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8 CapitalPress.com July 24, 2015 OSU to recruit slug researcher, other experts Additional state funds will pay for several new positions By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Farmers in Oregon will soon get some much-need- ed assistance with battling the slugs that are devouring their crops. Oregon State University plans to recruit an entomol- ogist who specializes in slug research as part of a broader hiring spree made possible with added money from state lawmakers. Earlier this year, the uni- versity held a “Slug Sum- mit” with farmers who com- plained that the pests have grown more problematic in recent years. Theories abound as to why slugs are more preva- lent — increased restrictions on field burning and reduced tillage were among the rea- sons proposed — but con- crete proof is scant. Methods of controlling the mollusks, such as bait containing the pesticide metaldehyde, aren’t reliably effective, growers reported. Courtesy of Robin Rosetta, OSU European red slugs are quite common in gardens and landscapes. Oregon State University is hiring an entomologist who will focus on slug control. The new research posi- tion will focus on the best ways to kill slugs or other- wise disrupt their life cycle, said Dan Arp, dean of OSU’s College of Agricultural Sci- ences. The Oregon legislature Two farms accuse ConAgra of contract breach Cases center on potato-buying contracts by subsidiary By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Two potato farms in Washington are accusing a subsidiary of ConAgra Foods of violating crop-buying contracts. In one case, Charles Wood of Franklin County, Wash., alleges that rep- resentatives of the Lamb Weston subsidiary agreed to buy 12,355 tons of pota- toes at $150 per ton, but the company later reneged on the deal by seeking a lower price. Wood is seeking $1.85 million that he claims to be entitled to under the origi- nal contract. Attorneys for ConAgra have filed a motion to dis- miss the complaint, arguing that Wood does not have written proof of a contract and merely alleges a “hand- shake” agreement on tenta- tive terms. In the second case, Zu- riel Inc. claims that its po- tatoes were subject to re- jection by ConAgra due to bruising, but the processing company refused to release them for sale on the open market. Instead of allowing Zu- riel Inc. to take possession of the crop, ConAgra pro- cessed the potatoes and paid a reduced price, which is a contract breach, ac- cording to the complaint. Zuriel seeks unspecified damages to be determined at trial. ConAgra is planning to soon file a motion to dis- miss Zuriel’s complaint as well, said Gerald Kobluk, attorney for the company. The company doesn’t believe there is any merit to either case, he said. recently approved $14 mil- lion in additional funding for OSU’s agricultural ex- periment stations, extension service and forest laboratory over the next two years. Agricultural experiment stations will receive more than $6 million of that amount, which will fund 16 new assistant professor po- sitions and six support posi- tions, said Arp. OSU will begin trying to fill the positions as soon as possible, but the recruiting process usually takes about eight months, he said. “We’re really grateful to the legislature for making this possible,” Arp said. Following is a summary of the other research posi- tions that OSU’s agricultural experiment stations will be looking to fill: • Rangeland ecology with a focus on conserving the sage grouse, a bird species that’s a candidate for federal protection. Ranchers fear that threatened or endangered sta- tus for the species could re- sult in grazing restrictions. • Integrated management of cropping systems, focus- ing on managing nutrients, water and pests for crops with intensive rotations. • Weed and pest manage- ment primarily for horticul- tural crops like vegetables and berries. • Water management and efficient use, such as exam- ining innovative tools for irrigation. • Fertilizer rate and trans- port, which involves the study of how much fertiliz- er is consumed by crops and where surpluses end up. • Near-shore fishery and oceanography, looking at sustainable practices. • Food processing and safety, researching new technology and food safety concepts such as improving shelf life. • Food microbiology, studying ways to prevent con- tamination with pathogens. • Pesticide management, including the best manage- ment of rates and timing. • Integrated pest man- agement response to climate and weather, with a focus on modeling how changes will affect pest control. • Consumer demands and marketing, which involves the study of how people make buying decisions and how to influence them. The main focus will be on prod- ucts of fermentation like al- cohol and cheese. • Brewing microbiology, which will examine how to use microbiology to improve flavor. • Quantitative plant ge- netics, which requires the use of modern molecular tools to improve breeding. • Vegetable and specialty seed breeding and manage- ment. • Seafood processing and innovation, which will in- clude new methods and safe- ty components. • Two pollinator biology technicians, one focused on lab work and the other on field work. • An experiential learning coordinator who lines up in- ternships for students. • Supplemental funding for three positions in fer- mentation science. OSU’s Forest Research Laboratory will receive $3.5 million of the additional fund- ing, which will be spent on a two-year study of the marbled murrelet, a threatened bird species that nests in coastal forests. The birds will be banded with radio transmitters so re- searchers can find out more about where they travel and how far inland they lay eggs. “We really don’t under- stand much about their be- havior. They spend most of their lives out at sea,” said Thomas Maness, the labora- tory’s director. OSU’s extension service will receive nearly $4.5 mil- lion of the added funding but is still in the process of prioritizing which positions will be filled, said Scott Reed, the service’s director at the university. New group will represent Treasure Valley water users By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press BOISE — Several irri- gation districts and canal companies have formed a Treasure Valley Water