Archives

May 4, 2020 - Election and virus update

Oregonians for Food and shelter, Last week, ballots hit mailboxes for the May 19, 2020 primary. This election, voters don’t need to put a stamp on their ballots; postage already has been paid. However, if you plan on mailing your ballot, please remember to provide enough time for USPS to […]


May 1, 2020 - Farm groups rally on Paycheck Protection changes

By American Farm Bureau Federation, Thirty-eight agriculture groups and businesses sent a letter to congressional leaders requesting changes to the Paycheck Protection Program. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sectors received only 1.3% of the original $349 billion in approved funding. The letter states, “several issues remain with the Small Business […]


April 29, 2020 - Trump scores water rights win in Oregon

Ryan Kliewer The Trump administration’s scored an apparent win over the state of Oregon.  The battle lines were drawn when Oregon Water Resources Department posted a notice to cease and desist operations of water flows, that violate state law, on the Link River Dam in southern Oregon. The Water Master […]


April 27, 2020 - Oregon Virus and Ag update 4/27

By Oregonians for Food and Shelter COVID-19 Response Last week included several major announcements concerning COVID-19 response. On Thursday, Governor Kate Brown announced that clinics and hospitals could begin to reopen starting May 1 for non-emergency procedures as long as certain benchmarks are met. This was significant for many medical […]


April 24, 2020 - Cattlemen: Federal aid extended to Ag

National Cattlemen Beef Association, NCBA Vice President, Government Affairs Ethan Lane, released the following statement in response to final Congressional approval of the Paycheck Protection Program Increase Act. “America’s cattle producers are working hard every day to keep feeding America, even as they face more than $13 billion in financial […]


April 22, 2020 - Farm Bureau: Virus hit farmers already suffering difficult times

President Barb Iverson Oregon Farm Bureau Farming and ranching is a complex industry. As farmers we know there is so much more than dropping a seed in the ground and watching it grow. We have gotten so good at our profession that it is often taken for granted by society. […]


April 20, 2020 - Greg Walden: Forests are overstocked, waiting to burn

Congressman Greg Walden, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) spoke at a House Energy and Commerce joint subcommittee hearing entitled “Out of Control: The Impact of Wildfires on Our Power Sector and Environment.” This hearing is the third hearing the Committee has held on air quality and the effects of wildfire […]


April 17, 2020 - Feds move quickly to protect food supply chain

US Department of Ag Release, The Department of Homeland Security, with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), has announced a temporary final rule to change certain H-2A requirements to help U.S. agricultural employers avoid disruptions in lawful agricultural-related employment, protect the nation’s food supply chain, and lessen […]


April 15, 2020 - How CARES Act can help Oregon Ag business

By Oregon Dept. of Agriculture, Starting today, Oregon’s agricultural producers can apply for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan called the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The federal program is part of the recently passed CARES Act. It offers loans to help businesses keep their workforce employed during the COVID-19 […]


April 13, 2020 - Ag not immune from virus setbacks

Oregonians for Food and Shelter, Last week, we started to better understand the devastating economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. The local press reported that a record 1 out of 8 Oregonians is now unemployed, and every day brings the sad news of another retailer or manufacturer closing due to […]