By National Farmers Union  National Farmers Union applauds U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on today’s announcement of a new microloan program designed to help small and family operations, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers secure loans under $35,000. “The next generation of family […]

American Farm Bureau “The American Farm Bureau Federation is pleased that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has introduced in the 113th Congress the same version of the farm bill that was passed by the Senate last session. We are also encouraged to hear that Sen. Reid is making the […]

American Consumer research Institute for Citizen Research Earlier this year, the American Consumer Institute started studying issues surrounding “forest certification” and their impact on domestic timber and consumer markets.  These are under the radar issues for many Americans, but they are important to raise because they impact consumer perception of […]

A company called AquaBounty is helping to bring genetically-engineered salmon to Oregon. Oregonians for Food and Shelter calls the super-fish safe and well monitored by the FDA. But the Center for Food Safety says it is more like Frankenfish. Watch the KATU-TV News story below.

By NW Food Processors Association Northwest Food Processors Association (NWFPA) responded in opposition to I-522, an initiative that would require Washington-only labels on thousands of common food products. Similar to Prop 37—which failed in California—Initiative 522 would require labels on any food products sold in Washington that contain genetically modified […]

By Oregon State University Extension Office OSU entomologist Sujaya Rao seeks blueberry growers willing to plant vegetation along their fields. (Photo by Lynn Ketchum.) Oregon State University aims to see if creating more foraging habitat for bumblebees will increase the pollination and yield of blueberries bushes, which mostly depend on […]

By Cindy National Corn Growers Association Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack raised more than a few eyebrows this week at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting when he suggested that animal agriculture should “sit down and make common cause” with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and that […]

By National Farmers Union National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement today following a new round of criticisms that federal crop insurance programs chiefly benefit insurance companies and large farmers: “It is vitally important that farm policy include programs for farmers and ranchers to manage their […]

By Daily Digger Oregon Association of Nurseries Oregon deserves an A-minus for its efforts to limit and control the introduction of invasive plants, animals and pathogens into the state, according to the Oregon Invasive Species Council. The group issued its annual Invasive Species Report Card on Jan. 9. Some highlights […]

Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission approves ban on gillnetting in lower Columbia River By Natural Resource Note Last month, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 4-2 to ban gillnets from the lower Columbia River.  This month, Oregon gill-net fishing leaders petitioned the Court of Appeals to stop it.  They […]