The Growers' Guide Sept 2023

HANDLING OT

HOW OREGON NURSERY, WASHINGTON SEED POTATO FARM RESPOND TO OVERTIME LAWS

Don Jenkins/Capital Press Workers wash crates at a Washington seed potato farm. Workers in less time-sensitive jobs likely will have their hours cut as the overtime law goes into full effect.

By BERIT THORSON and DON JENKINS Capital Press

CANBY, Ore. — Amanda Staehely worries about making Oregon’s new overtime law work at her nursery.

She plans to hire more help, but also cut the hours of the nine workers she has now. “I hate doing that,” she said. “We have employees that have been here for a really long time and I would consider friends of ours.

“But at the end of the day,” Staehely said, “it won’t pencil out for us to be paying time-and-a-half.”

In Whatcom County, Wash., seed potato farmer Greg Ebe is already making similar changes. Washington began phasing in overtime in 2022. At first, farmworkers were paid time-and-a-half after 55 hours in a week. “That was workable,” Ebe said.

The threshold dropped to 48 hours this year. “We’re more up against it now,” he said.

The northwest Washington farm planted fewer acres, abandoned less-profitable varieties, cut hours for some workers, paid overtime to others and hired more people to avoid paying more overtime. On Thursday afternoons, an office worker checks how many hours each employee has worked that week.

“We’re paying the overtime in some cases, but in some cases we’re holding people to 48 hours,” Ebe said. “We’ve lost a couple of people over holding their hours back.”

Amanda Staehely

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BEEF ON A BUDGET

It seems everyone is scrimping these days. Here are some budget-friendly dishes from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Classic beef kabobs

Ingredients:

1 pound beef Top Sirloin Steak cut 1-inch thick

8 ounces mushrooms

1 medium red, yellow, or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

By Dana

1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt

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2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

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Cut beef Top Sirloin Boneless steak into 1-inch pieces. Combine seasoning ingredients in large bowl. Add beef, mushrooms, bell pepper pieces and onion pieces; toss to coat.

Cook’s Tip: One pound beef Tenderloin Steak cut 1-inch thick may be used. Alternately thread beef and vegetable pieces evenly onto eight 12-inch metal skewers, leaving small

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Cook’s Tip: Eight 12-inch bamboo skewers may be substituted for metal skewers. Soak bamboo skewers in water 10 minutes before using; drain.Place kabobs on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill kabobs, covered, 8 to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 9 to 11 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once. Season kabobs with salt, as desired.

Cook’s Tip: To broil, place kabobs on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil 9 to 12 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once.

See Beef, Page A5

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Classic beef kabobs.

Beef

Continued from Page A4

Classic beef meatloaf

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner)

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

3/4 cup ketchup, divided

1/2 cup minced onion

1 egg

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking: Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine

Ground Beef, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup ketchup, onion, egg, Worcestershire, garlic, thyme, pepper and salt in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape beef into 8 x 4-inch loaf on rack in aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.

Place on upper oven rack in 350°F oven. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 160°F; brush with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup during last 10 minutes, if desired. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into slices.

Cook’s Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

See Mac, Page A8

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Cattlemen’s Beef Board

Classic beef meatloaf.

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Iwas talking with my buddy Ralph who lives in “America’s Outback” and he was complaining because he could not participate in the trend towards “agri-tourism” because his starve-out ranch is right in the middle of Nevada’s big nowhere.

“Not every ranch is blessed to be a dude ranch hotspot,” said Ralph. “The only reason people come to Nevada is to gamble or to get married which, I suppose, is redundant.”

IT’S THE PITTS

By Lee Pitts www.leepittsbooks.com

Really Good Bad Ideas

“You just have to work with what you have plenty of, like heat,” I replied.

“Have you ever thought of offering the world’s only

outdoor slot machines? You could advertise them as the “hottest” slots in Nevada. Taking a page from Las Vegas, you could make it a “clothing optional” slot resort. And since your average tourist wants to go places where there aren’t a lot of tourists, you could put a billboard on I-80 steering everyone to your place, promoting the fact you offer plenty of elbow room and the largest parking lot in the world. You could bus the folks in on party buses from California.”

“That’s the best bad

idea I ever heard,” said Ralph. “You got any others?”

“Well, I suppose you can’t grow pumpkins or strawberries in your “semi-arid” desert so a “pick-your-own” farm won’t attract anyone. And since you don’t have any trees, a zip line is probably out of the question. I don’t know if you can make wine from locoweed either so you might have to skip the wine tasting tours. By the way, what can you grow on your God-forsaken place?”

“It’s 110 out here during the day and 20 degrees below at night and our “growing season” is relatively short, which rules out a corn maze. Radishes are about the only thing we can grow because they grow in 21 days.”

“That’s it,” I screamed in excitement. “You could have the worlds only radish maze! It would be a huge hit with the intellectually challenged amongst us.”

“I suppose it would be easier than a corn maze and insurance would be cheaper because no one would get lost,” said Ralph, warming to the idea. “About the only other thing we can grow out here are tumbleweeds. The sagebrush out here stands five feet tall in a good year.”

“That’s another great

See Pitts, Page A7

Pitts

“That’s another great idea,” I said. “You could have a “u-pick” sagebrush farm at Christmas time and sell environmentalists on the idea that sagebrush Christmas “trees” are far more environmentally friendly than trees you have to grow and water.”

“I can just hear it now,” said Ralph, “as the family gathers around their tumbleweed to decorate it on Christmas eve. “Ow, ouch, those limbs have @#$&*%5E% stickers on them!”

“Yeah, I see your point. Everything in your neighborhood either tends to have thorns or is poisonous. Is there any wildlife on your ranch that hunters would like to take a shot at?”

“Well, no one has seen our Congressman in this neck of the woods since he got elected and went to DC. Other than that, about the only thing folks out here would like to kill are scorpions and rattlesnakes. We do have WAAAY too many federal bureaucrats and wild horses despoiling the country but lobbing as much as a paintball in their direction would land you in prison for the rest of your life.”

“Are there any endangered species enviro-visitors could take pictures of?”

“The only thing out here that’s endangered are cows. Thanks to the BLM you hardly ever see one around here any more.”

“That’s it. Cow safaris! Agri-tourists could shoot photos or guns at cows. You could mount your dudes on the wild horses they love so much and turn them loose to shoot the cows they seem to despise. If you run out of wild cows you could buy shelly old canners and cutters to replace them at the sales yard. I think it’s what professors and bureaucrats call a “sustainable business.”

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SPRAYERS

Cheeseburger mac

Ingredients:

1 pound Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner)

1-3/4 cups water

1 cup dry elbow macaroni

6 ounces processed cheese spread, cut into cubes

8 to 10 dill pickle slices (optional)

Cooking: Heat large nonstick skil-

let over medium heat until hot. Add Ground Beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.

Cook’s Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef.

Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness. Stir in water and macaroni; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 9 to 11 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

Stir in cheese cubes. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve beef mixture topped with pickle slices, if desired.

