Tom Partin,  President

The National Forest Planning process has a significant impact on the members of AFRC and their employees who live and work in the remote communities of the West where timber jobs and forest health are important to everyday life.  The new Forest Planning Rule will guide how individual National Forests put together management plans, so we are very concerned about whether the agency took the comments we made on the draft rule to heart and made changes needed to avoid the mistakes of the past.

Forest plans need to be achievable, implementable and encourage management of our federal forests on a sustainable basis.

We will be reviewing the final Rule hoping that the agency has more closely followed Congress’ statutory direction. For example, the National Forest Management Act requires that the agency manage for a diversity of plants and animals within the context of its multiple use mandate, not in a manner that overrides that mandate with single-use.

We hope the requirement for forests to cooperate with local government in planning has been restored to the rule.

We hope that ecological, social and economic objectives are given equal weight in planning so that all of the needs of our citizens will be met by our federal forests.

We hope to see direction in the rule that forest plans provide direction to harvest timber for the many benefits it provides, including wood products, forest health and habitat diversity and that timber management is not neglected in the planning process.

Once we have had a chance to review the Rule and discuss it with the Forest Service, our members will be providing direction on how we should proceed.

See video below from KOIN-6 which reviews recent beef price increases and interviews an Oregon rancher family.

Oregon takes action to stop new plant disease

Boxwood blight, a fungal plant disease new to North America, has been detected in Oregon for the first time, prompting state officials to take measures to eradicate it. However, unlike the pathogen that causes sudden oak death, the newly-reported disease is no threat to the state’s environment and only affects boxwoods, a plant species that is not native to Oregon.

Boxwood blight, Cylindrocladium buxicola, has now been found in eight states and a Canadian province. It has previously invaded Europe and New Zealand. Boxwoods are commonly grown and sold by nurseries. The Oregon Department of Agriculture discovered boxwood blight disease at a Washington County nursery in December. ODA is working with the nursery to destroy all the infected blocks by bagging and burying the plants. The nursery is also voluntarily taking other actions to get rid of the disease.

A dozen other boxwood producers in Oregon have been surveyed with no signs of the blight. Additional producers will be inspected this winter and spring.

Even though the disease only affects boxwoods, it can spread rapidly and cause this species of evergreen plants to lose their leaves. The disease doesn’t spread through the air but is transmitted from plant to plant by rain splash or contaminated trimmers. Symptoms typically start at the base of the plant and progress upwards.

Homeowners with old and valuable boxwood hedges should be careful to buy healthy nursery stock only from reputable dealers. Homeowners are also advised to sanitize hedge trimmers and trim less thrifty plants last.

Nursery owners seeking advice or more information about the disease can contact their ODA inspector, county OSU extension office, or the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN).

ODA and industry officials emphasize that boxwood blight does not approach the threat of sudden oak death in Oregon. However, ODA will continue working with partners such as OAN and Oregon State University in monitoring and managing any outbreak of boxwood blight in the future.

For more information, contact Dan Hilburn at (503) 986-4663.

/ODA/docs/pdf/news/120123boxwood.pdf

NOAA rule designates add’l critical habitat for leatherbacks on U.S. west coast

NOAA announced the designation of additional critical habitat to provide protection for endangered leatherback sea turtles along the U.S. West Coast. NOAA is designating 41,914 square miles of marine habitat in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington. This regulation is currently on file with the Federal Register and is available at the link below. The regulation will formally publish on January 26th, and will become effective on February 25, 2012.

link

New Director hired for Oregonians for Food and Shelter

Please join us in welcoming Scott Dahlman as OFS’s new Executive Director! Scott is the former public policy analyst and national affairs coordinator for the Washington Farm Bureau, Scott will be a great addition to the OFS team and we look forward to working with him! Scott grew up in Oregon and is a graduate of Western Oregon University in Monmouth, where he obtained a B.S. in political science. Before his employment at the Washington Farm Bureau, Scott worked in both the Oregon and Washington legislatures and for the Washington State Grange. Scott, his wife Megan, and their young son will be relocating to Oregon soon.

Community Mobilizes After Yahoo Declares Ag Degrees Useless

Those who believe agriculture isn’t a serious academic subject and farmers are an uneducated lot may be enticed to expand their views based on the farm community’s reaction to a Jan. 19 article declaring agriculture degrees “useless.”

Yahoo Education, a news division of the search engine giant, published the piece by writer Terence Loose, listing agriculture, animal science and horticulture as three of the five “most useless” degrees available to college students.

The article was based on figures from the Department of Labor assessing the number of available positions for farm managers, animal scientists, and farmers and ranchers. Perhaps showing the cultural divide between those who work in the farming and food industries and those who don’t, it didn’t take into consideration the many jobs related to agriculture that aren’t directly on the farm, including with input suppliers, farm services, food processing and distribution and the agricultural media. The result was a very narrow view of an industry that encompasses 21 million U.S. jobs.

The Yahoo piece was also highly antithetical to those who actually work in the industry and know it is one of the few bright spots in an economy that has stagnated for nearly four years. While other U.S. industries that produce tangible products, like manufacturing, have struggled to compete in a global market, U.S. agriculture is thriving, with ag exports worth $137 billion in the last fiscal year.

Farmers, editors of agriculture publications and agriculture educators responded in force against the article’s allegations, pointing out the generalizations and gaps in its argument and reminding people that, as an editorial from Drovers CattleNetwork put it, “[d]on’t criticize our chosen profession…with your mouth full.”

