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| Agriculture's round-trip ticket to China |
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| ODA Director Katy Coba in China |
Western states benefit from Oregon's trade ties to Asian giant
They brought in heavy artillery to chase away the bad spirits. This is the traditional way the Chinese recognize an important grand opening and dedication of new construction. Military howitzers fired off several loud rounds while more than 500 people looked on. Chinese TV and newspaper reporters were on the scene. The dramatic ceremony officially marked the ribbon cutting for a sprawling, first-of-its kind facility for food imports and exports in Southern China. The so-called logistics center is 800,000 square feet in size-more than three city blocks. It won't be long before food products from Oregon and other western states find their way to that facility before moving on to one of the world's fastest growing consumer markets.
"This logistics center and its testing protocol is a brand new concept for both China and the United States," says Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "The facility brings together in one place all of the necessary ingredients to help move food products in and out of a key marketplace. It could be a model for other parts of China, but we need to see if it works here first."
Two way street for agricultural trade
In June, ODA's director led a 20-member western state trade delegation to the city of Zhuhai in the Chinese Province of Guangdong. In addition to Coba, the 11-state delegation included five of her counterparts: Acting Director Bob Gore of Washington, Commissioner Leonard Blackham of Utah, Director Ron de Yong of Montana, Director John Etchepare of Wyoming, and Commissioner John Stulp of Colorado. Also on the trip were marketing officials from Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii. Andy Anderson of the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) was also present. WUSATA provided financial and other support for the mission.
All eyes were wide open and focused on the grand facility-a portal for food products going both directions. Products from Oregon and the US should have tremendous access to Southern China while Chinese products destined for the United States will enjoy the same benefit.
ODA's experience and contacts with Chinese officials have turned what might have been just a large food warehouse into a multi-faceted, dynamic center of trade activity. Once the full-scale plan had been hatched through discussions between ODA and primarily Zhi Xioung Chen-the principal individual on the Chinese side-it was clear that more than Oregon can benefit from the logistics center.
"Oregon can greatly benefit by being a part of something that will be considered the place to go in China for a systematic, routine, and predictable way to get products into this rapidly developing market," says Coba. "But by having the other western states involved, we have a much broader reach and a larger offering of regional products."
When the logistics center is fully up and running, which should happen as early as this fall, it will house Chinese companies that provide import, wholesale, and distribution services of perishable food products. It will also house food testing laboratories-a joint venture between ODA, a private Chinese operation known as the Zhuhai Peace Logistics Company, and Chinese government food officials. The facility will also provide display space and warehouse capacity that allows Oregon and other western states to feature targeted agricultural products with the hope of selling those items to Chinese buyers.
The facility is located in a tax-free zone. US exporters who send products to the center will not have to pay duty until those products leave the center. Presumably, it will be the Chinese importer or whoever buys the product that will pick up the tab. This will allow exporters to ship a full container, store it at the facility, and sell product a pallet or case at a time.
Oregon and a few of the other states have extensive experience dealing with China when it comes to agricultural trade. But for agriculture directors and commissioners of the remaining western states, the mission afforded a first opportunity to step foot in China. Without exception, they were astounded at how large the Chinese marketplace really is.
"We were given the opportunity to develop an important relationship with Chinese officials which could have a positive impact on future trade with China," says Colorado's John Stulp.
Following the grand opening celebration, the delegation met with about 350 Chinese importers and distributors, all of whom are looking forward to using the services of the logistics center.
When communism meets capitalism
The outdated perception of a poor, rural, backwards economy in China has been replaced by relative affluence-particularly for the people who live along coastal Southern China.
"It's clear that personal income in China is rising very rapidly-in some cases, double digit increases each year," says ODA Assistant Director Dalton Hobbs, also a member of the trade delegation and largely responsible for advancing the logistics center concept. "We see a future China with the ability to buy the higher-value items that we produce. A $50 bottle of wine, a $20 whole Dungeness crab-many people have the discretionary income and are willing to spend it now. A lot of money in China is being spent on dining outside the home. That is where the future lies for our western states."
Part of the week-long trade mission was spent in the city of Macao, which aspires to be the Las Vegas of Asia. Like its counterpart in Nevada, Macao is home to The Venetian Resort Hotel. Only this one is three times the size of the Vegas Venetian. On site are the casino and 53 restaurants, each targeting high-end products.