Ingredients:

1 pound beef Top Sirloin Steak, cut 3/4 inch thick

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Marinade:

1/3 cup balsamic

vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

Cooking: Combine marinade ingredients in small bowl. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons. Place beef steaks and remaining marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn steaks to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes to 2 hours.

Place asparagus in shallow microwave-safe dish; add 1/2 cup water. Cover and microwave on HIGH 3 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain asparagus. Add reserved 2 tablespoons marinade to asparagus; turn to coat. Set aside. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 7 to 11 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 8 to 13 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) doneness, turning once. (Do not overcook.)

During last 3 minutes of grilling, arrange asparagus on grid around steaks; grill 2 to 3 minutes, turning once. Season steaks and asparagus with salt and pepper.

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Cheeseburger mac.

Continued from Page A1

Staehely owns Columbia Nursery with her husband, Wayne, and has run it since 2019. She expects to face the same choices as Ebe as Oregon phases in its overtime law.

Big adjustment

The nursery and the seed potato farm are just two of the thousands of Northwest agricultural employers that will have to adjust to paying overtime as new state laws phase in.

In Oregon, the threshold is 55 hours this year and next. Then it will be 48 hours the following two years until it settles at 40 hours in 2027.

Washington’s threshold will be at 40 hours next year, edging out California as the first state to adopt the standard for all farmworkers.

California farms with 25 or fewer employees will pay the 50% premium for more than 40 hours of work beginning in 2025. On larger California farms, the 40-hour threshold went into effect in 2022.

Oregon State University economics professor Tim Delbridge said it’s noble to keep labor from

being exploited, but worries about the consequences of overtime for employers and employees.

Delbridge said he expects some workers will earn more, but others will make less.

“The (employees) that really want the 60 hours of work are going to end up seeing smaller paychecks because they’re now working 40 hours at the same wage,” Delbridge said.

“It’s challenging for employers,” he said. “It reduces their flexibility. I think on the whole, there ends up being a reduction in average hours worked and probably an increase in average pay because some people are going to get the overtime pay.

“I think this is unambiguously worse for employers, but there will be some employees that are better off,” Delbridge said.

Farms will figure it out because they have to, he said. “The world is still turning in California.”

Oregon farms can deduct labor costs from their state income taxes, up to 90% for this year for small farms. The tax deductions will decline over time.

See Labor, Page A11

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Photos by Berit Thorson/Capital Press

Jimena Casas, one of nine full-time employees, prepares tree saplings for transplant to a small pot at Columbia Nursery. While some of her work could be mechanized, it would be too expensive for the nursery to do so.

Tim Delbridge

A Columbia Nursery employee organizes the trees on a pallet after their transplant but before they are moved to another area of the nursery.

Labor

Continued from Page A9

Some will mechanize ...

Workers are the farm’s biggest expense and biggest asset, Ebe said. “We highly value our people. That sounds like a cliche and very corporate, but we operate as a team and we value their skills.”

In the long run, however, Ebe envisions a farm with fewer workers.

The farm’s new $900,000 harvesters reap four rows at 3 mph, compared to the old harvesters, which dug up two rows of potatoes at 2 mph.

A $600,000 automated sorter distinguishes potatoes from dirt clods and does it faster than human eyeballs.

Irrigation crews are getting overtime now, but there will be fewer such jobs as remote-controlled drip irrigation lines replace the reels.

“I think (overtime) will accelerate our conversion to mechanization,” Ebe said. “We want faster with fewer people. That’s the goal.”

... But others can’t

However, Staehely said mechanization won’t work at her nursery.

Nurseries have many kinds of plants, which require different planting, pruning and harvesting methods. Automated equipment may not be capable of the many techniques.

Furthermore, she simply can’t afford to mechanize. “That would be years and years of expenditures, and it’s something that doesn’t fit our nursery specifically because we’re too small,” she said. “So I get priced out of even the solution.”

SPRAYERS

Berit Thorson/Capital Press

Farmers

Continued from Page A1

Amendments sought

Oregon Association of Nurseries CEO Jeff Stone

said he wants legislators to amend the overtime law to raise the threshold during peak seasons, arguing agriculture is unlike other industries.

“You’re talking about

live plants. Cherry growers are going gangbusters for six weeks, so they need everybody for 12 hours a day,” Stone said.

Growers could hire more workers to hold down

overtime, but people aren’t lining up for agricultural jobs, he said. “You can’t just add employees because there is a critical shortage of agricultural workers.”

Washington state Republicans this past session proposed setting the overtime threshold at 50 hours for 12 weeks and leaving it at 40 hours the rest of the year. Each farm could choose the 12 weeks.

The bill never moved in

the Democratic-controlled House or Senate, though it received a courtesy hearing in the Senate. Some workers testified they liked the law, but others said they expected to make less money.

Corinna Spencer-Scheurich, executive director of the Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, said a seasonal exemption from paying overtime would weaken the law too much.

Jeff Stone See

Business

Continued from Page A12

Farms likely will struggle as the law takes effect, but they will adjust, she said.

“If a business model relies on workers not having the same wage and hour and health and safety protections as other industries, that doesn’t seem like a viable business model,” Spencer-Scheurich said.

“At the end of the day, Oregon has done the right thing in terms of equity,” she said. “They’ve done the right thing in terms of health and safety. They’ve done the right thing to encourage people to have time off to engage in their family and civic duties.”

Supreme Court ruling

If Washington farmworkers work fewer hours, it will be the outcome sought by the state’s Supreme Court, which ruled 5-4 in 2020 that dairy workers were entitled to time-and-a-half after 40 hours. The ruling led to legislation granting overtime to all farmworkers.

The controlling opinion, written by Justice Barbara Madsen, stated that working at a dairy was “extremely dangerous” and that “overtime results in (a) 61 percent higher injury rate.”

“One would argue,” Madsen said during oral arguments, that the overtime law was meant to discourage employers from requiring long hours, “not to give workers more money in their pockets.”

The overtime law also applies to seasonal foreign farmworkers. They face reduced work hours during their limited stays in the U.S., said Enrique Gastelum, CEO of WAFLA, a farm labor recruiter in Oregon and Washington.

He said it’s frustrating when he hears people say that agriculture should be able to pay overtime like other industries. Unlike other industries, farmers can’t pass along higher labor costs, he said. “Why can’t they understand the true nature of our industry?”

See Pay, Page A14

Adelaida Hidalgo transfers plants to a shaded area where they will stay while they continue growing. She, like all the employees at Columbia Nursery, is trained on every machine.

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Photo by Berit Thorson/Capital Press

Continued from Page A13

Harvest ‘sprint’

Ebe’s seed potato farm, Ebe Farms LLC, has about 30 year-round employees. The workforce doubles when seed potatoes are harvested.

Unlike for some other farms, seasonal workers are available. By the time seed potatoes are harvested, the region’s berries have been picked and people are looking for work.

During the harvest, the farm will hire more truck drivers and workers to sort potatoes, maybe six to eight, to hold down hours for about 20 other workers, Ebe said.

