Salem-News.com Agriculture articles Page 36

Democrats Lead House to Broad Support for `Renew Oregon` Biofuels Plan

The Renew Oregon Plan now moves to the Oregon Senate for approval.

(SALEM) - A biofuels legislation package championed by House Democrats was approved in the Oregon House last week with broad bi-partisan support.

Nationwide Demand For Organic Milk Opens Door For Oregon Dairies

On average, farmers receive about 21 cents per pound for organic milk compared to about 14 cents per pound for conventional milk.

(CORVALLIS) - Across the United States consumer demand for organically produced milk regularly exceeds supply -- a shortage has created a financial incentive for dairy farmers to explore organic production in their operations.

Oregon is a nationwide leader in organic milk production, and more farmers are converting to organic production all the time, said Mike Gamroth, an Oregon State University Extension dairy specialist and researcher in the Department of Animal Sciences.

Panjshir Farmers in Afghanistan Learn New Techniques

UPDATE: International Security Assistance Force- Afghanistan

(KABUL, Afghanistan) - Doctor Mike Gangwer, a soil expert from the US Department of Agriculture, recently spent two days with nearly 60 fruit and vegetable farmers in the Panjshir province of Afghanistan. He taught the farmers about moisture conservation and nutrient levels in the earth.

Doctor Gangwer is working with the Parwan and Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Teams, and remains impressed by both the knowledge and interest displayed by local farmers enrolled in his agriculture courses.

12,000 Fruit Trees Go To Farmers in Afghanistan

Fruit trees in this area can mean a stable economy without opium

(HERAT, Afghanistan) - During a ceremony held Thursday at the Shindand Governor's Palace, government officials and the Herat Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) facilitated the donation of 12,000 fruit trees to local farmers from six districts in Afghanistan's Herat province.

The program is part of a coordination plan between the PRT and the U.N.'s Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) initiative, with the aim of boosting the local economy and eradicating illegal activity in the area, such as the cultivation of opium.

A similar project for nine other districts in Herat is expected for the future.

Inside Job Determined in Ag West Burglary

Two of the suspects had been fired within the last month, the third quit on Saturday

(RICKREALL) - When the operators of Ag West showed up for work on Monday morning, November 6th, they found the business was burglarized sometime over night. The Polk County Sheriffs’ Office was immediately notified and began investigating the burglary as a possible “inside” job as a business key was used to unlock the door and the alarm had been turned off with the correct code.

During the investigation, the detectives interviewed current and past employees and ended up arresting four male suspects in connection to this burglary.

Three of the suspects were ex-employees of Ag West.

Gypsy Moth Detections Increase in Oregon This Year (AUDIO)

The detection of a single Asian gypsy moth in St. Helens near the Columbia River is serious. It marks only the third time that an Asian variety has been trapped in Oregon.

(SALEM) - A total of 66 gypsy moths have been trapped in Oregon this year, up from nine last year. Of those 66, 57 were detected in a Bend residential area.

Kathleen Johnson of the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Insect Pest Prevention and Management Program says most of the time, gypsy moths are found west of the Oregon Cascades.

New Food Bank Facility Links Ag Surplus With Oregon`s Most Hungry

New food bank facility links agricultural surplus with Oregon's most hungry. Governor praises effort to reduce hunger, poverty, and crime.

(UMATILLA) - Oregon Department of Corrections Director Max Williams today announced the opening of a new sorting, grading, and packaging facility at Two Rivers Correctional Institution (TRCI) in Umatilla for donated Oregon agricultural products to be sent to Oregon's most hungry.

Dignitaries from around the state, including Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services Director Victor Merced and Oregon Food Bank Executive Director Rachel Bristol, attended the opening ceremony.

Ho Ho Ho: Oregon Still The Leading Producer of Christmas Trees

92 percent of all Oregon Christmas trees leave the state, with the number one export market being Mexico.

(SALEM) - Results of a new survey confirm that Oregon is tops when it comes to growing Christmas trees:

"We are the big player both domestically and internationally. It's not surprising to see that Oregon is still number one and growing. So, getting bigger all the time."

Bryan Ostlund of the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Growers Association says the survey- done every two years- helps the industry make proper planting decisions based on supply and demand.

Matsutake Commercial Mushroom Harvests Now Underway in Oregon

Matsutake mushrooms appear to be sprouting early this year in Oregon and California national forests. Forest Service officials believe this year’s matsutake harvest will yield quantities not seen since the early 1990s.

(CRESCENT) - Permits to harvest matsutake mushrooms for commercial purposes are now on sale on the Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Umpqua and Willamette National Forests.

The permit is valid on all four national forest until the season ends November 11th, and is required for anyone picking the mushrooms for commercial purposes.

New Japanese Standards Raise Questions For Oregon Exporters (AUDIO)

Look for the silver bar at the bottom of the story to play the audio version.

(SALEM) - Pacific Northwest food processors and the Oregon Department of Agriculture are working on a new program to help get products exported to Japan.

A complex set of regulations issued recently by the Japanese government could potentially make it more difficult to export food and agricultural products because of standards on chemical residues.

With Japan, the number one ag export market for Oregon, that's cause for concern, according to Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture: