By the Oregon Department of Agriculture The Oregon Department of Agriculture has adopted temporary administrative rules to implement legislative changes to the state’s industrial hemp program. The rules, which take effect immediately, modify production and handling requirements for registered growers and handlers of industrial hemp. Several modifications are now in […]

By American Farm Bureau Federation Agency delays in processing visas for workers who tend and harvest America’s food crops are fast approaching crisis proportions, all but guaranteeing that crops will rot in the field on many farms this year, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said today. Communications with […]

By Oregon Cattlemen Association Everyday Congress waits to pass the Trans Pacific Partnership; the Oregon cattle industry is hurt by export tariffs that could be addressed with the passing of TPP. Jerome Rosa, executive director of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, is currently in Washington D.C. with 6 other OCA members. […]

State Senator Doug Whitsett, Even though the 2016 Oregon Legislative Assembly has adjourned, many of its committees, task forces and work groups continue to meet in the interim between sessions.  I was back in Salem for three interim meetings that covered a variety of topics of interest to residents throughout […]

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Votes for permanent reauthorization of controversial federal land acquisition fund WASHINGTON– As part of the Energy Security and Research Bill (S.2012) passed  by the U.S Senate, the Senate inappropriately included a provision permanently reauthorizing the $900 million Land and Water Conservation Fund with a requirement that […]

By Oregon Farm Bureau, Central Oregon farmers and irrigation mired in the spotted frog issue twice had reason to celebrate in recent weeks. On March 22, the Federal Judge Ann Aiken denied WaterWatch of Oregon and the Center for Biological Diversity’s preliminary motion to restrict irrigation flows in their Endangered […]

By Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities, Advocates for rural Oregon say the Bureau of Land Management’s final proposed Resource Management Plan for Western Oregon will cost rural jobs, threaten public services and leave forests more vulnerable to wildfire, insects and disease. In seeking to adopt a new management plan before President […]

Farmers excluded from dam removal plan Statement from Oregon Farm Bureau April 7, 2016 statement from Oregon Farm Bureau President Barry Bushue on the dam removal plan: “Despite asking the Governor’s office to be involved in the dam removal discussions, Farm Bureau was excluded. It’s not clear if there were […]

Counties Will Sue BLM Over New Management Plan Association of O&C Counties The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released its latest proposed management plan for 2.5 million acres of timberland in western Oregon. Today, 17 Counties in western Oregon announced they would challenge the plan in federal court. “We […]

By Oregonians for Food and Shelter It appears that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is getting more active in the waning days of the current administration. From suing an Oregon farmer for stabilizing a stream bank to potentially placing major restrictions on important pesticide tools to funding billboards in Washington […]