"We met with food and beverage management at the Venetian," says Hobbs. "It was simply amazing to see the level of sophistication and the prices being paid for imported food and wine products. High-end western-style products are being used in their kitchens to provide a western experience for their largely-Asian visitors."
The delegation also toured stores in Hong Kong and Guanzhou, finding products comparable to the high-end groceries of the US. It's obvious there are Chinese customers who can afford these costly food products. Those are the ones targeted by Oregon and the western states.
With so many cities of a million-residents or more in China, even a modest percentage of consumers would make every export effort worthwhile.
Food safety first
Through its Export Certification Program, ODA has agreements to test and certify Oregon and US food and agricultural products with several key export markets including Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. China has been missing from the portfolio until now. A testing and certification protocol has been hammered out. Laboratory equipment is being installed in the Chinese facility that will duplicate the tests done by ODA's laboratory in Portland. Since China requires 100 percent testing of all imported food products, the parallel testing is a key issue. The ultimate goal is to build credibility and the confidence of Chinese government officials. As test results on both sides of the Pacific match up over time, duplicative testing won't be needed. That may take a few years, but it could result and an even easier access into the huge Chinese market.
"Food safety is still top of mind in China," says Coba. "We had dinner with representatives of the regional food testing agency. They are very interested in this exchange of information going on between our folks and the logistics center. They want to make sure testing in both China and Oregon is the same, and they will work with us to make that happen."
Perhaps more important to American consumers is the reciprocal testing of Chinese food products exported to the US. The same dual testing at the Zhuhai facility and ODA's lab can lead to greater food safety assurance. The US Food and Drug Administration can't check 100 percent of imported food products, so the additional assistance provided by the new facility and its arrangement with ODA will be helpful.
"Negotiations of food testing protocol and requirements continue at the federal level, but China is eager to prove to the world it can provide a safe food product," says Coba.
Many Oregon and western state food manufacturers rely on ingredients from China to make a finished product. The agreements hammered out between the Chinese logistics center and ODA will provide a more coherent and systematic approach to testing Chinese products before they arrive in the US. This will help provide advisory assurance that the product meets FDA import requirements prior to shipment rather than having them arrive and be delayed, perhaps embargoed.
The same will go for US product headed to China. A stop at the ODA laboratory can save a company a lot of heartache and money by certifying the food is safe and complies with Chinese standards even before it is shipped across the Pacific.
Optimism with a dash of realism
China increasingly looks outside to meet its internal demands for specialty ag products. When it comes to grain-fed beef, specialty wines, seafood, hazelnuts, or a number of value-added products produced in Oregon and in the west, the US will play a very important role in meeting the consumer demands of a growing middle class in China. The logistics center in Zhuhai could become one of the most successful ventures yet in establishing a pipeline of products going between China and the US West.
"Japan, Korea, and Taiwan remain the big three export markets for Oregon agriculture," says Coba. "It's going to take time for China to join that group, but everyone on this trade mission believes there is tremendous potential."
For Oregon and western state companies that want to gain greater access to China, the logistics facility brings all the elements together under one roof.
It didn't take long to complete construction of the 20-acre logistics center. It shouldn't take long for it to become a booming hub of activity.
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| Board of Agriculture goes back to school-for lunch |
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| Bernie Faber with Farm-to-School Coordinator Cory Schreiber |
Dining at its most recent quarterly meeting in a northwest Portland grade school gymnasium, the State Board of Agriculture had a chance to consume cheese pizza, offerings from a salad bar, and a tasty cherry cobbler-all with local ingredients and designed to prove a point: Oregon schools can serve students local foods they will enjoy.
Chapman Elementary School reportedly is able to serve about 30 percent of its food from Pacific Northwest origins. The cherries, milk, and wheat used for the pizza dough came from Oregon. Washington apples were also part of the salad bar.
"For some kids, the lunch at school is the best meal of the day," said board member Lynn Youngbar.
Sadly, nearly half of those who purchase food for Oregon schools don't even know whether they have an option to buy from local sources. An Oregon Department of Agriculture statewide survey of school food buyers showed most purchasers don't make it a priority to buy local. But there is plenty of potential to change that around, according to ODA's Cory Schreiber-hired last December to head the farm-to-school program. Simply educating food service buyers that they have an opportunity to buy local would help get the ball rolling, he says.
New school nutrition standards are now being phased in for Oregon. ODA has also obtained grant money from USDA to develop five new school food products-a process that is already underway at the Food Innovation Center in Portland. Finally, the Oregon Department of Education has hired a counterpart to Schreiber who will complement his efforts to bring schools and local producers and processors together. The Board of Agriculture unanimously passed a resolution earlier this year in support of the Education Department position.
The board remains extremely interested and supportive to the Farm-to-School cause and sees it as a way for kids to enjoy fresh and nutritious food from local growers as well as another market for local growers. A companion component to this effort is the education of school children on what it takes to produce food. At Chapman, board members had a "recess" after lunch and toured the school's vegetable garden. Kids themselves help maintain the garden prior to summer vacation. That's at least enough time to grow a few organic vegetables for the school lunch program, as they proudly demonstrated at the board tour in May.
For the board members, it was food for thought as well as food for the body.
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| Director's column |
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China is definitely a study in contrasts. After spending a week recently in southern China on the western states agricultural trade mission featured in the cover story of the Agriculture Quarterly issue, I am amazed at what is happening in that country and the immense challenges it still faces. The growth rate in China continues to boggle the mind of anyone who travels there or studies its economy. Construction cranes are everywhere and the number of high-rise buildings is quite astonishing. Most Chinese people live in apartments, not houses, because there just isn't enough room to individually house all the people.
As you travel down the highway, you see all kinds of luxury cars such as BMWs, Mercedes, and Jaguars. And then you can look out into the countryside and see the vast majority of land, at least in southern China, which is farmed by families without any kind of mechanization. These families live in very rudimentary shacks on their small plot of land and do not have access to running water or sewer systems.
As you walk through retail grocery stores, there are high end food products available for sale. Shoppers in upper scale areas of town are dressed to the nines in designer wear. Fashion advertising is prominently displayed. And yet there are many areas where the small on-street markets continue to thrive. Small-scale sellers market their wares. Live animals are on sale for purchase to take home, prepare and eat.
The Chinese people are very friendly and loved to practice their English with our American delegation. Most of the younger Chinese are quite fluent in English and their schools require many years of study of the English language. They talk about concern for their environment and promote southern China as a green, environmentally-conscious area of the country. And yet, drinking water, or even brushing your teeth, from tap water is not recommended. Bottled water is always provided for drinking.
What does all this mean for Oregon agricultural producers and processors? There is no question that China is a market we all need to pay attention to and identify opportunities where we can export our products. The Chinese are very interested in Western products and there is a rapidly growing segment of the population that can definitely afford these products. In addition, China is rapidly reaching the point where it is unable to feed its own population and will need to rely more and more on imported food. And finally, the environmental challenges that this country faces are very daunting and there are significant concerns about even having an adequate water supply.
Oregon producers and processors also need to remember that China is a challenging market in which to do business. Oregon producers and processors need to work with reputable businesses and need to approach the market with caution. The Oregon Department of Agriculture believes the work we have been doing in southern China can help pave the way for more Oregon producers and processors to take advantage of this market. We encourage you to call on us for assistance and advice. China is a fascinating and exciting market to watch and will continue to change rapidly in the years to come.
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| Noxious Weed Control Program takes to the skies |
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| Beth Meyers-Shenai pinpoints Scotch broom infestations. |
To the casual observer, it probably looked like someone in a helicopter who had finished a 16 ounce soft drink and simply discarded the paper cup by throwing it out the window. But what appeared to be aeronautical littering was actually the release of tiny beneficial insects with an appetite for the invasive noxious weed Scotch broom.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture teamed with the Bonneville Power Administration late this spring to reunite Scotch broom with a natural enemy-Brichidius villosus, otherwise known as a seed beetle. It is estimated that Scotch broom costs Oregon $47 million annually in lost timber production and by its impact on other natural resources. For BPA, controlling the broom keeps the right-of-way located under transmission lines clean and clear. For ODA, the beetle release is another example of biological control of an invasive and unwanted plant species. More than 30 biodegradable soft drink containers-each containing 100 of the beetles-were tossed from a BPA helicopter over targeted patches of the yellow-flowered weed. Holes punched in the bottom of the cups allow the beetles to eventually crawl out and onto the broom. It's a low tech application of a highly specific tool that only impacts the invasive plant. While it may be too late to eradicate Scotch broom from Oregon, biocontrol is helping to manage the problem and slow its spread. ODA is a leader in using biological control agents on targeted weed species. The aerial assault on Scotch broom is just one of the latest in a long line of projects that show promise.
