Washington businesses challenge minimum wage hike By Curt Kipp Oregon Association of Nurseries We reported back in October that the minimum wage is going up in Oregon and Washington, effective Jan. 1, 2011, according to officials in each state. Not so fast, say business leaders in the Evergreen State. They’ve […]

By Oregon cattlemen Association 2011 Legislative Session: A Time to Work Together Organizing the leadership duties and decisions for the House of Representatives for the 2011 Legislative Session will be no small matter. There must be continuous communication and coordination with heavy doses of non-partisan humility injected. The 2003 Legislative […]

Forest Policy Briefs by Rex Storm, Associated Oregon Loggers, Scientists Oppose EPA Attack on Biomass: When the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed air/carbon regulations that would severely cripple the growing US forest biomass industry, the Society of American Foresters wrote a stern letter to Congress—criticizing the EPA’s outlandish […]

Deficit Commission Proposes $3 Billion in Cuts to Farm Subsidies, CSP By National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Support NSAC Yesterday, the two co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, an 18-member bipartisan panel commissioned by President Obama in February 2010, released a draft plan to slow the growth […]

How ‘green’ is your Christmas tree? by Lynn Ketchum Oregon State University Extension Office CORVALLIS, Ore. — Bring home a Christmas tree that is both green and “green,” and you’ll enjoy its fragrance while knowing that it is 100 percent recyclable. When people ask what kind of Christmas tree is […]

By U.S. Grains Council Kevin Latner, USGC director in China, answers five questions regarding the state of the market and future of agriculture in China. 1. With China’s increasing population and demand for products, what role do you see U.S. farmers playing in China? China’s urban middle class is expected […]

By National Association of Wheat Growers, The House and Senate Agriculture Committees will have new leadership in January following midterm elections Tuesday that promise to dramatically change the power dynamic in Washington. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) lost her bid for reelection to John Boozman […]

Editorial Pick of the month: The huge cost of fast trains By Democrat Herald, Hasso Herring Oregon and the federal government are about to spend another $10 million or so on planning for high-speed rail in the corridor from Eugene to Portland via Albany and Salem. It’s time for a […]

Study on trees fighting crime is flawed By Patrick Emerson Oregon Economics Blog Once again I am moved to post on my favorite bugaboo: mistaking correlation with causation. This time the subject is a study of the affect of neighborhood trees on crime in Portland that The Oregonian reports. Part […]

Timber Industry Report By Rick Sohn Umpqua Coquille LLC Lumber continues to strengthen, while Housing Starts and Permits move sideways. Chinese purchasing may be the cause, according to Random Lengths. Watch for mortgage interest rates to drop even lower! See below for details and a five-year-span of prices and analysis […]