The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

By Oregon Farm Bureau,

Oregon Farm Bureau applauds the 2016 Legislature’s passage of SB 1517B. The bill, proposed by Oregon Farm Bureau and the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association, creates a 10-year pilot program giving Tillamook County and local farmers more say on the development of wetland restoration projects in that county.

This bill makes Tillamook County one of the first in the nation to be involved in the process of wetland siting and ensuring protections for neighboring landowners potentially impacted by new wetlands.

By Oregon Family Farm Association

A leading genomicist, Dee Denver, from Oregon State University’s College of Science, is joining other scientists to find an earth-friendly approach to eliminating the crop-crunching pale cyst nematode and golden cyst nematode. The microscopic parasites burrow into the roots of potato plants, sucking out essential nutrients and reducing crop yields by up to 80 percent.

The five-year, $3.2 million project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has chosen an international team of scientists from Oregon, Idaho, New York, Canada, France and Scotland to study the potato probing parasites. A second OSU courtesy faculty member, Inga Zasada, is a nematode expert with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and says, “The nematode problem has a global reach… posing a significant threat to Northwest and U.S. potato industries.”

By National Association of Wheat Growers

Senate Unable to Pass Biotechnology Labeling Bill

This week the Senate took up Chairman Roberts’ bill (S. 2609) along with his substitute (Amendment 3450) that would implement immediate preemption, preventing the Vermont labeling law from going into effect on July 1, 2016 and the current state-by-state patchwork efforts. In a 48-49 vote on Wednesday the Chairman’s bill failed, as his efforts to implement voluntary disclosure, under the direction of USDA, were thwarted. The Chairman made strides to find a bipartisan solution that included a survey after one year of voluntary labeling products to determine if a 70% threshold of participation of labeled foods with disclosure related bioengineering was met.

By Oregon Department of Agriculture

The Oregon Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for licenses to grow and handle industrial hemp for the 2016 growing season. Starting this year, licenses and permits are issued on an annual basis rather than the previous 3-year license and permit. ODA has adopted a temporary administrative rule to modify the license and permit following changes to Oregon’s industrial hemp law by the 2015 legislature.

In addition to a license for growing or handling industrial hemp, a permit is needed for those wishing to produce or handle agricultural hemp seed.

By Oregon Cattlemen Association

After a short session that sported many twists and turns, the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association was glad to hear the Governor chose to sign HB 4040 into law.

“OCA thanks Governor Kate Brown for signing this bill,” said Jerome Rosa, executive director for the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association. “We would also like to thank Chair Witt in the House and Chair Edwards in the Senate for moving this bill through their respective committees.”

Many ranchers drove thousands of miles across Oregon to show the Legislature their support for HB 4040. One of those was Eastern Oregon rancher and OCA member Cheryl Martin.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council along with the Idaho Cattle Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, and Idaho Farm Bureau Federation filed an amicus brief regarding the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service’s restrictive land management plans that came as a back door alternative to not listing the Sage Grouse under the Endangered Species Act. Brenda Richards, PLC president and federal lands rancher said the associations are chiefly concerned these plans will undermine conservation efforts already underway by ranchers.

By Oregon Farm Bureau,

Please call Senators Wyden and Merkley TODAY asking for their support for S. 2609, the Biotech Labeling Solutions Act.

The Senate Agriculture Committee on March 1 approved Chairman Pat Roberts’ biotech labeling proposal on a bipartisan vote of 14-6.

The compromise legislation will provide strong preemption and a tight definition on ‘bioengineering’ immediately. Within one year, USDA will develop standards and definitions for the voluntarily labeling of foods from biotech ingredients.

By American Farm Bureau Federation

The American Farm Bureau Federation and Idaho Farm Bureau Federation have asked a federal court to stop federal land use management plans aimed at excluding grazing from millions of acres of federal lands to provide habitat for the greater sage grouse. The Public Lands Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Idaho Cattle Association joined with the Farm Bureau in filing their friend of the court brief in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on March 8.

By Oregon Cattlemen Association

After months of stress, confusion and heartache, the refuge takeover appears to have ended. The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association has repeatedly made clear that it does not endorse illegal activity against the government. That being said, Oregon Cattlemen’s Association does believe it is important that a proper conversation is started between ranchers and government stakeholders to address some of the problems that have been brought to light.

The association is thankful that the occupation has ended without further loss of life. “We are glad that the standoff was concluded without further bloodshed,” John O’Keeffe, president of the association, said. “We are hopeful the community of Burns will be able to start to heal.”

By Rick Sohn, PhD
Umqua Coquille LLC

Lackluster product prices, log prices, and housing starts are continuing, despite low unsold home inventories. The recovery has gone flat although fixed rate mortgages seem to get more attractive by the week, for now. Recent trends of lumber, home construction, and housing markets, are compared to 2009 and 2005.

Interpretation and Looking Ahead.