Whatcom County has a relatively short growing season. Planting, growing and harvesting are a “sprint,” Ebe said. If lawmakers acknowledge the seasonal nature of farm work, it would be helpful, he said.

Busy winter

Nurseries are busiest in the winter, getting ready to fill spring orders. It’s also when business accounts are low. When checks start arriving in June, Staehely pays bonuses for the winter work.

“They should be paid for their time,” she said. “Heck, yeah, that is absolutely an important thing, but we do it in different ways.”

Staehely said she and her family are already working to cut down costs. Sometimes she and her husband put the kids to bed and take inventory so they don’t have to pay someone to do the time-consuming, low-skill task.

“I feel like the state’s pushing people to move to corporate farms,” Staehely said. “Things are getting so much harder and so much more expensive to run any sort of business and we’ve been hit a lot recently.”

Berit Thorson/Capital Press

while taking inventory. She said it’s her least favorite part of the job, but

approx. 7900 hours $50,000

CAT CHALLENGER 65A, 9800 hrs., PTO $17,500

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JD 7600, 130 hp, PTO, 3 pt, 5,000 hours $45,000

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HARROWS

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KUBOTA L345DT, 1238 Hours, L1720 Loader, 4WD, 3PT Hitch, 540 PTO 5’6” Bucket $7,500

‘79 VERSATILE 875, with 7900 Hours, Consigned $9,000

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MCGREGOR FERTILIZER CART, backpacker fertilizer cart, 500 gal. poly tank, ground drive pump, bomber tires $1,900 SPRAYER, shop-bilt 80’ pull-type, single tips, 750-gal poly tank, 4-section AutoBoom, 2 fence-row nozzles, 24.5-32 tires,10-bolt, induction tank, rinse tank $5,900

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TWINSTAR RA-2030, V-Rake, Twin Baskets, 5 Function, Guage Wheels, Control Box $17,500

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‘19 CASE IH 4440, 2882 Hrs., Luxury Surveyor Cab, Active Suspension, 380/90R46 Tires, 120’ 7 Section, 20” Spacing, AFS Pro 700, AutoBoom Height Control, Combo Rate Dual Body Shut-Off, Nav II Controller, Intake Flow Meter $299,900

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JD 335, approx. 12,000 bales, 4x4 Hydraulic Tie, 540 PTO, Owners Manual $7500

AGCO 4790, Square Baler $19,900 ‘03 NH 580, 16x18 Bale, Hydraulic Pick-up, Bale Extension, ¼ Turn Chute, Newer Knotters , Consigned $13,900

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Drills, 7.5” Spacing, Starter Kit on Drill, 4” Packers $119,000

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Food waste is harnessed to make renewable natural gas using anaerobic digestion inside a facility developed by Divert Inc. in Freetown, Mass. A similar facility is set to be built in Longview, Wash.

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NH 416 rotary header, 2016, average condition $19,000

NH HS16 sickle header, 2016, average condition $10,000

NH 210S 10’ pull type rotary, 2020, steel rolls, swivel hitch $22,000

Washington plant will convert food waste into renewable natural gas

By GEORGE PLAVEN Capital Press

LONGVIEW, Wash. —

A Boston-based company is investing $100 million to build a new facility in southwest Washington that will harness food waste to make biogas.

Divert Inc. broke ground at its Integrated Diversion and Energy Facility in

Longview on Sept. 7.

Chris Thomas, vice president of public affairs for Divert, said that once completed the plant will bring in up to 100,000 tons of discarded and unsold food every year from 650 retail grocery stores in Washington and Oregon to produce renewable natural gas, or RNG.

See Divert, Page B4

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Ben Gebo/Divert Inc.

1997 FORD-LT9522 TRACTOR, 435hp 3406E, 13 spd., Jake, AC, PS, 184” W.B. 70% tires and brakes, air ride, 541K miles, runs and drives great.

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Divert

Continued from Page B3

The 66,000-square-foot facility in the city’s Mint Farm Industrial Park will use anaerobic digestion to capture RNG from food waste, which will then be injected into a nearby Cascade Natural Gas pipeline.

By diverting food that would otherwise go to rot in landfills, Thomas said the plant will offset 23,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, or the equivalent of removing 5,000 gas-powered cars from the road.

“We’re really excited about our Longview project,” he said. “That is going to be serving a number of our customers in the Pacific Northwest.”

Chris Thomas

1998 GEHL DL6H40

4X4 TELEHANDLER, 7,000lb lift capacity, 40’ lift height, enclosed cab w/ heat, 3 way steering, 5200hrs, 4.5 John Deere diesel, 80% 13.00x24 tires, 60” forks, runs and works great

2000 FORD F650 5YD DUMP, 26K gvw, 210hp 3126 Cat diesel, Allison AT, PS, AB, 90% 22.5 tires, 10’ dump, air and electric trailer hookups, Under CDL

According to the USDA, about 30-40% of all food produced in the U.S. each year goes to waste. In 2010, that added up to 133 billion pounds worth $161 billion.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates all that wasted food belches 170 million metric tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the same as 42 coalfired power plants.

Seeking solutions

Divert was founded in 2007 to help come up with solutions. The company works with 5,400 retail stores nationwide — including Albertsons, CVS, Kroger and Target — to

enclosed body oil tank, 4 product tanks, hyd. compressor, work bench, air greaser, 6 hose reels, 90% 11r22.5’s, 90% brakes, runs and drives great

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Divert Inc.

increase food donations, reduce waste and capture emissions where possible.

Food waste accounts for 15% of U.S. methane emissions, Thomas said. Because methane is more potent than carbon dioxide, he said facilities like the one being built in Longview can make a bigger dent in the fight against climate change.

“We can actually have an accelerated impact on climate change if we focus on methane,” Thomas said.

See Plant, Page B6

Nyberg creates legacy through 4-H club, service to Oregon State Fair

By KYLE ODEGARD Capital Press

SALEM — Roam around the barns at the Oregon State Fair in Salem and you’re bound to bump into alumni of the Bacon Bits ‘N Friends 4-H Club.

John Nyberg of Newberg, Ore., founded the group in the 1970s, opening up his farm as a home base and setting kids up for success.

Over the years, he’s taught thousands of children about farm life. More importantly, they’ve learned leadership and the ability to grow from mistakes.

“Those skills, it doesn’t matter what you do,” whether you’re managing a farm or a CEO, the 76-year-old said.

Three decades of service

During the state fair, Bacon Bits ‘N Friends serve as caretakers for contests and displays at the century-old Poultry Building.

Nyberg watches over proceedings as the fair’s small animal superintendent, a role he’s held for about three decades. But this year will be his last.

“It’s time to slow down and let somebody else pick up the traces,” Nyberg said.

Nyberg, who grows hay and whose family owns a Tualatin-area Century Farm and leases land, has been immersed in 4-H and a fair fixture throughout his life.

See Nyberg, Page B8

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More plants

So far, Divert has developed two anaerobic digestion plants in Southern California and Massachusetts. Two more are under construction

in Longview and Turlock, Calif., about 90 miles south of Sacramento.