The deans of agriculture at Purdue University, the University of Illinois, the Ohio State University and Iowa State University released a detailed press statement citing studies showing the need for agriculture industry workers and low unemployment rates for ag graduates compared to their peers in other fields.

The article was still producing Twitter traffic as of press time, with the hash tag #productofagedu marking some tweets. On Facebook, a new group titled “I Studied Agriculture & I Have A Job” had nearly 4,500 likes on Thursday.

The greater irony of the Yahoo piece for those who did study agriculture – and those who didn’t but work in the industry anyway – is that even as the number of on-farm jobs decreases, farmers still struggle to find qualified workers, and many industries that support the farming and food systems are in dire need of young, talented people.

Agricultural research is one of these areas, with both public and private research organizations raising concerns about finding the qualified, and highly-paid, professionals they need now and will need in the coming decades. Experienced wheat researchers, for instance, are in high demand as more and more investment goes into producing the world’s most widely cultivated crop with less water and land and yet to feed more people.

As longtime aggies continue to tackle these real challenges, they can be heartened that their backlash against the Yahoo piece might have a happy consequence: showing their urban friends the rich opportunities available in one of our country’s most fundamental industries.

The full Yahoo article is at http://education.yahoo.net/articles/most_useless_degrees.htm.

Scholarships available through Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation
By Oregon Farm Bureau

The Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation (OAEF) is pleased to announce that applications are available for two scholarship programs for the upcoming 2012-2013 academic year.

Oregon Farm Bureau Memorial Scholarships (OFBMS) with 10-12 awards annually are open to any Oregon high school graduate preparing for an agriculture or forestry-related career. Students attending institutions outside of Oregon are also eligible. The goal of the OFB Memorial Scholarship program is to “Support students that will have a positive impact on production agriculture and other agriculture-related fields.” The deadline for applications is March 15, 2012.

The Oregon Farm Bureau Associate Member Scholarship, funded by COUNTRY Financial, 1 Award @ $1000 is open to any Oregon High School graduate/resident with an associate membership (non-farming/non-voting), (or a dependent child of an associate member), in Oregon Farm Bureau preparing to continue his/her education through a junior college, or a four year college or university with intent to seek a bachelor’s degree. Students attending institutions outside of Oregon are also eligible. Employees of Oregon Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial and their immediate families are not eligible for this scholarship. The goal of the Oregon Farm Bureau Associate member Scholarship, funded by COUNTRY Financial is to “Help future community and business leaders obtain a baccalaureate education with the aim of strengthening understanding, cooperation, and mutual respect among rural, urban, and suburban Oregonians.” The deadline for applications is March 15, 2012.

Scholarship procedures & applications and additional information are available on the Oregon Farm Bureau website. http://www.oregonfb.org/programs/ofb-scholarships/.

Contact Andréa Kuenzi, OAEF Scholarship Coordinator, at andrea@oregonfb.org

About OAEF The Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation (OAEF) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization formed to support, provide, and encourage education, training, and study in the field of agriculture. This foundation offers educational opportunities and research in subjects that relate to or benefit Oregon agriculture and farmers, such as the Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program, the Oregon Farm Bureau Memorial Scholarship Program, and the Summer Ag Institute.

States set spring chinook, sturgeon seasons
By Oregon Dept. Fish & Wildlife

Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington set spring chinook salmon and sturgeon retention fishing seasons for the Columbia River today during a joint state hearing.

The Columbia River spring chinook seasons are based on a forecast of 314,000 returning upriver spring chinook, which compares to a 2011 actual return of just over 221,000 fish. Based on the 2012 harvest guideline, 12,700 upriver fish (a combination of kept fish and release mortalities) will be available for the sport fishery downstream of Bonneville Dam.

An additional 3,050 fish will be earmarked for recreational fisheries above Bonneville Dam.

The spring chinook season on the Columbia below I-5 is currently open under permanent rules. The seasons adopted today will take effect March 1. The season will include a 7-days-a-week boat fishery from Buoy 10 to Beacon Rock through April 6 with three Tuesday closures. It also will include additional opportunity for bank fishing only from Beacon Rock to Bonneville Dam.

The white sturgeon seasons adopted today are based on a total guideline of 10,400 harvestable fish for 2012, a 38 percent reduction from the 2011 guideline. In response to a continued decline in the abundance of legal-sized fish in both the Willamette and Columbia rivers, the directors of Oregon and Washington departments of fish and wildlife earlier this month agreed on a reduction in the harvest rate from 22.5 percent to 16 percent for 2012.

Retention sturgeon fishing is currently open in the Columbia River.

About 50 people including sport and commercial fishers showed up to listen and present testimony at the hearing, conducted in Portland.

The following is a summary of 2012 recreational salmon and sturgeon fishing seasons for the Columbia and Willamette rivers.

CHINOOK SALMON

Columbia River from Buoy 10 to Bonneville Dam
Prior to March 1, permanent rules, as outlined in the 2012 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations, remain in effect.

Boat angling will be allowed seven days per week from March 1 through April 6 from Buoy 10 upstream to Beacon Rock. Bank angling will be allowed during the same timeframe from Buoy 10 upstream to Bonneville Dam. There will be three Tuesday closures – Mar. 20, Mar. 27 and Apr. 3 – to accommodate commercial fisheries. This fishery will be managed to the available guideline of 12,700 upriver spring chinook.

