ADVERTISING INDEX LOCATED ON PAGE A10 FEBRUARY 2024
e th VOIC E
Volume 41
48 Pages
PO Box 2048, Salem, OR 97308
Phone: (509) 397-2191
Number 11
Alex McGregor speaks out for Northwest farmers
Matthew Weaver/Capital Press
Alex McGregor at The McGregor Company headquarters in Colfax, Wash. The company offers fertilizer, agri-chemical and equipment services in 36 locations throughout Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
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By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press
OLFAX, Wash. — Any public meeting receives a jolt of energy the moment Alex McGregor stands up to speak. “Good morning!” he’ll revive the audience with a booming voice. Or “Good afternoon, friends!” A microphone is usually unnecessary. The chairman of The McGregor Company, a major provider of fertilizers and other inputs in the Northwest, uses that voice to advocate on matters critical for farm families: Conservation policy. The farm bill. Environmental issues. McGregor, 74, is particularly involved in the long-running fight to maintain the four lower Snake River dams. He calls recent federal mediation in a lawsuit over dam operations “miscast and even deceitful.” The Biden administration and plaintiffs announced a settlement agreement in December. Most ag and electric utility stakeholders felt ignored. “You have to have sound science and meaningful dialogue as cornerstones in that process,” McGregor said. “The benefits of the dams are substantial, and trying to shut out agriculture, home owners and businesses is highly inappropriate.” See Voice, Page A8
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