Thomas said the company hopes to have 30 facilities running by 2031, all within 100 miles of cities that make up 80% of the U.S. population.

The Longview facility is

expected to be completed by the end of 2024. It will provide up to 40 full-time jobs, with 10 truckloads of food waste arriving per day.

City welcomes plant

Ann Rivers, assistant city manager, said she expects the plant will be the first pillar in

R&G Machining and Grumpy’s Performance Center

a newly imagined economy as Longview, which is celebrating its centennial this year, transforms from a historical timber town into a leader in clean energy production.

“We had a few rocky years,” Rivers said, referencing the failed Millennium Bulk coal export terminal and Northwest Innovation Works methanol plant at the Port of Kalama. “I knew we had to go after industries that would lend themselves toward the governor’s green agenda. By doing so, I could assure we would be bringing new industry here, and therefore new jobs, while making a favorable impact on the environment.”

Another company, NEXT

Renewables, is also attempting to build a renewable diesel refinery in Clatskanie, Ore. That project has run into opposition from local farmers and land use advocates worried about potential damage to the land and Columbia River.

Rivers said she is optimistic the Divert facility will be able to cross the finish line. The plant will help businesses in Washington comply with a state law passed in 2022 that requires food waste and organic material be diverted from landfills, she added.

“(Divert) has brought firstrate science and engineers who are very clearly committed to making things work and finding innovative solutions,” she said.

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Five years plus cattle handling experience. All aspects of ranch operations: Irrigation, haying, feeding, cattle stewardship, horseback skills. Benefits: Salary, housing. Only serious committed candidates should apply. Eastern Oregon cow/ calf operation. Send resumes to lisa.steele@pvranch.com. Halfway, OR. 541-742-2130

A rendering of the 66,000-square-foot Integrated Diversion and Energy Facility in Longview, Wash., developed by Divert Inc. A groundbreaking ceremony for the plant took place on Sept. 7.

Nyberg

Continued from Page B5

Only missed two fairs

“Since I was born in ’47, I’ve missed two (state fairs). One was the year I was born, the other I was in the army, in 1971,” he said. He showed animals as a youth when the fairgrounds featured a dormitory for farm kids.

He met a lot of friends through 4-H, and he and his first wife were 4-H rivals before

becoming sweethearts. They were married 44 years before Nancy Nyberg died from multiple sclerosis.

Nyberg graduated from Tigard High School, then Oregon State University with an animal science degree — and 10 days later he was drafted. He served as a food inspector in California for the U.S. Army.

As an adult, he helped his children with 4-H and FFA projects and showed rabbits, becoming a fair volunteer and paid employee.

See Fair, Page B9

combine optimum fertilizer placement and excellent seed to soil contact thus resulting in increased yield potential.

• Promotes healthy root development by removing straw from the seed row, only tilling a small area around the seed while placing fertilizer below the seed.

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Fair

‘It was fun’

“It was fun to be a part of it,” Nyberg said.

Stepping down won’t mean he’ll be a stranger.

“I’ll be back here, looking around and stuff. I can’t miss it,” Nyberg said.

Besides his work at the state fair, Nyberg is known for volunteerism and philanthropy.

He is an Oregon 4-H Foundation Trustee Emeritus who started a Yamhill County 4-H endowment, and a major donor for children’s health and youth development causes, including to help lead a school in Tanzania.

He also volunteered with a local fire department, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and agricultural groups.

This spring, Nyberg was added to OSU’s Diamond Pioneer Agricultural Achievement Registry.

Bacon Bits ’N Friends

Bacon Bits ’N Friends, which now has 75 members, might be most central to his legacy.

The club formed when another 4-H group disbanded. His children showed pigs and beef, so he helped out other local kids with those critters.

Soon enough, “The siblings of those kids wanted to be in other projects,” he recalled.

Nancy Nyberg also led the club and Rosi Nyberg, now married to Nyberg

for seven years, also volunteers, as well.

Emily Tilden, 19, of Dundee, was a member of Bacon Bits ‘N Friends for 10 years and now she’s a group leader.

Tilden said Nyberg is strict but uses “goofy” humor to make people comfortable.

She’s absorbed some of his teaching manner, just like other 4-H leaders throughout the area.

“We’re kind of learning how to teach kids through his way of teaching, but also adding our own twist,” Tilden said.

Continued from Page B8

Kyle Odegard/Capital Press

John Nyberg

Farmer reinvents his operation, shifting crops and shrinking acreage

By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press

NAMPA, Idaho — The farm that Matt Wissel operates is much smaller than before, and it’s by design.

The southwest Idaho producer, who began farming in 1975, once grew sugar beets, wheat, dry beans and other crops on about 2,600 acres. In 1989, he shifted to fresh vegetables and downsized to about 300 acres, the footprint that remained until about 2016.

“We are down to farming about 80 acres,” Wissel said Aug. 31 after hosting part of a state Department of Agriculture tour centered on the department’s Idaho Preferred local food program.

Wissel Farms, comprised of three fields in the west Nampa area, provides flexibility and adaptability. For example, he grows specialty pumpkins that are increasingly popular, and green taco corn that can make pre-

paring masa easier. Development challenges him and other farmers in the area. Tight access for cars was a characteristic of one tour stop, a 12-acre pumpkin patch off a now-busy road that has a golf course and new subdivisions among neighboring uses.

The number of farmers in the U.S. has dropped by around half in the past 15 years, Wissel said.

“Part of the problem with southwest Idaho is that we have traditionally been an area that tended to

Matt Wissel See Wissel, Page B11

Wissel

Continued from Page B10

be contract farmers … so we have seen the demise faster,” he said.

These farmers faced challenges as customers such as seed companies and food processors went through changes, including consolidation, Wissel said.

His shift to growing fresh vegetables required that he did more marketing. But that did not address every challenge.

Wissel and his wife, Benita, and the grocery stores they supply can raise prices to cover rising costs — but not so much that demand plunges.

“We earn more and try to produce more, but

expenses are just going up so fast,” Wissel said. “Every family, retirees. … We’re all in the same boat.”

The farm does business with one of the area’s major grocery chains, down from three “back in the day, when I was younger,” said Wissel, 65. Demand has improved in the past year, due in part

to some changes the farm made in managing that line of business.

Now, the farm’s Harvest Club CSA is the fastest-growing revenue segment, he said. More than 200 families subscribe, compared to about 50 four years ago.

“It’s that personal connection to the grower that people like,” Wissel said.

“In general, people like to know the families or the farmers that are producing their food.”

September is Idaho Preferred Month, in recognition of local food. Other stops on the harvest tour included a local meat processor, a large orchard, a winery, a diversifi ed small farm and a large factory that produces cheese.

Brad Carlson/Capital Press Nampa, Idaho, farmer Matt Wissel speaks during an Idaho Preferred tour of local food destinations Aug. 31.

Oregon wine industry revives legislative caucus

By GEORGE PLAVEN Capital Press

SALEM — After several years of inactivity, the Oregon wine industry is reviving a legislative caucus to support winegrowers at the state capitol.