The daily bag limit is two adipose fin-clipped adult salmon or steelhead in combination, of which no more than one may be a chinook. The rules also allow retention of shad and up to five adipose fin-clipped jack salmon per day.

Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to the Oregon/Washington border
Effective March 16, this area will be open to retention of adipose fin-clipped steelhead and adipose fin-clipped chinook through May 2. This fishery will be managed to the available guideline of 1,700 upriver spring chinook.

The daily bag limit is two adipose fin-clipped adult salmon or steelhead in combination, and up to five adipose fin-clipped jack salmon per day.

Fishing for salmon and steelhead between Bonneville Dam and the Tower Island power lines, approximately six miles downstream from The Dalles Dam, is restricted to bank fishing only.

Willamette River
The Willamette River will remain open to retention of adipose fin-clipped adult chinook salmon and adipose fin-clipped steelhead seven days a week the entire year.

The bag limit on the Willamette below Willamette Falls is two adipose fin-clipped salmonids, of which both may be chinook. Above the falls, one additional adipose fin-clipped steelhead may be retained under regulations for the combined salmon/steelhead bag limit.

STURGEON

Columbia River from Buoy 10 to Wauna power lines (River Mile 40)
Retention of white sturgeon is allowed seven days a week Jan. 1 – April 30, with a daily bag limit of one fish with a fork length of between 38 and 54 inches. This area is closed to retention of white sturgeon May 1-May 11. The season reopens seven days a week from May 12 through July 8, with a daily bag limit of one fish with a fork length of 41 to 54 inches.

This fishery will be managed to the available guideline of 4,160 fish.

Columbia River from Wauna power lines upstream to Bonneville Dam (including all adjacent Washington tributaries)
Retention of white sturgeon is allowed three days a week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Jan. 1 – July 31 and Oct. 20 – Dec. 31. This fishery will be managed to a harvest guideline of 2,080 fish.

Fishing for sturgeon is prohibited from the upstream end of Skamania Island at River Marker #82 upstream to Bonneville Dam May 1 – Aug. 31. In addition, the Sand Island Slough near Rooster Rock is closed to angling Feb. 1 through Apr. 30.

The daily bag limit is one white sturgeon with a fork length of 38 to 54 inches.

Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam
This area is at 40 percent of the 2,000 fish harvest guideline and may close in February. If the quota is not reach by mid-February, the remaining fish will be saved for a summer fishery.

Columbia River from The Dalles Dam to John Day Dam
This area is open to retention of white sturgeon seven days a week under permanent rules from Jan. 1 until the annual harvest guideline of 300 fish is met. The legal size limit for retention in this area is 43 to 54 inches fork length.

Columbia River from John Day Dam to McNary Dam
This area is open to retention of white sturgeon seven days a week under permanent rules from Jan. 1 until the annual harvest guideline of 500 fish is met. The legal size limit for retention in this area is 43 to 54 inches fork length.

Willamette River downstream of Willamette Falls including the Multnomah Channel and Gilbert River
Earlier this month, ODFW fishery managers announced a retention season of Feb. 17-18 and Feb. 24-25 with a harvest guideline between 1,768 and 2,022. The daily bag limit is one white sturgeon with a fork length of 38 to 54 inches.

On the Willamette, fishing for sturgeon is prohibited from the I-205 Bridge upstream to Willamette Falls May 1 – Aug. 31.

In other business the agencies took the following actions:

Adopted the 2012 Winter/Spring Pre-Season Commercial Fishing Plan and General Commercial Spring Chinook Fishery Regulations, which sets gear types and season structures.
Set commercial fishing seasons for Select Area fisheries, including Blind Slough/Knappa Slough, Tongue Point/South Channel, Deep River and Young’s Bay.

A complete description of the stock status and upcoming commercial and recreational fisheries (pdf)

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The president set out his 2012 agenda in his State of the Union address. American Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy explains where agriculture fit into that agenda in this report from AFBF’s Johnna Miller

Miller: American Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Mark Maslyn says it was good to hear the president talk extensively about an issue really important to farmers…renewable energy.

Maslyn: Particularly ethanol and biodiesel are issues of concern to agriculture. We’ve seen in just a few years the political sentiment on the Hill has changed quite dramatically and we feel that they’re somewhat under attack right now. So those words and the importance that his administration puts on those issues were reassuring. It would have been nice if he had specifically mentioned ethanol and biodiesel, but I think the message was clear.

Miller: The president also spoke about immigration reform. Maslyn says that was good to hear, since an adequate labor supply is a huge concern for farmers and ranchers.

Maslyn: We want to see a solution to this problem and right now, unfortunately, I think there are still folks who would rather have the issue than a solution, but it was important that the president mentioned that. He did and we’re appreciative of that. We’re going to continue to work to see that that remains a high profile issue.

Miller: Unfortunately Maslyn says election year politics will likely put the kibosh on a lot of legislative progress.

Maslyn: The real progress on these issue take shoe leather and compromise and we have divided government now and it just requires a sustained effort and a willingness on both parties to reach across the aisle and find some common ground. It gets very difficult in an election year because people are trying to draw contrasts between themselves and their opponent. “This is what I’m for. This is what he or she is for. And so the temptation to divide rather than unite in a year that’s divisible by two is particularly tempting.

Miller: Johnna Miller, Washington.

Miller: We have two extra actualities with AFBF Director of Public Policy Mark Maslyn. In the first extra actuality he says there was good reason for the president to mention trade in the State of the Union address. The cut runs 16 seconds, in 3-2-1.

Maslyn: He specifically mentioned the importance of trade and the advances made on trade. We’ve seen a dramatic increase in exports and particularly agricultural exports and that’s good news. Exports for agriculture are about a third of our cash receipts in this country and every year we’re setting new records. We want to see those advances continue.

Miller: In the second extra actuality Maslyn says one topic was a warning light of a battle to come for agriculture. The cut runs 26 seconds, in 3-2-1.

Maslyn: He talked about fiscal responsibility and although he didn’t mention them specifically the inference of estate tax and capital gains. That’s a fight that we’ll see later on this year. Preserving the exemption for agriculture in the estate tax debate and maintaining the capital gains rate at the current level of 15 percent are going to be a divisive issue between Congress and the administration later this year, particularly given the prominence of the issue during the Republican primaries that we’ve seen in recent weeks.

Timber industry challenges marbled murrelet habitat designation

The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) brought suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) claiming the agency violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when it designated millions of acres of forest land in Washington, Oregon and California as critical habitat for the marbled murrelet.

“There is nothing straight forward in how the FWS requires federal forest managers to deal with this bird,” said Tom Partin, President of AFRC. “Because humans almost never see the bird, the FWS seems to think it can throw a net over millions of acres of federal timber land that not only aren’t being used by the bird, but don’t even have the characteristics it is looking for when it flies inland to lay its eggs. Someone has to speak up about this violation of the limits of the ESA.”

The ESA requires that critical habitat be limited to areas occupied by the species at the time of listing. Under an exception, land not occupied at the time of listing may be designated as critical habitat only if they are essential to the survival of the species. Much of the land FWS has classified as critical habitat doesn’t have the large trees the murrelet is believed to use. When the FWS designated all Late Successional Reserves (LSRs) on federal land as murrelet critical habitat, it did so assuming those areas would develop into nesting habitat over the next 400 years.

“There is nothing in the law that allows the FWS to tie up currently unsuitable land hoping it turns into habitat that will support an endangered species,” said Partin. “That’s like the government denying you a building permit because it hopes someday your neighborhood will become a city park.”

Marbled murrelets are abundant in Alaska and the western Canadian provinces. Less than two percent of marbled murrelets are found in Washington, Oregon and California. AFRC’s filing argues that the birds in the lower three states should not be listed as a separate subspecies and are adequately protected by laws other than the ESA.

Under a rule published in October, 2011, FWS designated nearly 3,700,000 acres of land in Washington, Oregon and California as critical habitat for the murrelet. This is ten times the number of acres that were “occupied” by the bird when it was listed in 1992.

Until last October, areas of federal forest known not to have the characteristics needed for the murrelet to nest could be managed without asking the FWS for clearance. FWS changed the rule without notifying the public. Now, the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management must consult with FWS before undertaking projects on lands within the geographic area of the murrelet, whether or not it is suitable habitat.

“This is going to cost the agencies time and money that they don’t need to be spending at a time when federal budgets are really tight,” said Partin. “The forest managers know the land. They do a good job of protecting all kinds of wildlife and water resources. They know what is and isn’t murrelet nesting habitat. This is an unnecessary duplication of effort that won’t accomplish a thing.”
AFRC notified the FWS of its views last November, but the agency failed to respond and took no action to avoid the litigation.

AFRC is joined in the suit, which was filed in the District of Columbia, by Douglas County, Oregon, and the Carpenters Industrial Council.

AFRC is a regional association of forest products manufacturers and forest landowners concerned with the management of public forest lands. Over 50 percent of Douglas County’s land area is owned by the federal government and managed by the Forest Service and BLM. It owns and manages timber land which has been designated marbled murrelet critical habitat. The Carpenters Industrial Council represents some 10,000 forest products workers in Washington, Oregon and California. It members live and work in the remote communities that are heavily dependent on forestry jobs.

The marbled murrelet is a robin-sized bird that lives and feeds in saltwater, but flies inland to lay its eggs on the branches of very large conifer trees. The species has been listed as endangered since 1992.

The U.S. Agriculture Department announced it will close nearly 260 offices nationwide in an effort to save dollars. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the goal was to save $150 million a year in the agency’s $145 billion budget. About $90 million had already been saved by reducing travel and supplies and the closures were expected to save another $60 million.

The plan calls for 259 offices, labs and other facilities to be closed, affecting the USDA headquarters in Washington and operations in 46 states. The implications in Oregon are that offices in Tillamook, Clatsop, Polk and Grant County will see closures.

Oregon FSA has scheduled important public meetings regarding these closures. The specific information is listed below.

FSA’s public meetings will be the only ones held to take public comment on USDA’s proposed office consolidation plan in which the Polk, Tillamook-Clatsop, and Grant County FSA offices are being considered for consolidation with other FSA County Office operations. Producers can also provide written comment by e-mailing Lynn.Voigt@or.usda.gov or sending written comment to Lynn E. Voigt, State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, Oregon State FSA Office, 7620 SW Mohawk Street, Tualatin, OR 97062-8121 no later than 10 calendar days after the scheduled public meeting.

All public comments will be taken into full consideration prior to development or implementation of a final consolidation plan.