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| A Marionberry is not just another blackberry, and ODA can prove it! |
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| ODA conducts field inspections to protect the Marionberry. |
A new voluntary certification program, requested by blackberry growers and processors and developed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture, is now protecting the premium reputation of the Marionberry. Audits performed by ODA's Commodity Inspection Division in the berry fields and at the processing facilities this summer verify that a Marionberry is a Marionberry and not a lesser-esteemed blackberry cultivar passed off as a Marionberry. As many as 100 fields could be certified this year.
There is nothing wrong with other types of Oregon blackberries, which can also be certified by the program. But a Marionberry is uniquely Oregon and widely regarded as the best flavored blackberry. The Marionberry commands a premium price and is specifically requested by customers-both industrial buyers and individual consumers. Oregon's blackberry growers and processors are afraid someone could sell something other than genuine Marionberries at a lower price. To the naked eye, it is hard to tell the difference between a Marion and other blackberries. That's why an identity preserved program was pursued by the industry. The certification has substance. Every point is checked-through an ODA audit and through a field inspection before the fruit has even ripened.
Willamette Valley Fruit and RainSweet are the two largest processors opting to certify their Marionberries, as well as other blackberries, through the identity preserved program designed by ODA. Having third party verification tells berry customers what's on the label is exactly what's in the box.
The processors already have trace back capability and segregate the Marionberries from other blackberries. The ODA audits verify those practices are in place.
ODA inspectors have been trained to identify the Marionberry in the field and record the acreage. Visual cues include the roundness of the leaves compared to other blackberries. A certificate number will be assigned to that field which can be used by the packer, handler, or processor to trace back from delivery, if needed. Any container of product labeled as genuine Oregon Marionberry can be traceable to a certified field because of that certificate number.
Users of the voluntary ODA program pay $75 per hour for inspection and verification. For supporters of the concept, letting customers know that the product is guaranteed to be true Marionberry is worth the price.
ODA inspectors provide a variety of other voluntary certification services, including a Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices certification that verifies measures taken to assure food safety. The blackberry industry is interested in attaining multiple certifications with a single site visit from ODA.
The industry is also interested in branding its products as Oregon grown. Having an assurance that the product is 100 percent Oregon Marionberry is now as simple as looking for the ODA seal on the label or container.
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| Eat here! |
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Inspired by the history of family owned and operated farms and ranches, the Oregon Century Farm & Ranch (CF&R) program management committee is cooking up a new project funded by the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation (OAEF).
Publication of a hardbound coffee table book featuring recipes from CF&R families is scheduled for Spring 2009. Since Oregon's historic farms and ranches have produced some of the finest culinary ingredients for over 100 years, the only logical conclusion is that their kitchens will hold a treasure trove of well guarded family recipes.
The heritage cookbook will host recipes, historic photographs, personal memoirs, and a complete roster of Oregon century farms and ranches and 150-year sesquicentennial award winners.
OAEF Development Director Janice Reed says, "Agriculture has never been more important to the state's future. Our agricultural heritage and the families that represent that heritage are part of Oregon's future."
Members of the CF&R and sesquicentennial families are invited to contribute recipes, stories, and photographs to the project. "We're looking for favorites, whether they are popular today, or what everyone liked best at a picnic decades ago," says management committee member and editor Richard Engeman. Engeman says all contributors will receive a free copy of the cookbook as part of the CF&R Program's 50th anniversary celebration.
CF&R and Sesquicentennial Award families who would like to contribute recipes should contact Richard Engeman.
Phone: 503-235-9032
E-mail: info@oregonrediviva.com
Post: 8512 SE 13th Ave. Portland OR 97202
The book, published by White House Grocery Press, will be available through local bookstores, museum gift shops, and by online or mail order.
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| Oregon agriculture invited to the state's historic birthday party |
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Oregon's 150th birthday is not far away and the state's agriculture industry is planning to be a part of the celebration. A special committee of volunteers has been meeting for several months brainstorming the best and most practical way to be a part of the sesquicentennial. The group has come up with something that should be fun, special, and meaningful to all Oregonians.
The idea centers on collecting 150 personal stories about Oregon agriculture that reflect the past, present and future. The stories will be collected in written format initially. A video essay competition will be created for 4-H and FFA students, featuring some of the more interesting stories from the collection. Winning essays will be distributed on You-Tube, and possibly the ODA Web site. Additionally, the plan calls for Ag in the Classroom to run a conjoining art contest, linking the theme to Oregon 150. In 2009, at the Oregon State Fair, there will be an awards celebration with certificates presented by Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Katy Coba to the winning video essays and calendar honorees. If all goes according to plan, the videos will be shown, and the artwork displayed. It is possible to have a dinner or refreshments if corporate sponsorships can be secured.
A tag line for the project has been chosen: "Grow With Us. Oregon Agriculture." The families and individuals who will write the stories have been identified and asked to participate. Certainly, anyone with an agriculture story can be a part of the effort even if they haven't been contacted. For additional information about the Oregon 150 agricultural stories contact Madeline MacGregor by e-mail mmacgreg@oda.state.or.us or phone 503-986-4758.
There will be many other efforts by agriculture around the state to join in the Oregon sesquicentennial next year. Plans are underway, and the Oregon Ag 150 committee encourages all agricultural organizations to pursue their own event. You can't talk about Oregon's long history without talking about agriculture. It's a natural.
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| Specialty crop grant funds available through ODA |
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The Oregon Department of Agriculture is now accepting grant applications through August 20, 2008 for funding of projects as part of a federal program for specialty crops. Funds in the amount of $116,000 are available to agriculture industry associations, producer groups, and commodity commissions in Oregon. Applications will be reviewed by ODA. Projects chosen to receive funding will be announced by October 30, 2008.
Funds are being made available through the US Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which promotes the increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and enhances the competitiveness of specialty crops. ODA has been allocated the funds under the 2007 Farm Bill.
Because of limited funds, ODA hopes to use the money for the largest possible benefit to Oregon agriculture. Proposals that enhance the competitiveness of Oregon's specialty crops are eligible for funding. Grant funds cannot be used for projects that benefit a single company, individual, or commercial entity. Specialty crops are defined as commonly recognized fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and nursery crops-including floriculture and horticulture. Feed crops, food grains, livestock, dairy products, and seafood products are not eligible.
Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to: product research, development, and promotion; market research; plant health programs; consumer and producer education; production and distribution efficiencies; conservation programs; and, reduction in environmental impacts. Funds may also be used to establish a producer association or cooperative.
ODA will be looking for innovative proposals and encourages interested parties to work together to submit collaborative project proposals. Individual grant awards will not exceed $30,000. Applicants are highly encouraged to provide a dollar-for-dollar cash match. Applications without a match will not be valued as highly as those with a match.
Project proposals must be completed and received by ODA's Agricultural Development and Marketing Division, 1207 NW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR 97209, no later than 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 20, 2008. Other submission guidelines and more details on the program are available online at http://oregon.gov/ODA/grants_spec_crops.shtml or contact Jerry Gardner by phone at (503) 872-6600, or by e-mail at jgardner@oda.state.or.us.
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| The new Farm Bill - what it means to Oregon |
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The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, more commonly known as the "Farm Bill," contains 14 major titles or sections, detailed in nearly 700 pages. It covers everything from farm support to rural credit access, research to nutrition, forestry to renewable energy, rural development and trade to crop insurance. It also funds activities of the US Department of Agriculture and its multitude of agencies and alphabet soup of programs.
The Farm Bill is a daunting piece of legislation that entails a careful balancing of urban and rural interests and investment. An estimated $309 billion is projected to be spent over the next five years in programs that will benefit every single American and citizens across the globe. Agriculture is increasingly at the nexus of food, energy, and environmental resources of land, water, and air. The success of America's farmers is in everyone's interest.
Fully 75 percent of the $309 billion authorized in the Farm Bill goes to nutrition programs. The US Department of Agriculture oversees nearly 20 nutrition assistance programs that are mostly administered by states, schools, and local grantees operating under federal regulations. Many Oregonians are participants and recipients of these programs and payments.
No more than 12 percent of Farm Bill resources actually goes to farm program payments. Only 25 commodities, representing one-third of gross farm sales in the US and 8 percent in Oregon, qualify for Farm Bill program support of varying degrees. These include corn, wheat, soybeans, other oilseeds (including sunflower seed, rapeseed, canola, sesame seed and others), rice, cotton, sugar, peanuts, grain sorghum, barley, oats, wool, mohair, honey, dry peas, lentils, small chickpeas, and dairy products.