Users Association that will repre- sent farmers and other water users in Southwestern Idaho. “Until now, there’s been no association or group com- prised of one voice to pro- tect our water rights ... in the Treasure Valley,” said dairy producer Lou Murgoitio, a member of the group’s board of directors. “This is monu- mental. Water is everything to us out here.” Pioneer Irrigation District Manager Mark Zirschky said the formation of a group that goes to bat specifically for Treasure Valley water users is long overdue. “It’s something that should have happened a long time ago but we’re sure welcoming it now,” he said. The group represents wa- ter users in Water District 63, which encompasses an area from Boise to Parma. It formed in June and its mem- bership already includes five major irrigation districts and two canal companies. Its eight-member board is comprised of seven people representing irrigation or ca- nal companies and Murgoitio is the at-large member. Agricultural groups, in- cluding the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Seed Association, and individual farmers and ranch- ers have also joined the group Sean Ellis/Capital Press A potato field is irrigated in Meridian, Idaho, June 25. The newly formed Treasure Valley Water Users Association will represent water users in Southwestern Idaho. as non-voting members, said TVWUA Executive Director Roger Batt. The response from munic- ipalities and elected officials has been positive, Batt said. “They say this is some- thing that will unify the water user community in the Trea- sure Valley and that’s exact- ly what we intend to do,” he said. Batt said the group expects its membership to include wa- ter delivery entities that repre- sent a total of 350,000 irrigat- ed acres by the end of 2015. The group has filed ar- ticles of incorporation with the Idaho Secretary of State and its board recently ap- proved by-laws. “This organization is alive and going,” Batt said. “We keep getting more peo- ple (join) as we continue to spread the message.” Several TVWUA mem- bers said the impetus for the group’s formation was the state’s plan to start counting water released for flood con- trol on the Boise River system against stored water rights. “(This) issue is really what brought this organization to- gether,” Batt said. “There’s been no other issue we can think of that has unified the irrigation delivery folks in ba- sin 63 as much as (this) issue has.” One of the group’s oth- er priorities will be learning more about a Boise River En- hancement Plan advocated by environmental groups. TVWUA officials have invited members of those groups to discuss the plan with them Aug. 10. The plan’s summary sug- gests farmers in the basin use only drip or sprinkler irriga- tion but that’s not possible for the region’s $500 million seed industry, which depends on furrow irrigation to address certain disease and insect is- sues, Batt said. “We want to learn more about what they’re trying to do,” he said. Canadian official warns of possible retaliation for COOL By TIM HEARDEN 30-1/#4 Capital Press PIONEER POWER SHOW & SWAP MEET Hosted by: CENTRAL WASHINGTON ANTIQUE FARM EQUIPMENT CLUB August 15 th -16 th , 2015 Fullbright Park • Union Gap, Washington EVENTS HAPPENING both SATURDAY & SUNDAY! 8:00am-4:00pm • FAMILY FUN!!! (509) 942-2100 • Farm Equipment Displays Vintage Trucks & Engines • Farm Tractor Pulls • Lawn Tractor Pulls had a real, real impact on our in- dustries in Cana- da and has been very harmful to U.S. industry as well.” The Repub- Doyle lican-led U.S. House of Representatives voted, 300-131, last month to repeal the label requirements after the World Trade Organization ruled for a fourth time this spring that the labels put Canadian and Mexican livestock at a disad- vantage. The U.S. has exhausted all of its appeals before the WTO in defense of the rule, which re- quires meat labels to show where the animals were born, raised and slaughtered. (tractor provided for kids - safe & fun) • Wheat Threshing & Binding • Petting Zoo • Kid’s Crafts & Games • Kid’s Treasure Hunt - Prizes! ADMISSIO $5.00 per p N erson. Children un admitted FR der age 12 EE with Pare nt. 30-1/#6 34TH ANNUAL SAN FRANCISCO — A Canadian trade official based in California says she’s encouraged by efforts in Congress to repeal a 2008 meat-labeling rule that’s been the object of a six-year dispute between the U.S. and its two biggest trade partners. Cassie Doyle, the Canadian consul general in San Francisco, said she understands retaliatory tariffs imposed by Canada and Mexico could be devastating for major Western commodities such as California’s $24 billion wine industry. “Our role has been raising awareness on the lack of fairness in” mandatory country-of-origin labeling, Doyle told the Capital Press. “We’ve been trying to get a fix for COOL. I’ve been reach- ing out to members of Congress from California and some of the legislators in Sacramento because retaliation will have a disproportionate impact on Cal- ifornia being that they’re such big … exporters of agricultural goods into Canada. “The bottom line is Canada does not want to retaliate, but we need to fix this discriminatory labeling scheme,” she said. “It’s 30-4/#6 Canada and Mexico are now quantifying their level of harm from the rule and awaiting the WTO’s go-ahead to begin sanc- tions, which Doyle said could be put in place this fall. The lopsided House vote and looming sanctions put pres- sure on the Senate, where Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., has called for legislation to address the issue. “California in particular would feel the brunt of (retal- iation), as tariffs against wine, cheese, beef, apples, tomatoes, chocolate and other products could cripple many companies,” Feinstein said in a statement. “Consumers deserve to know where the food they buy comes from, but we need to make sure it’s done in a way that doesn’t de- stabilize California exports.” Canada has threatened to im- pose retaliatory tariffs on more than three dozen American com- modities, including beef, pork, rice, corn, apples, cherries and wine. The Canadian government has complained that the labeling regulation has cost cattle produc- ers and related industries north of the border as much as $1 billion a year, though proponents of the rule dispute that figure.