Tillamook County:
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 9:00 am
Tillamook People’s Utility District Office – Conference Room
1115 Pacific Avenue (Hwy 101), Tillamook, OR

Polk County:
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 9:00 am
Polk County Fairgrounds – Main Building
520 S. Pacific Hwy. West, Rickreall, OR

Grant County:
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 9:00 am
US Forest Service Office – Juniper Hall
431 Patterson Bridge Road, John Day, OR

Environmentalists are critical of the plan. Heavy metals such as uranium are mined with a process that involves sulfuric acid being used to eat the metal out of raw ore. The leftover tailings are contained and disposed of in accordance with a preconceived plan approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But environmentalists worry that the sulfuric acid and the waste rock will continue to interact in harmful ways over the coming years. Oregon Energy says Oregonians have nothing to worry about, due to the law passed by the state legislature in 1991. That act requires all mining companies to post huge bonds that ensure the company will stick around to clean up its mess.

Calico Resources USA Corp. is interested in the nearby gold, and hopes to begin mining operations in five years’ time. Oregon Energy expects to spend significantly longer than that navigating the regulatory maze but hopes to eventually profit from the $52/lb that yellowcake uranium brings on the open market.

The prospective uranium mine would bring four hundred jobs to Malheur County.   Read more here.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today that it has issued payment to 18 counties in western Oregon eligible under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act extension, (Public Law 110-343). The amount paid to the Oregon & California (O&C) counties was $ 40,037,160.

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was reauthorized as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 signed into law in October 2008 (Public Law 110-343). The reauthorized act provides declining payments to 18 westside Oregon Counties from Fiscal Year 2008 through 2011. Eligible counties in Oregon and several other “transition” states received declining payments from Fiscal Years 2008 to 2010 based upon their Fiscal Year 2006 payments.

For Fiscal Year 2011 the counties will receive payments based on a new formula detailed in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. The reauthorized Act provided transition payments to the O&C counties through Fiscal Year 2010 and established another formula for calculating O&C county payments for Fiscal Year 2011.

Over the years, Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act projects have provided trail maintenance, culvert replacement or removal, soil improvement, vegetation/density management, wildfire hazard reduction, stream channel enhancement, control of noxious and exotic weeds, and opportunities for youth training and employment.

Additional information about the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act is available online at:
http://www.blm.gov/or/rac/ctypaypayments.php

These days, farmers and ranchers seem to be constantly having to defend every practice they use to produce food, fuel and fiber – and much of it is based on just plain ignorance of agriculture in general.

Ignorance may be bliss, but it is also extremely dangerous. We just recently came across this Penn and Teller video about how willing people are to sign a petition to ban water when it is called by its chemically proper but unfamiliar name, “dihydrogen monoxide.” This illustration of ignorance and radicalism is not new. Wikipedia traces it back to some University of California students in 1990. Penn and Teller updated the hoax in 2006 and it would be funnier if it wasn’t such a sad commentary on how gullible some people can be and how it could have disastrous consequences.

States agree to reduce sturgeon catch by 38% on the lower Columbia River

For the third straight year, fish and wildlife directors from Washington and Oregon have agreed to reduce the catch of white sturgeon on the lower Columbia River, where the species has declined in abundance in recent years. Under the new agreement, the total allowable harvest of white sturgeon below Bonneville Dam will be reduced from 22.5 percent of the “legal-size” fish to 16 percent in 2012.

The new harvest rate will hold the combined catch by sport and commercial fisheries to 9,600 sturgeon measuring 38 to 54 inches long. Last year’s guideline for those waters was 15,640 fish, although only 14,488 were actually harvested.

This year’s agreement will reduce the sturgeon harvest in the lower Columbia River by 38 percent, after a 30 percent reduction in 2011 and a 40 percent reduction the previous year.

The abundance of legal-size sturgeon has declined nearly 50 percent since 2007, according to surveys by both states. Factors often cited for the decline include increased predation by sea lions and a drop in the abundance of smelt and lamprey, which contribute to sturgeons’ diet.

Concerned by these trends, the fish and wildlife commissions charged with setting policy for each state called for significant catch reductions in 2012 during separate meetings last week. The responsibility for negotiating a common catch rate fell to the fish and wildlife directors of each state.

“This was not a difficult negotiation,” said Phil Anderson, director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Both directors came into this discussion with serious concerns about the status of the resource and a commitment to make a significant reduction in the 2012 harvest level. I also heard stakeholders’ concerns about the decline in the sturgeon resource and their support for taking a more conservative approach in our harvest management.”

Roy Elicker, director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, agreed, noting that the discussion quickly turned to how to best manage the 2012 fishery under the reduced harvest level.

“It’s clear that recent trends in sturgeon populations warrant a more precautionary approach,” Elicker said. “For 2012, the plan is to maintain the season and catch-allocation structure that has been in place for several years, but with shorter fishing periods.”

Under the 16 percent harvest rate, the portion of the catch available to recreational fisheries will be allocated as follows: 4,160 fish in the estuary, 2,080 above Wauna and between 1,768 and 2,022 in the Willamette River.

The directors agreed to some flexibility in the portion of the catch assigned to the Willamette River. This flexibility may be necessary to meet Oregon’s goal of four sturgeon retention days on the Willamette, Elicker said.

Projections indicate that 65,000 white sturgeon between 38 and 54 inches will be present below Bonneville Dam this year.

Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon will meet Jan. 26 in Portland to set this year’s fishing seasons for sturgeon and spring chinook salmon on the lower Columbia River. Later in the year, the states plan to begin a public process involving fishermen to fully review current sturgeon management strategies on the Columbia and Willamette rivers prior to the 2013 fishing season.

Statement from NCBA President Bill Donald Regarding President Obama’s Proposed Consolidation of Trade Agencies

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) supports the administration’s recognition of the need to improve government efficiency and eliminate wasteful spending. However, precautions must be in place to avoid unintended consequences.

“NCBA has strong concerns about President Obama’s proposal to merge the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) with other trade agencies. NCBA maintains that USTR should remain an independent agency within the Executive Office of the President, focusing on trade negotiations, trade agreements and trade enforcement. USTR is vital to ensuring successful trade negotiations concerning U.S. beef and other agricultural commodities with our global trade partners. USTR must be in a position to have direct access to the White House.

“By being an independent office within the White House, USTR serves an important role reducing trade barriers and advocating for free and fair trade for all sectors of the U.S. economy. USTR has played a crucial role in expanding exports of U.S. beef by ensuring the passage of free trade agreements and working to achieve science-based trade protocols.

“NCBA is extremely concerned that USTR’s ability to continue its effectiveness will be jeopardized if it is wrapped into the massive Department of Commerce. NCBA has a strong history of working closely with USTR on behalf of the beef industry. We strongly support the continuation of the current structure and functions of USTR.”

Governor Maligns Timber Owners and Loggers: The rise in log exports to China has left coastal sawmills facing new price competition for timber. Oregon Governor Kitzhaber unfairly criticized log exports in his Nov. 3 testimony before the state Board of Forestry. “We are at risk of becoming a timber colony for Asia,” Kitzhaber said. “While (log exports are) undermining our mill infrastructure and surrounding communities…” The Governor’s deceptive remarks—repeated by the media—slanders those Oregon forest sector businesses and jobs that grow, harvest and deliver timber.

Congressmen Push for County Bailout: All six members of Oregon’s Congressional delegation announced bipartisan support for a bill to extend the county timber payments law. If the bill passes, the now-expired Secure Rural Schools Act would be extended for six years, providing declining subsidy payments to counties that lost federal timber receipts in the 1990s. Under the current federal budget deficit, renewing the Secure Act is a steep uphill revenue battle, pitted against needed federal timber receipts, run-away federal spending, and defaulting county governments across the West.

Legislature Ponders Timber Counties: An Oregon Legislative task force met in November to consider how damaged Oregon counties would survive if Congress in 2012 fails to renew the Secure Rural Schools Act. The federal subsidy has doled-out about $265 million annually to Oregon counties having lost federal timber receipts since 1990. The task force reports to the 2013 Legislature on ways the state and counties can address the subsidy loss. At least twelve Oregon “crisis counties” are dependent on the federal subsidy, and face imminent fiscal insolvency—a historical precedent.

Anti-Business=Higher Poverty: Oregon’s prevalent anti-business state and federal government policies translate into harsh realities for Oregonians at-large—high unemployment, poverty, and vast use of government food subsidies. Oregon has the 14th highest unemployment rate in the US, at 9.6% in Sept.; underemployment figure is near 20%. Oregon now has the nation’s highest percentage use of food stamps, according to Census data. Nearly 18% percent of residents said in a 2010 survey that they had relied on federal food stamps in the previous year.

Push for More National Forest Logging: Rural counties, having up to 75% of their land in federal ownership, are struggling to pay for county services and schools. Counties feel the US government has reneged on its century-long commitment of annual timber harvest receipts in lieu of taxes. Federal timber receipts largely evaporated in the 1990s, and the safety-net Secure Rural Schools Act has now expired. Several new legislative proposals are being drafted in US Congress, which would increase federal timber sale revenues for the counties, as a replacement for the expired Secure Act.

Governor’s Federal Forest Concern: Oregon Governor Kitzhaber met with the OR Forest Industries Council in Dec., addressing various forest business policy issues of the day. Expanding on his November Forestry Board speech, the Governor said real change is needed in Oregon’s federal forest management. Because of the imminent fiscal disaster facing federal timber counties in the state, he said Congressional inaction is not an option. He promised to support legislative proposals now being drafted in Congress, which could increase federal timber sale revenues for the counties.

Forest Owners Hopeful of Supreme Court: The US Supreme Court moved closer toward reviewing the 9th Circuit Courts’ wrong-headed reversal of the 35-year old exemption of logging roads from federal clean water permitting. In December, the Supreme Court requested input from the federal Solicitor General—representing the US Forest Service and BLM. This development is regarded by legal experts as an indication of the high court’s serious consideration to hear the case. The Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to hear the case by mid-2012.

Congress Supports Timber: The US House and Senate passed an Omnibus Appropriations package which funds the federal government through the end of Fiscal Year 2012 (Sept. 30). The bill includes several wins for the forest industry: a) stop EPA from requiring Clean Water permits for forest roads, through Sept. 2012; b) USFS timber sale target increased from 2.4 to 3.0 billion bdft/yr; c) stable funding for USFS forest products and hazardous fuels; d) streamline the broken USFS appeals process; and e) Alaska USFS to offer four, 10-year timber sales.