The Oregon Winegrowers Association and Oregon Wine Council held a gathering for lawmakers Aug. 24 at Sokol Blosser Winery in Dayton to celebrate the relaunch.

Reps. Lucetta Elmer and David Gomberg will serve as House co-chairs of the caucus. Elmer, a Republican, represents portions of Yamhill and Polk counties in the northern Willamette Valley, while Gomberg, a Democrat, represents the central Oregon coast.

Senate co-chairs have yet to be named, though more than two dozen legislators have expressed interest in joining the caucus, said Jana McKamey, executive director of the Oregon Winegrowers Association, or OWA.

OREGON WINE CAUCUS

The Oregon Winegrowers Association and Oregon Wine Council held a gathering for lawmakers Aug. 24 at Sokol Blosser Winery in Dayton to celebrate the relaunch of the Wine Caucus.

Legislators who attended include:

• Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland.

• Sen. Aaron Woods, D-Sherwood.

• Rep. Lucetta Elmer, R-McMinnville.

• Rep. David Gomberg, D-Otis.

• Rep. Jules Walters, D-West Linn.

• Rep. Anna Scharf, R-Dallas.

• Rep. Boomer Wright, R-Coos Bay.

• Rep. Tom Andersen, D-Salem.

• Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Keizer.

• Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland.

• Rep. Mark Gamba, D-Milwaukie.

• Rep. Travis Nelson, D-Portland.

• Rep. James Hieb, D-Canby.

Wine

Continued from Page B12

“We’re here to be a resource for legislators so they are in a position to understand the impacts of policy issues for our very important, value-added agriculture sector,” McKamey said.

The caucus was originally established in 2011 with former state Rep. Jim Thompson, R-Dallas, and Rep. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, as House co-chairs and former Sens. Jackie Winters, R-Salem, and Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay, as Senate co-chairs.

Of the original leadership, only Holvey remains in office. Thompson was defeated in the 2014 Republican primary election, Roblan did not seek reelection after the 2020 legislative session and Winters died of lung cancer in 2019.

McKamey said the combination of departures, Winters’ death and pandemic closures allowed the caucus to become dormant.

“Reinvigorating it has been a goal of ours,” she said.

According to a 2021 industry report, Oregon has 1,058 wineries and 1,411 vineyards statewide. The estimated value of production was $271 million — up 72% over the previous year.

“Oregon’s wine industry has grown so much in a short period of time and has become a critical

See Caucus Page B16

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Potato exports hit record high

By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press

U.S. potato exports reached a record-high volume and dollar value for the year that ended June 30, according to Potatoes USA.

Export volume increased by 3.85% to 3.3 million metric tons in fresh weight equivalent while value went up by 19.05% to $2.2 billion, according to a news release from the marketing group.

Values increased across all categories, from frozen, fresh and dehydrated to seed potatoes and chips.

The increase in export volume was led by dehydrated potatoes at 25.63%, according to Potatoes USA. The chip category posted

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the second-highest gain at 11.19%.

About 20% of all U.S. potatoes are exported.

“Demand is definitely very strong for U.S. potatoes around the world,” Kayla Vogel, senior global marketing manager for the

See Potatoes, Page B15

Kayla Vogel

Potatoes

Continued from Page B14

Potatoes USA consumer and retail program, said in an interview. That demand has grown in the past several years, and “the quality that goes into them is supported by the international market.”

A slightly larger U.S. crop compared to the previous year “was able to support those exports,” and helped boost the totals, she said.

Prices increased but did not impact export demand for U.S. potatoes substan-

tially because other products saw comparable price gains, Vogel said.

“And potatoes remain relatively affordable” for many domestic and international consumers, she said.

Mexico for the first time was the largest market, followed by Canada and Japan.

The entire Mexican market opened for U.S. fresh-potato exports in May 2022, after a long period during which these sales were allowed only in a border area.

Fresh-potato export sales rose by 15.57% to $310.4 million. Volume dropped by

3.07%. Top markets were Canada, Mexico and Japan. Value and volume to Mexico increased.

The value of U.S. frozen potato exports rose by 20.43% to $1.4 billion despite a 4.54% drop in volume, according to Potatoes USA. Japan, Mexico and South Korea were the top markets. Value increased in

each, led by Japan’s 25.93% jump.

The value of dehydrated potato exports increased by 24% to $257 million. Volume was up 25.63% to 965,523 metric tons. Top destinations Canada, Japan and Mexico posted gains in value and volume.

The export of chips was up by just over 11% in value

and volume. Seed potatoes were up 3.68% in value and down 5.82% in volume. Export values for the year were $219 million for chips and $15.1 million for seed potatoes.

Data came from the U.S. Department of Commerce Foreign Trade Division as compiled by Trade Data Monitor.

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Caucus

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sector of Oregon’s economy,” said Sam Tannahill, board chairman of the Oregon Wine Council and co-founder of A to Z Wineworks in Newberg. “It’s great to see so many legislators from across the state come together to support our winegrowers and winemakers.”

Alex Sokol Blosser, president of Sokol Blosser Winery and chairman of the OWA’s public policy and political action committees, said the Wine Caucus has played a key role in policy decisions that have allowed the industry to grow at such a prolific rate.

These include securing $500,000 for marketing and research projects at the Oregon Wine Board; changing land use laws to clarify what activities and events are allowed at wineries located on farmland; and helping to pass the “wine growler” bill in 2013 allowing wineries to sell bulk wine to-go.

McKamey said the Legislature has also come through with $2.6 million in 2021 for a lab at Oregon State University to test for smoke taint in winegrapes, and $447,100 approved earlier this year to monitor and suppress vine mealybug in Southern Oregon.

“That’s the kind of initiative the caucus could take leadership on in the future,” she said.

Courtesy of Jana McKamey

Vineyard seen through a close up of Pinot noir grapes in Elk Cove Winery’s Mt. Richmond vineyard at the edge of Willamette Valley near Yamhill, Ore.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

SEPT. 15-16

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SATURDAY, SEPT. 16

Latah Market Animal Sale, Latah County Fairgrounds, 2 p.m.

TUESDAYTHURSDAY

SEPT. 19-21

California Ag Robotics & Technology Forum: California Rodeo Salina, Salinas, Calif. The event will include exhibitions, demonstrations, presentations and panel discus-

sions. Website: https:// www. ra-agtech.com

61st Farm Science

Review: Molly Caren Agricultural Center, London, Ohio. The three-day event includes eld demonstrations, exhibits and seminars organized by Ohio State University College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Science. Website: https://www.fsr.osu.edu

THURSDAY-FRIDAY

OCT. 5-6

University of Idaho

Rangeland Fall Forum: Idaho Fish and Game regional o ce, 15950 N Gate Blvd., Nampa, Idaho. The forum focuses on collaborative approaches to solutions for common recreation challenges. The Oct 5 session will be held at Idaho Fish and Game regional o ce in Nampa. A eld tour is being planned for Oct. 6. Website: https://www.uidaho. edu/fall-forum

MONDAY-THURSDAY

OCT. 16-19

International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit: McCormick Place, Chicago. The summit will focus on the most signi cant issues facing the global dairy sector. Website: https://www.idfwds.com

WEDNESDAY OCT. 25

Paci c Madrone Tree Workshop: 8:30 a.m. –3 p.m. OSU Extension O ce, 1134 SE Douglas Ave., Roseburg, Ore. This workshop is for anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating tree. The class will spend the afternoon looking at madrone trees in the eld. The instructor is the PNW’s foremost expert on this tree and this is the rst time she will be teaching a workshop in SW Oregon. Website: https:// tinyurl.com/bdd753yb

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WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY NOV. 1-4

96th National FFA Convention & Expo: Indianapolis. FFA members from around the nation will gather to compete and take part. Website: https://convention. a. org/

WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY NOV. 1-5

48th Annual American Agri-Women Meeting: Embassy Suites Riverfront Promenade, Sacramento, Calif. The meeting will focus on advocacy awareness training. Website: https://www.americanagriwomen.org

THURSDAY-SATURDAY NOV. 2-4

2023 West Central States Wool Growers Convention: Riverside Hotel, 2900 W Chinden Blvd, Garden City, Idaho. Watch for upcoming details about topics, workshops & tours to be o ered.

FRIDAY-MONDAY NOV. 3-6

Angus Convention: Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel, Orlando, Fla. The convention will feature presentation, educational sessions and interactive workshops. Website: https://www.angusconvention.com

SUNDAY-TUESDAY NOV. 12-14

National Farmers Union Women’s Conference: Hotel Albuquerque Old Town, Albuquerque, N.M. The conference will focus on preserving family agriculture. Website: https://www.nfu.org

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY NOV. 29-30

Organic Grower Summit: Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa, Monterey, Calif. The summit brings together organic growers, producers and processors for education, information and networking. Website: https:// www.organicgrowersummit.com

See Events, Page C5

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Events

TUESDAY-FRIDAY DEC. 5-8

American Seed Trade Association Field Crop Seed Convention & Expo: Hyatt Regency, Orlando, Fla. The convention features an outlook for agricultural commodity markets, educational sessions, exhibits and networking. Website: https://www.asta.swogo.com/fcsc23

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6

University of Idaho Snake River Sugar Beet Conference: All day. Best Western Plus Burley Inn and Convention Center, Burley, Idaho. The conference will focus on agronomic issues facing growers. Information: 208 423-6606 or nicolek@uidaho.edu

WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY DEC. 6-7

Sustainable Agriculture Summit: Charlotte, N.C., Convention Center. The summit will focus on collaboration to accelerate agriculture sustainability. Website: https://www.sustainableagsummit.org

THURSDAY-FRIDAY JAN. 11-12

Oregon Mint Growers Annual Meeting : Salishan Resort, 7760 US-101, Gleneden Beach, Ore. Hear the latest developments in the industry. Website: oregonmint.org

FRIDAY-TUESDAY JAN. 26-30

ASTA Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference: Monterey, Calif., Conference Center. The American Seed Trade Association conference will feature education and networking. Website: https://www.asta.swoogo/vf24

WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY JAN. 31-FEB. 2

2024 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show: Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. The convention brings cattle producers together to discuss issues and network. Website: https://www.conventionncba.org

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U.S. wheat prices are too high for the export market, due to the Russia-Ukraine war and a smaller hard red winter wheat crop, says Byron Behne, senior grain merchant for Northwest Grain Growers in Walla Walla, Wash.

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Analysts: Low wheat

By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press

U.S. wheat prices have dropped to the point that next year’s projected crop insurance price is at or below the cost of production, Northwest market analysts say.

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Soft white wheat ranged from $6.75 to $7 per bushel on the Portland market.

“It’s a game of highstakes poker,” said Dan Steiner, a grain market analyst in Boardman, Ore. “It’s just a dangerous market, a guy’s got to be careful. It’s not like we’ve got buyers lined up.”

The crop insurance price last year was $9.50 per bushel. Farmers with 80% coverage had a guarantee for 80% of that price on an average crop.

This year, the projected crop insurance price for next year is $7.93.

Dryland wheat farmers have a break-even price of about $7.50 to $8 per bushel, Steiner said.

prices mean ‘dangerous market’

Dan Steiner

Getty Images

Wheat

Continued from Page C6

Most farmers have 80% to 85% coverage, Steiner said.

“By the time you pay 80%, you’re at or below the cost of production,” he said.

Farmers may look for more profitable alternatives, if possible.

So far, demand for wheat has been on pace with USDA sales reports, he said.

“Being on pace with USDA is not going to get us over the hump, it’s not going to get us where we need to go,” he said. “We need to fi nd some consumptive demand, and so far we can’t fi nd any. All we’re fi nding is routine business.”

Egypt — the world’s largest wheat buyer — entered a tender for wheat the evening of Aug. 29. Fifteen exporters made 45 off ers to sell wheat to Egypt.

“That is ridiculous — the depth and width of

those bids is astounding,” Steiner said. “It’s like, you need to buy a house, you’re walking down the street and everybody’s willing to sell you their house. There’s a lot of wheat looking for demand right now.”

Timing is important, another analyst said.

“Right after harvest, supplies are the most plentiful, including the Northern Hemisphere,” said Byron Behne, senior grain merchant for Northwest Grain Growers in Walla Walla, Wash.

U.S. wheat prices are too high for the export market, due to the Russia-Ukraine war and a smaller hard red winter wheat crop, he said.

“Now, everybody’s got enough wheat at the moment,” Behne said.

Short of something happening with the war “that the market cares about,” Behne doesn’t foresee a large rally coming into the winter.

He suggests trading in a price range of about $6.50

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per bushel to $7 per bushel.

“It’s hard to give (a farmer) advice, just because prices are low, but it’s still volatile enough that if you tell somebody to sell today, tomorrow might be 10 cents higher,” Behne said. “Or you tell someone to sell, the outlook’s ter-

rible, go ahead and dump it all, and then something happens with Australia or the war and provides a big rally.”

Key competitor Australia likely won’t have its fourth bumper soft white wheat crop in a row, but is still in “pretty good

shape,” Steiner said. World supply is tightening, but the demand isn’t there, he said.

“It’s not going to be a fun market to trade,” Steiner said. “This market is not deep. We need some demand to show up.”

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No flood of droughtrelief applications

By DON JENKINS Capital Press

The Washington Department of Ecology has money to help farmers through the drought, but has received only a handful of applications since declaring an emergency in parts of 12 counties in July.

Ecology has awarded one grant, $154,867 to the Clallam County Public Utility District, to haul water to customers. Ecology has rejected one other application, from the Okanogan Irrigation District.

Three other applications are pending, but none of them are related to agriculture, Ecology spokesman Jimmy Norris said Sept. 1.

Ecology is working to set up another program authorized by lawmakers to fund projects intended to prepare for future droughts.

To qualify for emergency funds now available, applicants must document hardships caused by the current drought.

