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DOW-DUPONT DEAL NOT NECESSARILY HARBINGER OF TRUMP ANTITRUST STRATEGY PAGE 7 FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2017 VOLUME 90, NUMBER 26 WWW.CAPITALPRESS.COM $2.00 Capital Press fi le photo The EPA’s announcement it intends to rescind the Waters of the U.S. rule and take another crack at defi ning waters of the U.S. under the Clean Water Act drew cheers Tuesday from farm organizations. HEMP SWEEPSTAKES Washington farmers join resurgent eff ort to grow a crop whose legality is complex and economics are unclear By DON JENKINS Capital Press M Hemp grows in an Oregon fi eld. “Oh, it’s a dance, and I hate it. We’re still just stumbling along.” COLLEEN KEAHEY Executive director of the Hemp Industries Association Area in detail 28 Ephrata Photos by Don Jenkins/Capital Press Farmer Shane Palmer jumps down from a seed planter as he prepares to put in hemp June 6 near Moses Lake, Wash. The farm became the fi rst in Washington to lawfully plant hemp. COLU 17 Turn to HEMP, Page 12 A 26 BA SIN Approximate site of hemp planting 90 Potholes Res. that hemp provides cover for marijuana. Even during World War II, as the USDA promoted production for such military uses as parachutes and shoelaces for combat boots, hemp farmers had to register with the federal government. MBI Moses Lake COLUMBIA N.W.R. Othello 26 24 17 bia lum Co oses Lake farmer Shane Palm- er drove a seed drill across a Central Washington fi eld ear- lier this month and planted hemp, marking the state’s entry into the coun- try’s resurgent hemp era. Palmer said he wanted to diversify his crop line-up and try something new, and that he ex- pects the hemp in the fall to be waist to chest high. His business partner, Cory Sharp, is already in it up to his neck. He founded a business, HempLogic, and contracted with farmers to plant 115 acres, a high-stakes commercial plunge into what’s ostensibly a “research pro- gram.” Sharp has spent the past year researching, and coping, with the crop’s legal complexities and uncertain economics. The plants are grow- ing, but he still needs to fi nd buyers. “It can be disheartening,” he said. “We’re pioneering something we don’t have a home for.” Generations of American farmers once grew hemp for paper, textiles and other in- dustrial uses. But beginning in the 1930s, federal policy has been based on the premise Farm groups cheer EPA move to roll back WOTUS 395 260 U.S.D.E. R HANFORD ive r SITE N Capital Press graphic Hemp consultant and advocate Joy Beckerman watches hemp being planted in a fi eld near Moses Lake in Central Washington. A state senator says Beckerman made skeptical legislators “aware of what it’s all about.” Controversial rule meant to defi ne waters of U.S. under Clean Water Act By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press EPA and the Army Corps of En- gineers said on Tuesday they are proposing a rule to rescind the 2015 Clean Water Rule meant to defi ne waters of the United States that are regulated under the Clean Water Act. The rule kicked up a storm of controversy, with the agricultural community, states and businesses contending it greatly expands federal regulatory authority in the Clean Wa- ter Act in violation of congressional intent. Legal challenges to the rule re- sulted in a stay of its implementation by the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in October 2015. In Febru- ary, President Trump issued an exec- utive order for a review of the rule. On Tuesday, EPA announced that the agency, along with the De- partment of the Army and the Army Corps of Engineers, intends to re- scind the rule, recodify the regulato- ry text in place prior to the rule and commence rulemaking to reevaluate and revise the defi nition of waters of the U.S. Reaction from agricultural groups was swift. “Farmers and ranchers across this country are cheering EPA’s proposal today to ditch its fl awed waters of the U.S. rule,” Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation president, said in a statement. Farmers and ranchers know the importance of clean water and work hard every day to protect natural re- sources, he said. “But this rule was never really about clean water. It was a federal land grab designed to put a straight- jacket on farming and private busi- ness across the nation,” he said. EPA’s announcement shows EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt recogniz- es the rule for what it is — “an illegal and dangerous mistake that needs to be corrected,” he said. The National Association of Wheat Growers applauded EPA for rescinding the rule. Turn to EPA, Page 12 County, Azure Farms reach agreement on weed control Issue riled up rural Oregon county, brought unwanted attention on social media By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press Sherman County, Ore., commis- sioners and Azure Farms have agreed to a weed control plan that may settle a dispute that pitted the organic opera- tion and its supporters against conven- tional wheat growers who don’t want weeds spreading into their crops. 1426 Front St. Fort Benton, MT 59442 406-622-3803 www.fbrealty.com The farm, near Moro in the north-central part of the state, agreed to control weeds, with “control” de- fi ned as “little or no noxious weed seed production that would affect neighboring fi elds” and spread by the wind. Conventional farmers are chief- ly concerned about seeds from Rush Skeleton, Canada thistle, White top, Diffuse napweed and Morning Glory, or Bindweed. The agreement allows Azure Farms to use any method it sees fi t, while the county’s weed district staff has the right to monitor Azure’s fi elds, pas- tures and range ground for compli- ance. County employees can access the fi elds by permission and appoint- TWO BLAINE COUNTY FARMS/RANCHES 1,360 ACRES (+/-) TOTAL - WEST & EAST OF HARLEM , MT The East Unit- Approx. 860 acres 3 miles east of Harlem: Includes approx. 93 acres pivot sprinkler, 160 acres gated- pipe flood irrigation, 213 acres flood irrigated (147-acre pivot sprinkler possible), and 394 acres pasture. $1,170,000. The West unit (Homeplace) - Approx. 499 acres 7 miles west of Harlem: Includes approx. 250 acres under pivot – 2 sprinklers, 130 ac. flood irrigation, 115 acres grass/pasture along the Milk River, with home & shop & barn/corrals. $1,080,000. For details, call Fort Benton Realty LLP /Mark Pyrak, Broker 406-788-9280 or Shane Ophus, Sales Broker 406-788-6662 ment only, and must be accompanied by Azure Farms staff, according to the agreement. If a weed patch is in more than 50 percent fl ower production, Azure Farms will have seven days or a “mu- tually agreed upon reasonable amount of time” to take action. If it doesn’t, Sherman County can spot-spray the weeds and mark the area in hopes the Turn to CONTROL, Page 12 IRRIGATED HAY FARM: 208 acres located 5 miles E of Harlem, MT. There’s 153 acres of flood irrigated hay, a newer & very nice 5-bedroom home, 30’x60’ heated shop, storage shed - tack room, and older set of corrals. Includes some of Seller’s farm equipment. Good Pheasant hunting area. Priced at appraised value of $571,000. Call Shane Ophus, Broker & Listing Agent, for details at 788-6662. 26-3/#16