National Forest Plan Rule Meeting: Representatives of the Federal Forest Resource Coalition (FFRC) met with US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell to suggest changes to the proposed national forest planning rule. The rule’s species viability provisions are completely unworkable, and if implemented as proposed, would open the USFS to more litigation. The forest industry has closely monitored planning rule development, scheduled for final release after the New Year. AOL participates in FFRC through its membership in Portland-based American Forest Resources Council.

New Wilderness Proposed: Interior Secretary Salazar’s announced a proposal for 18 new Wilderness declarations in nine Western states, including enlarging Oregon’s Wild Rogue Wilderness. Congress would have to pass the declarations into law. The proposal is the latest green plank of the Obama administration’s ‘America’s Great Outdoor Initiative.’ Earlier in Nov., the Interior Dept. identified 101 “high-priority conservation projects.” BLM director Bob Abbey also announced that additional BLM Wilderness proposals were pending.

Lawsuit Challenges Thinning: The Forest Service and BLM have been sued by the environmental group ‘Bark,’ which claims Endangered Species Act violations by thinning timber sales on the Mt. Hood & Willamette Nat. Forests, and Eugene & Salem BLM Districts. The plaintiffs and a National Marine Fisheries Service biologist want wider no-harvest buffers along riparian areas, as well as improved NMFS consultation. As no injunction has yet been filed, timber purchasers are proceeding to operate the 11 affected timber sales, covering 12,500 acres.

Wallowa Mill Site Purchased: The newly-formed Wallowa County Land Acquisition LLC acquired the former Wallowa FP sawmill bare land from D.R. Johnson Co. for $600,000. The LLC will rent the property to Integrated Biomass Resources, who plans to relocate its fiber merchandising outfit from Wallowa. Integrated will build facilities to process posts, poles, chips, fuel, firewood, logs and co-gen. The LLC borrowed $500,000 from the county, plus $100,000 from OR Business Development Dept. Furthermore, Integrated received a $500,000 US Dept. of Energy grant.

Furtwangler on OFRI Board: David Furtwangler, president of Cascade Timber Co. in Sweet Home, joins 13-member board of directors of the Oregon Forest Resources Institute. Furtwangler replaces retiring two-term board member Jake Gibbs of Roseburg’s Lone Rock Timber. Wade Mosby of The Collins Companies and Steven Zika of Hampton Affiliates, both from Portland, were reappointed to their second three-year terms. OFRI is the important state agency charged with public education about forestry and the forest sector, which is wholly funded by the timber harvest tax.

Umpqua New Forest Supervisor: US Forest Service has assigned a new supervisor Alice Carlton, to head the Umpqua National Forest, based in Roseburg. Carlton in August replaced Cliff Dils, who promoted to SW Region Resources Director in New Mexico. Carlton was previously supervisor of the Plumas Nat. Forest in California, and has worked for the Forest Service for 33 years in CA, UT and OR. An Oregon St. U. graduate, Carlton began her career on the Siuslaw Nat. Forest.

Tree Farmer of the Year: Jim & Phyllis Dahm of Klamath Falls were named Oregon’s 2011 ‘Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year,’ by the Oregon Tree Farm System (OTFS). The Dahms own and manage 1,900 acres of forest in Klamath and Lake Counties, and were honored for their effective management to accomplish goals for an array of timber, wildlife habitat, water quality, and local school & civic tours. OTFS is a chapter of the American Tree Farm System, a nation-leading forest certification, with over 90,000 acres certified in Oregon.

Nicholson Manufactures Madill: In April, the Victoria, BC-based Nicholson Manufacturing began building Madill log loaders, after acquiring the Madill brand earlier in the year. Nicholson, founded in 1948, aims to produce four Madill loaders, bunchers or yarders monthly, while keeping its de-barker machinery production. Founded by Sam Madill, the 100-year old Madill was a leading equipment producer, until its 2008 bankruptcy. Modern Machinery bought the assets to run a Madill parts business, before Nicholson bought and moved production to a seven-acre plant in N. Saanich.

Harvest at Rediscovery Forest: The “Rediscovery Forest,” offered in partnership with the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, is a dynamic demonstration forest, located in the regional tourist destination Oregon Garden in Silverton, OR. To promote growth and long-term health of the 40-year old forest, a commercial thinning operation was recently conducted. Logging contractor, Ziglinski Cutting, used a cut-to-length system to fell, delimb, buck and forward the logs. Watch the YouTube video at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXY3AFQQReE&feature=youtu.be

Malheur Forest Proposal to Get Funds: A proposal, backed by the Blue Mountain Forest Partners and the Harney County Collaborative, was ranked second among the 26 proposals considered by the USFS Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. If funded by Congress, the Malheur National Forest would receive an additional $2.5 million annually for a decade, to accomplish “restoration” thinning and fuels reduction on a landscape scale. However, Congress has not yet appropriated the $40 million necessary to fund the nationwide collaborative program.

Deschutes Forest New Office: The Deschutes National Forest supervisor’s office and Bend-Fort Rock District moved into a newly-built Bend office in 2011. The $8.5 million palace—mostly paid by the 2009 ARRA federal stimulus law—is the first owned by the Deschutes, as prior offices were leased. The Forest Service touts the “green” facility for its wood pellet heat, electric car chargers, and other features. If only the USFS could increase merchantable timber sale volume to harvest annual tree growth & mortality, then the agency might honestly be “green.”