“It’s possible that the hardships being experienced in the areas where we’ve declared drought can’t be solved with this particular grant program,” Norris said in an email.

Drought

Continued from Page C8

Ecology declared a drought emergency July 24. During the last declared drought in 2021, Ecology exhausted its drought-relief funds by distributing $700,000 to three state agencies.

The state was better prepared this year. The department has $2.7 million for drought-relief projects proposed by cities, counties, tribes, and irrigation, utility, water and sewer, port and conservation districts.

The Okanogan Irrigation District, which serves 5,000 acres in north-central Washington, applied for $127,500 to replace two motors that pump water from the Okanogan River when reservoirs are low.

The 800-horsepower motors are cooled by water. Replacing them would leave water in the city of Omak’s water system for

future growth, according to the application.

The district did not anticipate having the motors delivered until May. Ecology determined the project would not have a substantial benefit for irrigators or fish relative to the cost.

In other responses to the drought, Ecology approved transferring water rights from the Skagit Public Utility District to two irrigation districts in Skagit County.

The department also has authorized six emergency wells in Kittitas and Yakima counties.

The drought declaration expires Nov. 20. Ecology declared a drought in all or parts of Clallam, Columbia, Jefferson, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Walla Walla, Whatcom and Yakima counties.

The U.S. Drought Monitor reported Thursday that 75% of Washington was in some stage of

drought. Among 11 Western states, only New Mexico has a higher percentage of drought.

Parts of Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties are in “extreme” drought, the second-worst of four classifications.

Yakima River Basin irrigators with junior water-

rights will receive 72% of the normal supplies from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

The Kittitas Reclamation District, which serves 59,000 acres in Central Washington, plans to continue delivering water until Sept. 30, but some farmers have used up their allot-

ments, district manager Urban Eberhart said Friday. Instead of the normal 5 acre-feet of water per acre, farms will receive 3.5 acrefeet, he said. “There is a major impact in a 72% water year,” Eberhart said.

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Lawsuit challenges 10-year Oregon vegetation plan

By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press

An environmental lawsuit claims the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has unlawfully approved vegetation management plans that will impact protected species and recreation in Southwestern Oregon.

The complaint filed by the Applegate Siskiyou Alliance nonprofit opposes the BLM’s 10-year “integrated vegetation management for resilient lands program,” or IVM-RL, for more than 680,000 acres in the region, as well as the specific Late Mungers project, which involves 830 acres of commercial harvest and 7,500 acres of thinning.

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“The IVM-RL program will result in effects that involve unique or unknown risks because BLM failed to conduct site-specific analysis and the program will span for at least 10 years with no sunset date,” the complaint said.

Up to 20,000 acres of commercial logging, 60,000 acres of small-diameter tree thinning, 70,000 acres of prescribed burning and 90 miles of road construction would be allowed over a

Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press File

A 10-year plan for vegetation management by the Bureau of Land Management in Southern Oregon has been targeted in an environmental lawsuit.

Lawsuit

Continued from Page C10

decade under the IVM-RL, which was approved last year.

Despite the IVM-RL’s large-scale effects on species and habitats in the area, the BLM didn’t prepare a comprehensive “environmental impact statement” to thoroughly study the program’s consequences, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, the lawsuit claims.

“Given the varying ecosystems of the project area, the uncertainty as to where the timber sales will occur, and the project’s lengthy timeline, as-yet-unknown risks are inevitable,” the nonprofit alleges.

The program doesn’t place sufficient limits on certain logging treatments, which are intended to improve stand resilience but would reduce the forest canopy to the detriment of northern spotted owls, the complaint said.

The activities allowed under IVM-RL will affect other federally protected species as well, such as the coastal marten and marbled murrelet, the lawsuit said.

The BLM violated NEPA by failing to take a “hard look” at the “direct, indirect and cumulative impacts” of the program, particularly in regard to the Mungers Butte “extensive recreation management area,” where logging and fuel treatments must be consistent with recreation objectives, according to the plaintiff.

The agency hasn’t yet identified trails or other recreational sites in the Mungers Butte ERMA, so it wasn’t able to adequately review the impacts from treatments proposed under the IVM-RL or the specific Late Mungers project, the complaint said.

The Applegate Siskiyou Alliance has asked a federal judge to declare that IVM-RL and the specific project are inconsis -

‘COMMERCIAL TREATMENTS ARE IN STRATEGIC LOCATIONS DESIGNED TO MEET WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION, RESILIENT STAND AND WILDLIFE OBJECTIVES. THESE TREATMENTS ARE THE FIRST PRIORITY BECAUSE THEY INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SUBSEQUENT THINNING AND PRESCRIBED FIRE ACTIONS.’

— U.S. Bureau of Land Management

tent with NEPA, as well as federal administrative and land management laws, and to enjoin the treatments proposed under the plans.

A spokesperson for BLM was unavailable for

comment as of press time.

In documents approving the IVM-RL, the agency determined the program wouldn’t have significant environmental impacts but would improve “safe and effec -

tive wildfire response, fire resilient lands and fire-resistant stands,” among other benefits.

The Late Mungers project is the first to implement the IVM-RL’s goal of reducing fire risk while

improving forest health in “overabundant homogenous dense dry forests” that pose a wildfire hazard to nearby communities, the agency said.

“Commercial treatments are in strategic locations designed to meet wildfire risk reduction, resilient stand and wildlife objectives,” according to BLM. “These treatments are the first priority because they increase the effectiveness of subsequent thinning and prescribed fire actions.”

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Washington expects huge increase for apple harvest

By KYLE ODEGARD Capital Press

This year’s Washington

apple harvest is expected to increase about 29% over 2022 to roughly 134 mil-

lion bushels, said Todd Fryhover, Washington Apple Commission president.

“We have a return to what we consider a normal crop,” Fryhover added.

The 2022-23 production totaled 104 million bushels. The last time Washington’s apple harvest dipped lower was 2009, he said.

Last year’s cool spring resulted in a short window for pollination, but this year’s weather was significantly better.

“It all starts at bloom time,” Fryhover said.

Todd Fryhover

In 2020-21 and 2021-22, the apple crop was around 122 million bushels. This year’s crop is anticipated to be almost identical to 2019-20.

Differing forecasts

More than 90% of packers participate in the Washington survey, Fryhover said, making estimates reliable.

But the Washington apple industry is far more optimistic than the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In an Aug. 11 report, the agency predicted apple production would increase 9% in Washington. While the USDA forecast a 1% production jump nationwide to 9.91 billion pounds, the U.S. Apple Association anticipates a 1.5% jump to more than 250 million bushels, or more than 10.5 billion pounds.

The industry group released its analysis during its annual meeting in mid-August.

The association, known as USApple, touts its figures as more comprehensive because

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JD 8640, PTO, 3-point hitch, 4-remotes, new crank, rods & main bearings, Papé Machinery rework on engine, 8-heavy cast wheels, rack & pinion axles $18,500

JD 8630, 8100-hours, 3-remotes, PTO, 8-excellent 24.5x32 matching tires, 50 Series engine $15,500

JD 544, articulating loader $17,500

CASE 4890, 4-remotes, 4594-original hrs, tank optional, 30.5LRx32 radials inside, 24.5x32 bias outside $17,500

TRUCKS & TRAILERS

MILLER 20-TON TILT DECK TRAILER, air brakes $12,500

OSHKOSH M747 60-TON TRAILER, 11’ wide deck, 4-axle, 16-wheels , ramp $29,700

FEED/SEED TANK, mounted on semi-trailer, 5-compartment, retractable unloading leg $2,500

ENGINES

CAT 3126, 190-hp PARTS

AC 3500, diesel $3,850

JD 404, turboed diesel $2,000

JD 303, gas engine head, complete $600

JD 466 TURBO DIESEL $3,950

NH 1048, self-propelled bale wagon, auto trans. $6,500

NH 1046, self-propelled bale wagon, 6-cyl. gas $1,950

COMBINES & PARTS

JD 6620 SIDEHILL, 1690 hrs., 220 header, pickup reeL $17,500

‘76 JD 6602, with 20’ header $2,500

ACE, orchard heater/blower, LP gas, 3-point, 540-PTO, 4-tanks, Massive Space Heater! $800

KUBOTA 350-SP, lawn mower, diesel, hydro, 5-reel $3,300 IRRIGATION T TAPE, 5,000 ft. rolls, ¾” with 24” spacing, metered water outlets $85/per roll

TARP TIE DOWNS, new, choice of rope with Ny-Locks CALL

4-NEW MICHELIN TIRES, radials, 265/70R19.5 $850

COOK, 6’ offset disk, 24” blades $950

DU-AL 345 LOADER, for 60-100 hp tractor $1,800

PARTING OUT, several 2-ton trucks and bale wagons..CALL NH 515 BALER, w/ Deutz diesel engine, 3-twine$12,500

CALKINS 4TM 45’ RODWEEDER, Ritzville area $1,750

BROME GRASS BIG BALE HAY,, 3x4x8 , 1140 bales

NH 595, 3x4 baler, Excellent! $12,700

KNEIB POP-UP HAY BALE LOADER, field ready. $1,250

BALE WAGON PARTS, auto & stick transmissions, rear ends, 460-V8, auto. transmission CALL

HESSTON 4655, in-line style baler $12,500

ALLEN 8827, rake $5,500

JD, 12-wheel V-rake $4,750

HESSTON, StackMover trailer $1,100

HAY GRAPPLE, 3-big bales, 4-round bales, or many small bales, Cat telehandler mounts (can be changed) with 2 hydraulic cylinders $2,900/ea.

LAMINATED

WOOD BEAMS 24’ TO 40’ $25/ft.

CASE IH, hay dry preserver applicator, ea $250

TILLAGE

HESSTON 54 CULTIVATOR, 5-section, walking beam axles, sweeps, hard faced $18,500

JD KILLIFER 15’ OFFSET DISK, $2,800

MORRIS, 19’ chisel plow, 2-section PARTS

Apples

Continued from Page C12

the USDA only looks at the top seven producing apple states.

Trends nationwide

New York, a significant producer, is predicted to have its worst harvest since 2012, according to the USDA.

A mild winter was followed by a warm spring. Most apple varieties need a cold winter.

Cynthia Haskins, New York Apple Association president and CEO, said the USDA forecast might not materialize.

Her association estimates a 28 million bushel harvest, still below the 2022’s 32 million bushel harvest, she added, in an email.

Michigan had no major spring frosts, but will find it difficult to surpass its record 32 million bushel harvest of 2022.

“I’d still say it’s considerably more than an average year,” said Don Armock,

owner of Riveridge Produce Marketing, a large apple producer in Michigan.

Changing preferences

Fryhover said the makeup of Washington’s crop illustrates changing consumer preferences.

Mainstream varieties have lost favor, while the alternatives have gained market share.

For example, a decade ago, Red Delicious represented 31.1% of Washington’s harvest. This year that’s forecast to drop to 13%.

Golden Delicious has dipped from 8.1% to 3.5% in 10 years.

The biggest surge is from Honeycrisp, which jumped from 4.7% of the crop in 2014-15 to 14.7% now.

Organic apples also made a huge leap, from 6.8% to 15.8%.

Proprietary apples as a whole jumped from 4% to 9.4% in the same time period.

“Our crop has changed so much in the last 10 years. We’re really capturing that better eating experience,” Fryhover said.

National trends, in gen-

eral, mirror Washington, the nation’s largest producer.

USApple highlighted the rise of “other varieties” — No. 4 for production nationwide — as evidence of con-

sumers’ growing appetites for different types of apples.

Gala is the most produced apple in Washington (19.8%) and the nation (18%).

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Ortis- Service

By DON JENKINS Capital Press

The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to enter a court settlement that will commit it to a pesticide “pilot project” that has been roundly criticized by the USDA and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.

The EPA project will restrict pesticide use to protect 27 threatened or endangered species in parts of 29 states,

including Oregon, Washington and California.

The EPA says it may revise details of the plan, but the settlement, pending in U.S. District Court for Northern California, obligates the agency to implement it despite the objections of the USDA, states and farm groups.

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said Aug. 25 the pilot project bypasses normal procedures for regulating pesticides and the settlement will

make halting the pilot more difficult.

“Now you have to overturn a court to put the processes back in place,” he said. “We almost didn’t believe (the settlement) when we first saw it.”

The settlement stems from a lawsuit led by the Center for Biological Diversity alleging the EPA failed to consult with other federal agencies on the effects of pesticides on federally protected species.

The settlement commits the EPA to meeting several

deadlines for reviewing the safety of pesticides and developing a slate of “strategies” for different types of chemicals, such as herbicides and rodenticides.

An EPA spokesman said in an email the agency would be proposing the “vulnerable species pilot” even without the lawsuit.

Nevertheless, the pilot figures prominently in the settlement. If approved by the court, EPA will wrap up “public outreach” by the end of the year.

By Sept. 30, 2024, the EPA “shall determine how it could expand the approach used in the vulnerable species pilot to other selected vulnerable species,” the settlement states.

The settlement calls out the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly, stating that lessons learned by restricting pesticide use in Oregon and Washington could be applied to protect other butterflies.

“The proposed settlement

agreement doesn’t commit EPA to expanding the pilot program to other endangered species, but the settlement demonstrates EPA’s intent to protect other endangered species that are especially threatened by pesticides,” Center for Biological Diversity attorney Jonathan Evans said in an email.

The EPA has designated more than 2 million acres in Western Oregon and Western Washington as the Taylor’s checkerspot’s “pesticide use limitation area,” taking in counties where the butterfly does not exist.

Evans said any overly broad initial area is “entirely fixable.” The settlement is better than more lawsuits or “time consuming (Endangered Species Act) reviews on a species by species basis,” he said.

The agreement was negotiated by EPA attorneys. The EPA or Justice Department could still withdraw from the settlement.

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