Archives

March 6, 2015 - EPA official apologizes to ethanol

By Cindy National Corn Growers Association Last year at the National Ethanol Conference in Orlando, EPA’s Director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality told the ethanol industry that the agency intended to finalize the volume requirements for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by the end of spring 2014. […]


March 4, 2015 - 18 new Ag bills surface

By Oregon Farm Bureau Wednesday was the deadline for members and committees to submit legislation. After Wednesday, each new bill introduced will count against the five bills that members are allotted for the remainder of the session. Because of this deadline, nearly 500 new bills were introduced this week alone, […]


March 2, 2015 - Oregon fish 1st in nation delisted from Endangered list

By Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Photo by Rick Swart/ODFW- The Oregon chub today became the first fish in the United States to be taken off the federal Endangered Species List as the result of population recovery. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the delisting  during a ceremony […]


February 27, 2015 - Cattlemen applaud tax bill vote

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 636 America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio) will make permanent the $500,000 expensing levels for small businesses under Section 179 of the tax code. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President […]


February 25, 2015 - Update on Personal Property Tax Exemptions (HB 2105)

By Oregon Farm Bureau Update on Personal Property Tax Exemptions (HB 2105) HB 2105 would sunset multiple property tax exemptions in 2018, including those related related to agriculture and forestry: 307.315 – Nursery Stock 307.320 – Deciduous trees, shrubs, plants, crops, cultured Christmas trees or hardwood on ag land 307.325 […]


February 23, 2015 - Sen. Baertschiger: Solving rural Oregon’s tax death trap

State Senator Herman Baertschiger Jr. aims to liberate rural communities from the tax death trap. By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon State Senator Herman Baertschiger is bringing to light the tax death trap that rural Oregon is facing. The trap is that rural counties cannot grow due to deadlocked failed land-use […]


February 20, 2015 - Killing this will boost timber, farming & ranching

Representative Sal Esquivel has a plan to help timber, farming, ranching and boost Oregon’s water levels by tackling the State’s Juniper problem. By Oregon Tax News State Representative Sal Esquivel is working to rid Oregon of the quiet destruction caused by Juniper plants. Juniper interferes with the habitat of sage-grouse […]


February 20, 2015 - Bill to end Cuba trade embargo introduced

By National Association of Wheat Growers A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced major legislation that would end the U.S. trade embargo of Cuba. The bill would end the restrictions on U.S. companies doing business in Cuba that have been in place since 1961. Senators […]


February 18, 2015 - Port slow-down a disaster for rural Oregon

Congressman Greg Walden, U.S. Rep. Greg Walden called for a swift resolution to the labor slowdown affecting ports up and down the West Coast. At a press conference today, Walden outlined the disastrous consequences the crisis has caused for farmers and manufacturers in Oregon, like tree fruit growers in the […]


February 16, 2015 - Wolf Plan Phase II engaged after 7 breeding pairs found

By Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Oregon is moving to Phase II of its wolf recovery plan after wildlife biologists documented seven breeding pairs of wolves in Oregon in 2014. Of nine known wolf packs, only the Imnaha Pack is not a breeding pair. The Umatilla River pack still […]