Congressman Kurt Schrader Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson and Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader reintroduced legislation to make common sense changes to the federal wildfire budget. H.R. 167, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, which was cosponsored by nearly 150 Members of Congress and supported by a broad coalition of over 300 organizations […]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife -Photo by Bethan Jones- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists are investigating the deaths of large numbers of seabirds along the Pacific coast in the wake of harsh winter weather the past several weeks. Common murres and Cassin’s auklets have been showing up […]

By Oregon Wheat Grower’s League The OWGL has a great event planned for all wheat growers who wish to attend on February 12 and 13 in Salem. Thursday, February 12, a luncheon with special speakers and lobbying briefing from 12:30 – 4:00 pm; a legislative reception in the Salem conference […]

By American Farm Bureau Federation Following the delegate session of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th Annual Convention, which wrapped up this week in San Diego, the organization’s board of directors set AFBF’s strategic action plan to address public policy issues for 2015. The board-approved plan focuses the organization’s attention […]

Oregonians for Food and Shelter ODA Seeking Restrictions on Neonicotinoids The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) has initiated rulemaking to ban the use of four neonicotinoid products on the tilia species of trees (linden and basswood). The four active ingredients are imidacloprid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam and clothianidin. The ban would apply […]

Healthy Forest, Healthy Communities Next year Washington State can continue to play a leading role in efforts to improve the health of our federally-owned forests while restoring economic opportunity to our rural forested communities.  Help can’t come soon enough, especially for county governments. As timber receipt revenues remain low and […]

By Cindy National Corn Growers Association It was probably the biggest agricultural news story of the year. What was supposed to be the 2012 farm bill was passed and signed into law this year as the 2014 farm bill, a multi-tasking piece of legislation according to President Obama. “Despite it’s […]

By Oregon Family Farm Association, The 2015 Oregon Legislature will consider a bill to end farm property tax exemptions in 2018. Currently, farmland is taxed at a reduced value through a special assessment program, and crops, livestock, and farm machinery are exempt, as are many other on-farm items. If the […]

By American Farm Bureau Federation The New Year is upon us, and with it comes a new Congress. The challenges we face, on the other hand, are rather old. It’s time to resolve longstanding policy battles so the business of agriculture can grow in 2015 and beyond. The world’s population […]

Columbia County ranchers fined $100,000 for cattle neglect Two Columbia County ranchers, William Holdner and Jane Baum, were convicted of first –degree animal neglect and fined more than $100,000. In addition, they were banned from owning livestock in the future. They could have spent a year in jail but instead […]