Only a handful of the commodities that receive payments are produced in Oregon-primarily wheat and other grains (oats, barley, corn) as well as dairy products. There is also some production of oilseeds (canola, rapeseed), wool, sugar, and honey. These programs provide important functions for market stabilization and help to ensure basic commodities are produced for food, fiber, fuel, and many other purposes.
For the first time the 2008 Farm Bill includes a title for "specialty crops," primarily fruit and vegetable production, but also nursery and greenhouse production. These specialty crops represent about one‑third of US farm sales and 70 percent of Oregon's agriculture production. These programs do not provide direct payments to growers, but do support grower viability. Programs include
- direct producer-to-consumer marketing activities.
- expansion of the system that allows farmers' markets and roadside stands to use the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system to accept food stamps.
- new research funding to address crop pests and diseases, food safety, production practices, and organic certification.
Important to Oregon is the continuation of the Specialty Crop Grant Program to support projects in research, marketing, education, pest and disease management, production and food safety for specialty crops, administered through state departments of agriculture.
About 9 percent of Farm Bill investment is directed toward conservation programs that benefit soil, water, and air. Conservation funding has increased, with the emphasis shifting to working land conservation rather than land retirement. As an example, the Conservation Reserve Program, which takes land out of production for 10 years, is reduced from 39 million acres to 32 million acres as contracts expire. Funding is increased for programs that assist growers in good stewardship of resources.
An important conservation program-Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)-is putting more emphasis on livestock operations and encouraging methane digesters to help address nutrient management, water quality, and odor. Funding is increased to help producers comply with local, state, and national regulatory requirements concerning soil, water, and air quality. In addition, a new Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) is authorized within EQIP to promote ground and surface water conservation as well as to improve water quality on agricultural lands.
The Conservation Security Program (CSP), designed to reward growers employing good stewardship practices, has been consolidated and redesigned, doing away with the three‑tier approach to practices and payments. CSP will continue to encourage conservation practices on working lands by enrolling producers who agree to high standards of best practices.
The Farmland Protection Program (FPP) provides matching funds (up to 50 percent of the fair market easement value) to help state, tribal, or local governments and non-government organizations purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranch land in agricultural uses.
The Energy Title is expanded to about $1 billion (.03 percent of Farm Bill resources), although much of this is in guaranteed loans. A new $1.01 per gallon of cellulosic biofuel credit is put in place for the next four years starting December 1. Many other programs are expanded to help develop "next generation" cellulosic ethanol, and other biofuels and renewable energy resources. This should expand opportunities for producers to reduce energy costs through efficiency and renewable generation.
Another first time for the Farm Bill-a specific title for livestock. It addresses contracts and remedies for producers, as well as the implementation of the Country of Origin labeling (COOL) on beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and goat meat. It also extends to fruits, vegetables, fish, certain nuts, and other products by September 30, 2008. The labeling requirement applies at the retail level, but exempts restaurants and food service establishments. Research and livestock health programs, and marketing assistance are also included for livestock.
The remaining 3 to 4 percent of Farm Bill funds are divided between trade/market development programs, rural development, international aid, and miscellaneous programs, including USDA administration costs.
Rural development funding focuses on adequate health care, water and waste water, electricity, and telecommunications in rural areas.
Significant increases are included for US food assistance funding and program flexibility in usage of funds for in‑country purchases of food assistance. The US is already the leading supplier of food assistance worldwide, providing over 50 percent of total funding and resources.
Finally, trade programs, while small in the overall Farm Bill expenditures, are critical to Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Oregon sends about 80 percent of its agriculture and food production to out-of-state markets, with about half of that going overseas. Farm Bill programs that address export opportunities, phytosanitary and technical barriers to trade are vitally important to Oregon's agricultural industry.
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| Oregon Dairy Air Quality Task Force issues final report |
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Six months in the making, a task force consisting of dairy industry representatives, environmental interests, and others has issued a proactive blueprint for addressing air quality issues surrounding dairies in Oregon. The final report and recommendations contain a mix of voluntary and, eventually, mandatory measures for dairies to take in the years to come. The task force admits there is much yet to learn about emissions from dairies and how to quantify them. Nonetheless, all members agree steps can be taken nearly immediately to avoid potential problems. Among the recommendations:
- An Oregon State University request of the State Legislature for $500,000 annually between 2010 and 2015 to conduct research for developing best management practices for Oregon dairies.