Greg Walden organizes bipartisan backing for job-creating forest landscape restoration projects

Estimates from proposals say Lakeview project would create more than 80 jobs; Southern Blues project would create more than 150 jobs

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden has organized a bipartisan letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack that expresses strong support for funding two job-creating and large-scale forest restoration projects – one in the Lake County area and the other in Grant and Harney counties. The letter was signed by Walden, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader, and Earl Blumenauer.

The “Lakeview Stewardship Landscape” and “Southern Blues Restoration Coalition” collaborative forest landscape restoration program (CFLRP) project proposals were reviewed and ranked by the CFLRP Advisory Committee as the top two proposals in the country. Since Congress fully funded the program this year, it is now up to Secretary Vilsack to select which projects will be funded.

“I’ve been a proponent of this program as it focuses forest restoration and planning resources on large federal forest landscapes of at least 50,000 acres,” Rep. Greg Walden said. “These two projects encourage collaboration, economic growth, and large-scale forest health projects. In addition, these projects will reduce wildfire management costs and create a predictable supply of forest byproducts to stabilize local communities and infrastructure.”

“Best of all, they will create and sustain jobs in areas of historically high unemployment,” Rep. Walden said. “We need jobs in these rural communities. Hopefully Secretary Vilsack follows the advisory committee’s recommendations.”

The Lakeview proposal includes 150,000 acres to be treated, and estimates it will create more than 80 jobs. The Southern Blues proposal includes 271,980 acres to be treated, and estimates it will create more than 150 new jobs.

“Harney County needs the jobs and forest resource production that will result from the large-scale work proposed by the Southern Blues Restoration project,” said Harney County Judge Steve Grasty. “The collaborative efforts behind this project are made up of diverse members who have come together to prioritize job creation and the need to improve the health of our federal forests. This project will actually lead to work and expand what has already been accomplished on a landscape scale.”

“Congress has done its job, now Secretary Vilsack must do his by selecting these projects,” said Lake County Commissioner Dan Shoun. “The federal land managers in Lake County are ready, pen-in-hand, to sign task orders on already pre-approved projects that will create jobs once the Lakeview Stewardship Landscape proposal is selected. These jobs and the timber production look to stimulate new businesses and create even more jobs. This is exactly what has been needed to guarantee our forest and community health.”

The letter asks Secretary Vilsack to make sure the projects receive his support and investment from the agency.

The letter, which lawmakers sent to Secretary Vilsack last week, is attached to this release.

Below is a press release from National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Statement from NCBA President and Montana Rancher Bill Donald Regarding Extremist Attacks against Cattle Operation

WASHINGTON – National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Bill Donald issued the following statement regarding alleged animal rights extremist attacks on Harris Ranch, located in Coalinga, Calif. While law enforcement has not confirmed who was responsible for the attacks, the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, publicly released information on Jan. 9, 2012, that included correspondence from the group reportedly claiming responsibility.

“This is not only an attack on a family-owned and operated business; this is a domestic terrorist attack on our nation’s providers of food and fiber. This extremist behavior goes above mere activism and the freedom of speech. These criminals are threatening lives and causing substantial economic harm.

“Anyone concerned about the welfare of animals would not orchestrate attacks on individuals who are experts at caring for these creatures. Ranchers are undoubtedly the very best caretakers of livestock. Cattlemen and women implement the highest animal handling and food safety standards designed by veterinarians, animal behavioral experts and researchers.

“These extreme attacks are nothing more than bad people doing bad things and they must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, just as any other criminal would be in this country.

“The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association strongly condemns any and all attacks against farming and ranching operations. As a rancher, a father and a proud grandfather, I feel for the families impacted by this senseless attack. As president of the leading national cattle organization, I applaud my fellow cattlemen for their efforts to provide the safest and highest quality beef to consumers in the United States and beyond.”

Looking to 2012: Long To-Do List, Little Appetite in Election Year
By National Association of Wheat Growers

Members of Congress are headed back to Washington, D.C., from a holiday break, but how much they will accomplish before leaving in early August for full-time campaigning remains very much in question.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to return next Tuesday, with the Senate reconvening Jan. 23. The annual State of the Union address by President Barack Obama, the traditional start of the Congressional season, is scheduled for Jan. 24.

Conventional wisdom that little legislating happens during an election year is bolstered in 2012 by memories of a rough 2011, during which political differences took the country to the brink of a government shutdown three times.

The year ended with a standoff between House Republicans and the Senate and President over an extension of an existing payroll tax holiday. That extension was approved two days before Christmas, but it only lasts two months.

A longer-term payroll holiday package is likely to be one of a few priorities tackled effectively in the new Congressional session. Other must-dos include a 2013 fiscal year budget, which will probably involve a continuing resolution of the FY2012 budget, and debate over whether or not to allow $1.2 trillion in sequestration budget cuts to go into effect early next year.

Of course, the 2008 Farm Bill expires on Sept. 30. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has said her Committee will begin hearings on the farm bill rewrite early in the year, with the goal of having an “initial product” by spring. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) has not been as direct about his plans, but it’s likely all efforts will run into the same tense negotiating environment that existed in 2011.

Other wheat grower priorities on the horizon for 2012 include resolution of duplicative pesticide permitting requirements addressed in H.R. 872; continued congressional oversight of the MF Global bankruptcy and loss of $1.2 billion of customer funds; and work on the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks.