The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

Forest Policy Briefs
by Rex Storm
Associated Oregon Loggers

False Media Reports of Rule Change: Early January’s news media reports erroneously stated that, “…the Oregon Board of Forestry decided to strengthen the state’s logging regulations to better protect water quality in streams. The board voted to revise the state Forest Practices Act to make sure streams on private timberland have enough tree cover to stay cold for fish.” More accurately, the board approved beginning an analysis to determine whether or not rule updates may be needed—rather than authorizing any specific rule change. Reporters naively parroted environmentalist lies.

Murrelet Lawsuit Threatens State Forest: Three environmental groups filed notice of intent to sue the Oregon Dept. of Forestry, for proposed harvest in coastal state forests. The groups wrongly allege that logging is killing or displacing marbled murrelets, a robin-sized seabird listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Even though the murrelet spends 90% of its life over the ocean, it has become a forest protection icon, similar to the n. spotted owl and salmon, which is abused by anti-forestry groups trying to obstruct coastal logging though lawsuits.

Legislative Update: Water Bill, Wolf Bill & Farm Tax Credit
By Oregon Farm Bureau

Water is for fighting……..Oregon Farm Bureau entered the February session with one mission: to promote policies that directly relate to economic growth in the natural resources sector. We are disappointed with inability to agree on policies to increase water supplies for agriculture and economic development.

While water is a limited resource, it’s use can be extended by efficiency improvements and application of innovative technologies to capture, store, and distribute water, based on need and timing (winter capture, summer distribute). This balanced approach is what HB 4101 intended to implement.

Create jobs by increasing state timber harvests
Rep. Sal Esquivel Press Release

Oregon’s most abundant resource, timber, is being underutilized. This lack of productivity has hurt Oregon’s economy and our rural communities. The federal government owns 60 percent of Oregon’s forest land, and many in Southern Oregon understand that Washington DC does a very poor job managing our forests. Timber harvest on federal lands has declined, leading to high unemployment in rural communities.

As Co-Chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee, I have been working to advance measures that allow Oregonians to responsibly utilize our natural resources to improve our economy. While the Oregon Legislature can do little to affect federal timber policies, we can act to properly manage our state forests and put rural Oregonians back to work.

Corn Commentary
National Corn Growers Association

Bill Gates, respected for his visionary work as founder of both Microsoft and the philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, called for a new digital revolution . This time, instead of promoting software to improve office productivity, he passionately advocated for application of the advanced technology to help end world hunger.

Many stop reading the story here, assuming that through massive donations Gates will provide the cash needed to revolutionize farming in the developing world. A closer look turns up a more interesting, nuanced viewpoint, one which requires public recognition of the amazing technologies American farmers use today.

Ahead of Senate Hearing, Groups Call for Farm Bill This Year
By National Association of Wheat Growers

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee held the first farm bill hearing of the year this week, focusing on energy and rural development issues.

The hearing included testimony from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack as well as rural development leaders and small business people. Much of the hearing focused on how to ensure rural development spending helps to create jobs and develop the growing renewable fuels and biobased products industries.

Federal Court Validates Cattlemen’s Concerns on EPA’s Scientifically Shoddy Approach
by NCBA
— Court Rules Components of EPA Criteria for Florida Nutrient Standards Arbitrary and Capricious
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association 

The Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) on April 28, 2011, challenged the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) determination letter and final rule establishing numeric nutrient criteria (NNC) for Florida’s lakes, rivers, streams and springs. The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee, resulted in a mixed ruling on Feb. 18, 2012. Judge Robert L. Hinkle invalidated the criteria for streams as well as certain aspects of the downstream protection values for lakes ruling them “arbitrary and capricious.” This action ultimately prevents EPA from implementing its proposed criteria for these water bodies in the state of Florida. While the Court upheld several of EPA’s arguments, FCA and NCBA are encouraged by the outcome.

HB 4158 A-Engrossed – Uphold Oregon’s current wolf plan.
By Oregonians For Food and Shelter

The Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, agreed to and adopted in the 2005 Session and reaffirmed in 2010, allows the taking of wolves causing chronic livestock depredation. Unfortunately, recent litigation has placed a stay order on ODFW for the taking of problem wolves. HB 4158-A does not change the current Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, but states clearly that on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has the authority to continue to implement the plan as they have for the last six years, including the taking of problem wolves.