- Create tax credits to encourage Oregon dairies to adopt best management practices starting in 2010 and expiring in 2014.
- Legislative funding of a full-time position in 2009 for both the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality that would be dedicated to providing technical assistance to dairies on air quality issues. Four more positions would be added to ODA between 2009 and 2015.
The final report listed as its guiding principles focusing on odor, ammonia, and methane emissions as well as providing flexibility for dairy farmers and encouraging voluntary actions.
For more information on the Dairy Air Task Force and to download a copy of the final report, please go to http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/dairy/report.htm
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| Solar watering project benefits livestock, wildlife, and rangeland health |
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| Solar panels provide electricity to pump water from the well |
By Stephanie Page
Finding water is tough on Mike McKinnon's Crook County ranch, both for livestock and wildlife. "Water is scarce in this country," he says.
But someone-a previous landowner or operator-did find water on the ranch and drilled a well. McKinnon recently discovered the well and has combined the valuable water resource with another resource-energy from the sun-to create a high quality source of water.
McKinnon had just rested some rangeland for two years to help it recover from grazing and protect sensitive streamside areas. He was interested in developing off-stream water to keep grazing pressure off of the streamside areas and encourage cattle to graze the uplands. After he discovered the well, he had it tested to make sure the flow rate and quality would be adequate to water his livestock. "The well tester called me from the site," he explains. "He said he'd been there pumping for over three hours at 15 gallons per minute and the water level had barely dropped. He said it was some of the highest quality water he'd ever seen."
McKinnon then contacted Libby Rodgers with Oregon State University Extension Service in Prineville for advice on how to develop the well for livestock and wildlife watering. "I called Libby and it all started from there," he says.
Rodgers suggested a solar-powered pumping system because of the remoteness of the site. "It's not practical to run power out to the site, or have to come back again and again to fuel a diesel pump," she explains.
Rodgers helped McKinnon submit a grant application for Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board funding. OWEB funds provided cost-share to put in solar panels, a pump, and a protective fence, along with three livestock troughs. In addition, Rodgers put McKinnon in touch with the Crook County Soil and Water Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Service, which helped him receive Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program funds to develop wildlife watering ponds.
McKinnon invested additional funds to add some important details to the pumping system, including concrete pads under the solar panels and tank, and a gravel base around the system to prevent weeds from coming in and creating fire danger.
"I'd rather do it right and have the system last," he explains.
The pump, manufactured by Grundfos, can be powered either by solar energy or a generator. Consolidated Pump and Supply in Grants Pass sold the pump and panels for the project. "They were great to work with. They asked me for some details such as the number of head I wanted to water, then sized the system for me. They told me where to get the pole to mount the panels and sent instructions on how to set up the system."
McKinnon set up the system himself. Three solar panels provide enough power to pump 7 to 8 gallons per minute into the holding tank. The tank gravity feeds to the troughs and ponds.
"It's very low-maintenance," McKinnon says. "This is the first time I've been here in ten days."
He explains there are a couple things he would potentially change about the system if he were doing it again. "The only things I'd probably change would be to add a fourth solar panel to help pump a little more water, especially at the beginning of the season when I'm trying to fill everything up. I also might put a tracking system on the array so it would follow the sun and capture more energy, but I think the fourth panel would probably be enough."
Overall, he is very pleased with the project. "It's a great system. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
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| ODA issues 2007 report on pesticide use in Oregon |
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The Oregon Department of Agriculture has released the 2007 Pesticide Use Reporting System (PURS) annual report, summarizing data collected last year-making it the first report to include information from a mandatory electronic reporting of pesticide use statewide. The requirement to report online applies to anyone using a registered pesticide or pest control product in the course of business, for a government entity, or in a public place. The 2007 annual report also includes data from a household pesticide use survey.
For 2007, there were 5,732 reporters who filed 284,984 reports of pesticide use into PURS. The reports identified 551 active ingredients used statewide last year. The most used active ingredient, by pounds, was the soil fumigant metam-sodium (42 percent of total pounds reported). The next two most commonly used active ingredients were the herbicide glyphosate (9 percent), and copper naphthenate (7 percent), used as a wood preservative.
Among all site categories of pesticide use reported to PURS, agriculture reported the greatest percentage of active ingredients by pounds, at 84.7 percent. Because of licensing requirements for pesticide use on agricultural and forest crops, along with outreach efforts to agricultural and forestry pesticide applicators, it is likely that compliance with the requirement to report to PURS was greatest for these site categories. It is important to note that PURS data pertains to usage, with no determination of improper pesticide use.
