By State Representative Jeff Helfrich SALEM, OR – Today, the House Committee on Housing and Homeless advanced HB 2001, a housing package that included $5 million in funding for agricultural workforce housing, a priority for Vice-Chair Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River). Representative Helfrich released the following statement: “I appreciate the bipartisan […]

By Oregon State Representative Ed Diehl, Press Release SB 795 We need to voice SUPPORT for Senate Bill 795 to give state forest lands BACK to the county! Let the local citizens be in charge of their local forests. As you may know, the Board of Forestry is proceeding with […]

By American Farm Bureau Federation, The Department of Agriculture expects farm sector income to decline in 2023. Micheal Clements shares the data. Clements: USDA’s February Farm Income Report shows net farm income, a broad measure of farm profitability, is currently forecast at $137 billion in 2023. American Farm Bureau Federation […]

By Healthy Forests, Healthy Communitees The 2021 South Yaak Fire scorched portions of Montana’s Kootenai National Forest, underscoring the need for proactive and preventative active forest management to reduce future risks to local forests, nearby communities, indigenous resources, wildlife habitat, water resources and other values. The U.S. Forest Service responded […]

By Oregonians for Food and Shelter, Last week was a busy one in the Capitol for OFS. On the Senate side, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing on SB 530, a bill that seeks to increase carbon sequestration on “natural and working lands” but lacks an appreciation […]

By National Association of Wheat Growers, As Congress gears up for Farm Bill reauthorization, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) are announcing advocacy tools and resources to engage with their legislators on the Expanding Agricultural Exports Act (S. 176) and Agriculture Export Promotion Act […]

By Ching Lee California Farm Bureau   With their pastures starting to grow and new government assistance programs being rolled out, California organic dairy farmers are beginning to see a glimmer of relief. Skyrocketing production costs, especially for organic feed, have pummeled organic dairies during the past two years, forcing […]

By American Farm Bureau Federation, While America’s families continue to deal with record-high grocery prices, farm families can expect to see a drop in income in 2023. American Farm Bureau Federation economists analyzed USDA’s Farm Sector Income Forecast in their latest Market Intel report. U.S. net farm income is forecast […]

US Senator Ron Wyden, Press Release Bipartisan bill passed the Senate Agriculture Committee last Congress Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined U.S. Senators Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Jon Tester, D-Mont. to introduce the bipartisan Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2023. The legislation would restore transparency and […]

By Oregonians for Food and Shelter, Legislative Update The big news out of the Capitol this week was Governor Kotek’s “Mission Focused” Budget Recommendations. The Governor’s budget priorities are aimed at housing, homelessness, mental health, and education. The OFS team is already working with partners to understand the details of […]