Secretary Salazar’s Failed Timber Policies Bad for Rural Oregon
By American Forest Resource Council

Ken Salazar, President Obama’s Secretary of the Interior, was in Medford, Oregon this week to tour the “Pilot Joe” demonstration project and hold a Town Hall meeting where he sought to downplay the impact of a new Northern Spotted Owl critical habitat designation and announced yet another lengthy administrative forest planning process for 2.5 million acres of western Oregon forests managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), including the Oregon & California (O&C) Grant lands. This latest announcement comes nearly 2 ½ years after Secretary Salazar illegally withdrew the 2008 Western Oregon Plan Revisions. Ever since, Oregonians have heard a host of unfulfilled promises.

Farmers & Fish working together
By Guest Opinion

Farmers near Bend, Ore., need water. And when the Crooked River is high, water flows to them by gravity through an intricately engineered system of canals. But those canals have a problem: the fractured volcanic ground under them drains water very effectively. In fact, half of what leaves the river never makes it to farmers.

The Statesman Journal details the problem, farmers don’t like this situation. Environmental groups like it even less, because to replace the liquid lost in transit, farmers are forced to draw even more heavily, pumping extra Crooked River water. But the pumps create high summertime water temperatures, effectively boiling any fish that try to get past the pumps and head upstream. Plus, the electricity the pumps require costs farmers plenty.

Secretary Salazar to Visit Forestry Pilot Project in Southwest Oregon, Hold Town Hall to Discuss Next Steps in Forest Restoration
– Medford Pilot Project Demonstrates Opportunities for Ecological Forestry
By Bureau of Land Management

On Tuesday, Feb. 21, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will be in southwest Oregon to view progress underway on the Medford Pilot Project, one of three ecological forestry pilot projects in the state.

In December 2010, Secretary Salazar set in motion a plan to apply the principles of active forest management, as suggested by Professors Norm Johnson and Jerry Franklin, on BLM lands within the Coos Bay, Roseburg, and Medford Districts in Oregon. Drs. Franklin and Johnson believe that an active management program is needed on public lands in the Pacific Northwest to sustain local economies and restore ecological values.

Trappers in northeast Oregon: Be mindful of wolverines in the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area
By Oregon Dept. Fish & Wildlife

ODFW has reminded northeast Oregon trappers that wolverines could be in the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area and of the species’ threatened status under the Oregon Endangered Species Act. This comes after a wolverine was accidentally captured in a foothold trap set near the Eagle Cap Wilderness in late December. Upon finding the captured wolverine, the trapper immediately contacted ODFW. Wildlife biologists came to the site, tranquilized the wolverine and released it unharmed.

How Does Agriculture Fare in the President’s Budget?
Johnna Miller, Director of Media Development,
& Policy Specialist Dale Moore 
American Farm Bureau Federation

Miller: The president’s budget is basically an outline for the administration’s priorities for the year ahead. It calls for about $700 million in spending cuts for the Department of Agriculture. One area of concern in the agriculture community is the cuts to the crop insurance program.

Moore: We don’t know exactly how they plan to affect that savings.We want to make sure that whatever crop insurance plan there is down at USDA for funding the crop insurance is robust and keeps focused on those risk management tools as a critical part of farmers’ risk management safety net.

Bipartisan Oregon House Delegation Releases O&C Forest Management and County Funding Trust Legislation
American Forest Resource Council  

Oregon U.S. Representatives Peter DeFazio, Greg Walden and Kurt Schrader released a discussion draft of bipartisan legislation aimed at resolving the forest management and county revenue crisis facing much of western Oregon. The legislative proposal comes after months of effort by the offices to consider the needs of the forests, communities and local governments in 18 western Oregon counties that include the Oregon & California Grant Lands (O&C Lands).

Forest Policy Briefs
by Rex Storm
Associated Oregon Loggers

House Committee Hears ESA Problems: US House Resources Committee Chair Doc Hastings (R-WA) held a hearing on economic impacts from the 40-year old Endangered Species Act. Tidal waves of ESA litigation block economic activity and hundreds of species listings overwhelm federal agencies. The ESA wrongly encourages environmental lawsuits and maliciously condemns all economic activity. While Rep. Hastings touted the hearing as a first step towards reform & reauthorization, lack of consensus assures that any reform will be politically charged.

By Oregon Farm Bureau

Session Overview
As the first official even-year legislative session, scheduled for only 35 days, it seems like the Legislature is under a steep learning curve on how to manage the month. While initial thoughts were that the session would be largely budget based, some concerning patterns are emmerging around significant policy legislation.

Adding complexity to a short session, an incredible number of bills were introduced that were not vetted with stakeholders nor were they worked during the interim. For the most part, legislators are working very hard not to take any action that could be considered partisan. That means bills that would normally be low priorities are getting hearings. If someone doesn’t show up to express concerns, it is likely these bills will move. Compounded with this is the fact that the pace of the session is so fast that the general public does not have time to gather information on bills. This perspective is shared building wide.

Does Portland have cheap cannabis?
The cops say no. The drug dealers say yes.
Natural Resource News Note:

Consumers, apparently, agree with the dealers. According to PriceOfWeed.com, a site where users (in both senses) can upload information about how much they paid for their recent marijuana purchases, pot averages $250.12/oz. here. Californians, meanwhile, pay $298.72/oz., Idahoans $323.06, and Washingtonians $270.17.

Those prices are actually inflated, according to a drug dealer interviewed last week by Willamette Week. At 24 years old, “Eric” claims to have been selling pot for six years. He says that in the last year, he hasn’t charged more than $220/oz. Anything higher would just be laughed out of the market.

By California Dept. of Food and Agriculture

Dozer the detector dog has reported for duty! He brings our total to 13 dogs throughout the state that spend their working hours sniffing around package-delivery facilities, detecting parcels that contain fruits, vegetables, plants and other agricultural materials. These dogs protect California’s citizens and its agriculture from harmful pests, diseases and weeds that could otherwise sneak into our state and cause dangerous and expensive infestations and outbreaks.

Dozer, a three-year-old Labrador retriever mix, came to us from Atlanta Lab Rescue. All of the dogs in the California Agriculture Detector Dog Program are rescued dogs. Dozer arrived in California earlier this month to begin his assignment with his handler, Jennifer Berger with the Sacramento County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office. He works at various shipping facilities in the Sacramento Valley area.

The weekly photo goes to Atlanta airport for installing a huge corn airplane.

Here it is described by the Atlanta airport:
“At Gate E-16 is probably the largest flying ear of corn you will ever see. From Nutt’s “Flying Vegetable” series, the design was inspired by jetliners. With its wings swept back, leaping into flight the corn is propelling upward to cruising altitude. This humorous work was hand-carved by Nutt from wood and painted to capture the details of this indigenous American crop. To accompany the flying corn, Nutt created an air traffic control tower. Nothing is more appropriate to guide the “Corncorde” on its journey than a tower composed of a giant carrot and motorized spinning butter bean also made out of carved and painted wood. “

Child Labor Regs Need Further Revision
By American Farm Bureau Federation

Young people and the contributions they make as members of farm and ranch families are vital to American agriculture, according to Missouri hog farmer Chris Chinn. Testifying on behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation, she told the House Small Business’ Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade that proposed Labor Department regulations on child labor would have negative impacts on rural America.

Chinn, who owns and operates a family farm with her husband, said the DOL rules could significantly limit the jobs their children (aged 14 and 10) could do on their own farm, and especially their grandparents’ farm.

Natural Resource News Note:

An immigration-status-checking program has been debated in the Washington statehouse. The program, known as E-Verify, provides a way for employers to quickly discover whether job applicants are in the country legally, and it’s already used in eleven cities and counties in Washington state. But lawmakers plan to take on vote on whether to ban E-Verify within their state.

Farmers and immigrant-rights groups are in favor of banning E-Verify; they say the software makes it harder for employers and employees to find each other and do business. Nationwide, however, the program has been popular. Several states, including Utah, Mississippi, and Georgia, even require its use. Supporters of the software contend that it makes background and immigration status checks free, easy, and fast. Employers using the older method of reporting an employee’s SSN to the Social Security Administration could take up to six months to get an answer on the prospective employee’s immigration status.