The 2007 PURS report identifies a number of challenging issues that may have kept the data from being complete. Some reporters had varying skill levels and access regarding online reporting. Some did not understand the mandatory reporting deadline. Others had trouble identifying the product used. ODA will continue working to improve PURS and provide further outreach and education to those pesticide users required to report.
Although detailed information on 2007 non-household pesticide use was electronically collected, the law that created PURS protects confidentiality of individual users and requires ODA to prepare an annual report summarizing the data collected through PURS.
ODA hopes reports collected this year and in the future will help provide a more clear picture of trends in Oregon's pesticide use.
The 2007 PURS report also contains the second year of household use data collected by a voluntary statewide survey. There is no requirement for households to report their pesticide usage online.
While 1,693 households agreed to complete pesticide use diaries last year, only 1,483 actually completed at least one month of reporting. The survey shows only 40 percent of the household reports contained sufficient information to calculate pounds of active ingredients used. The greatest percentage of pesticide applications in a household setting was reported to have taken place outdoors. The major purpose listed for pesticide use was to control all types of "bugs" (fleas, insects, spiders, etc.), closely followed by weed control. Challenges included participants being unable to specify the amount of pesticide used, determine what products were actually pesticides, and provide correct product identification. Information collected from the 2007 household survey is considered insufficient to calculate total household use of pesticides in Oregon.
The PURS 2007 annual report is available at oregon.gov/ODA/PEST/purs_index.shtml, and can be found under "Annual Reports."
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| Oregon agriculture learns from public image survey |
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Oregonians generally consider farming and ranching to be very important to Oregon's economy and recognize many of the challenges facing agriculture today. That overall positive public feeling can help the industry position itself on several key issues in the near future, according to preliminary results of a recently conducted public opinion survey.
"The results tell me that most Oregonians want to support agriculture and feel a real connection with the industry," says Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "There is plenty of room for improvement in specific areas of farming and ranching. But overall, this survey encourages the notion that Oregonians want to be good neighbors and partners with our industry."
The snapshot of public opinion is the result of a telephone survey of 500 Oregonians recently conducted on behalf of the Agri-Business Council of Oregon, which had the financial support of numerous agriculture organizations. Questions were directed at residents of six markets-Portland metro, Salem, Eugene, Ashland/Medford, Bend, and Pendleton/Hermiston. The firm of Conkling, Fiskum & McCormick conducted the survey.
Among the key findings of the survey:
- Agriculture is recognized as an important contributor to Oregon's economy. Respondents were given seven major industries to consider as most important to the state's economy. Technology was ranked first with 26 percent of the respondents choosing it number one, but agriculture (18 percent) had the second highest total of respondents choosing it the most important industry, followed by health care, forest products, and tourism. Not surprisingly, the Pendleton/Hermiston area rated the importance of agriculture higher than the other survey locations.
- Energy and fuel prices challenge farmers and ranchers. Respondents indicate an understanding that commuters aren't the only ones being hit with higher fuel prices. According to the survey, the cost of fuel and energy (45 percent) is by far the biggest challenge to successfully running a farm or ranch.
- Sustainability is not just energy and recycling. The definition of sustainability certainly varies by individual or organization, but 58 percent of the respondents agree that agriculture uses sustainable business practices in its operations.
- Urban sprawl threatens farming operations. More than half of the respondents say they are very concerned about the conversion of farmland to residential and industrial uses. When given a list of seven major concerns about agriculture, loss of farmland is ranked the highest.
- Concerns about food safety are high. Nearly two in three respondents say they are very or somewhat concerned about food safety with meat, dairy, and produce purchased at the grocery store. On the plus side, 71 percent agree that food products produced on American farms are safer than similar items imported from other countries.
While the survey results seem to show general support for agriculture among Oregonians, there are challenges in specific areas such as pesticide use and water quantity issues. Even so, respondents believe agriculture should be given a high priority for water resources. After water for human consumption, 64 percent of the respondents say farms and ranches should be at the top of the list to irrigate crops and water livestock. That greatly outpaces the next highest ranked priority of water for fish and wildlife, at 26 percent.
Agricultural organizations are still waiting to pore over details of the survey. The findings will not just end up collecting dust on the shelf, but will help guide the industry and specific commodity groups as they develop messages for the future.
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