha wolf pack this summer. The cooperative demonstration program between ODFW and area livestock producers is funded through a $15,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant intended to help livestock producers take pro-active, non-lethal measures to reduce the risk of wolves to livestock. While not a panacea, range riders have been shown to help reduce livestock losses to wolves in other states where they have been used.

Lincoln, Kyl Offer Proposal to Reform Estate Tax System
By National Association of Wheat Growers

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) introduced this week a proposal that would permanently reform the estate tax, a vexing issue for farm families trying to plan for the future.

Long-standing concerns about the tax have intensified in recent months as Congress failed to change existing law, which includes no estate tax at all in 2010, but reverts in 2011 to taxing estates over $1 million at up to 55 percent. The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates such a low exemption level would mean up to 10 percent of farms and ranches whose operators die next year could owe the steep tax.

By American Farm Bureau Federation

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 8, 2010 – Retail food prices at the supermarket increased slightly during the second quarter of 2010, according to the latest American Farm Bureau Federation Marketbasket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $47.20, up $1.66 or 4 percent compared to the first quarter of 2010. The total average price for the 16 items increased about 2 percent compared to one year ago. Of the 16 items surveyed, nine increased and seven decreased in average price compared to the prior quarter.

Sirloin tip roast, sliced deli ham, bacon, boneless chicken breasts and ground chuck increased the most in dollar value since the first quarter.

By Andrew Hillard
Cascade policy Institute

If all goes as planned, July will be the start of a sunny future. Next month, Oregon Public Utilities will offer feed-in tariffs, or subsidies, for solar power. Under House Bill 3039, homeowners will be eligible to receive 55 to 65 cents for solar energy, compared to the usual cost of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. The pilot project intends to boost jobs and clean technology by subsidizing 2,500 homes over 15 years.

Water-friendly Dishwasher Detergents Now on Oregon Grocery Shelves

By Department of Environmental Quality

In Oregon, a new DEQ requirement mandates that all automatic dishwasher detergents for residential use have low-phosphate formulas. Effective, July 1, the law requires that dishwasher detergents contain no more than 0.5 percent phosphorus. Because soaps designed for washing dishes by hand are already phosphorus-free, the new requirement affects only soaps used in automatic dishwashers.

Some experts have estimated that dishwasher detergent accounts for 10 to 12 percent of the phosphorus in wastewater.

Phosphorus that goes down the drain creates water pollution problems. When phosphorus gets into rivers and especially lakes, it acts as a fertilizer for algae and plants in the water. This can lead to oxygen depletion, suffocating fish and other aquatic life. In some cases, excess phosphorous can lead to blooms of blue-green algae that produce toxins and poisons that can cause serious illness or death in pets, livestock, wildlife and humans.

USDA Announces Recovery Act Efforts Aimed at Creating Jobs, Supporting Local and Regional Food Systems

Natural Resource News

(USDA) – On Monday, the USDA Deputy Undersecretary Victor Vasquez used the backdrop of a gardening project in Corvallis to announce federal support for a number of Oregon projects. Oregon joins 9 other states to be on the receiving end of $46.9 million in federal loan guarantees. Eleven businesses were selected to receive the funding. Among the eleven was Torii Mor Winery, in Dundee, Oregon, receiving $6 million.

Vasquez also announced a number of smaller awards, including $74,000 in federal support for six Oregon nonprofits under the Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program.

The loan guarantees are from USDA Rural Development’s Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program, which received $1.57 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding to help rural businesses stimulate their economies and support local communities.

Oregon blueberries enjoy local and worldwide appeal

Oregon Department of Agriculture

The production value of Oregon blueberries in 2007 reached nearly $65 million. Last year, with flat prices, that value was down to $37 million, making it the state’s 19th ranked agricultural commodity. This year, it should bounce back up. With strong local, domestic, and export markets available- and perhaps some new international customers on the way- blueberries should continue to be one of Oregon ag’s better stories.

Blueberries remain the popular superfood in Asia and have been the export mainstays for Oregon agriculture in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China.The health benefits are notorious and the flavor profile fits the Asian palate well.

On the horizon are India and South Korea. Says Amanda Welker, interntional trade manager with the ODA, “If that market would open along with a free trade agreement, it would be a huge boon for Oregon’s blueberry industry.”

Natural Resource News Note:

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced an agreement had been reached with all 16 private insurance companies who participated in the 2011 federal crop insurance program.

The plan is designed to cut their subsidies by $6 billion over the next 10 years. With the savings achieved, $2 billion will be invested in Farm Bill programs used to strengthen successful, targeted risk management and conservation programs. $4 billion will be used to reduce the national deficit. Farmers’ premiums won’t change.

Due to significant increases in commodity prices in recent years, annual insurance industry payments more than doubled from $1.8 billion in 2006 to an estimated $3.8 billion in 2009. Meanwhile, the number of total policies decreased from 2000 to 2009.

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency sought the reductions because it contended the crop insurance companies were making excessive profits. Industry groups had resisted the cuts, saying the companies needed to maintain high reserves in case of widespread crop disasters, but they ultimately accepted the deal.

By Oregon Small Business Association,

A sluggish economy and hard times are decimating Oregon’s dairy market, as demand and prices decline. Fewer people are buying premium cheese and milk suppliers, such as Rogue Creamery and Darigold, aren’t buying as much from farmers.  Today, a gallon of milk that may cost $1.50 to produce only receives approximately $1 from Darigold.  Intensifying the challenge is a surplus of organic milk, causing the prices of conventional and organic milk to drop.  Many diaries invested in the organic market when the demand was high, but now, demand has fallen short and farmers are being forced to sell at a loss, sometimes as low as the price of conventional milk.

USDA Report shows crop acreage has dropped for second straight year

Natural Resource News

Washington – The amount of land dedicated to crops in the United States has dropped for the second straight year in 2010, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Crop acres in the United States continue to trend downward.

Bob Dinneen, president and CEO of Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO contributes the decline to new technology and dramatically increasing yields which allow farmers to produce more crops on less land.

Says Dinneen, “The USDA report reinforces the fact that the nation’s farmers simply don’t need to expand cropland to meet global demands for food, feed, fiber, and biofuels. The report, which shows total cropland has declined 6 million acres since 2008, is evidence that growth in ethanol production is not leading to cropland expansion.”

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

State Forestry Sees Further Budget Cuts: In May, the State Economist released the latest state revenue forecast, showing continued weakness in the economy and a $577 million shortfall in state income tax & fee revenue for the current 2009-2011 budget.  Governor Kulongoski directed all agencies to immediately reduce general fund spending by 9%.  Combined with required losses in private cost-share dollars, this means OR Dept. of Forestry reductions of $4 million in fire protection, $226,000 in private forests, and $158,000 in administration.  Private forests and administration will absorb losses through unfilled vacancies and deferred purchases, while fire would have to severely reduce initial attack capability.

Roadless Prohibition Extended: US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack extended for another year a moratorium on logging and other national forest management for 63 million acres of so-called “roadless areas,” defined during the Clinton-era.  Under Vilsack, most USFS management projects in roadless areas have been shelved, while waiting for federal courts to resolve the decade-long legal battle waged in federal courts.  In 2005, the US Forest Service tried to free roadless areas, by authorizing state-written plans to determine roadless area management.  However, environmentalists overturned this state-plan compromise, and the Obama administration reinstituted the Clinton-era 2000 roadless prohibitions.