Archives

October 31, 2018 - Carbon tax on Washington ballot

By Wall Street Journal Editorial, If Democrats retake Congress in November, a national carbon tax is likely to be part of their agenda. A referendum in Washington state next month is a test of public support. Two years ago nearly 60% of Washington voters rejected a ballot initiative to impose […]


October 30, 2018 - Ag group says Yes on 103 & 104

From Oregonians for Food and Shelter As we face increasing challenges in Oregon, it can be easy to become discouraged with the entire political process. It can feel like rural Oregon is forgotten, and that there’s no way to make a difference. Fortunately, that can’t be further from the truth. […]


October 29, 2018 - Energy tax scandal results in $13M give back

By Oregon Attorney General Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced the State of Oregon received $13 million in a major settlement with both solar developer Tesla Energy Solutions (formerly known as SolarCity) and its accounting firm, Novogradac & Company LLP. The settlement resolves allegations that SolarCity and Novogradac together submitted […]


October 26, 2018 - Ranchers: More oversight of lab-grown fake meat

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) will highlight the food safety and product labeling expertise of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during a two-day public meeting on lab-grown fake meat. The public meeting, hosted jointly by USDA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), takes […]


October 24, 2018 - Big legal victory for our forests, timber

American Forest Resource Council, Environmentalist groups have dropped their challenge to the Quartz Project on the Umpqua National Forest after failing to obtain an injunction against the project in federal court. On October 11, United States District Court Judge Michael McShane denied the groups’ motion for a preliminary injunction. This […]


October 22, 2018 - Ranchers v. Wolves

Robyn H. Smith Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, Oregon’s Beef Blog Ted Birdseye, a Southern Oregon rancher, is starting to feel like he’s destined to be involved in the wolf debate. The problem started in January, when Birdseye had three confirmed calf kills in a period of eight days. Later, he had […]


October 19, 2018 - Trump’s ethanol rule change

Wall Street Journal editorial board, In the movie “Field of Dreams,” someone asks the lead character played by Kevin Costner if this is heaven? No, he says, “it’s Iowa.” But it is political heaven if you’re a corn farmer who sells to ethanol refiners, as President Trump is proving this […]


October 17, 2018 - Wildfire: $512M damage. 2000 tons grapes ruined.

By Oregon Family Farm Association, Northwest Interagency Coordination Center data pegs the total cost of the summer wildfire at $512 million a new state record. Oregon had a total of 1,880 fires that burned through 846,411 acres or 1,322 square miles. The popular Oregon Shakespeare festival lost $2 million in […]


October 16, 2018 - Drones and agriculture

By Oregon Association of Nurseries, The popularity of drones, aka unmanned aerial vehicles or systems (UAVs/UASs), has dramatically increased over the past decades. Like global positioning (GPS) technology, walkie-talkies and Jeeps, drones initially were developed for military use. Although the U.S. Air Force’s Predator and Reaper drones continue to appear […]


October 10, 2018 - Sham energy company bilked 50 investors for $2.3M

By US Attorney Oregon District, Theodore B. Holbrook, 37, and George J. Arauz, Jr., 45, both of Gresham, Oregon, were sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for defrauding 50 investors of nearly $2.5 million using a sham energy technology start-up company. Holbrook and Arauz were also ordered to pay […]