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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (July 19, 1983)
Produce market ‘plants’ co-op seeds at opening By Michele Matessa 01 th« EnwraM After several years of planning Organically Grown, a new co-op, finally celebrated its grand opening Saturday, com plete with food, music and ribbon-cutting. But the market, a 40-foot by 60-foot cooler, wasn’t the guest of honor, says Thomas Forster, Organically Grown’s public relations person. “It’s not the building that is being com memorated, but the marketing system itself,” Forster says. The cooperative system of marketing is “very important from the standpoint of sup porting local farm production” because it “helps small growers get a more consistent line of products to offer," he says. This would allow less dependence on California and regional production, Forster says. He says by working together — not secretly trying to undercut each other like bigger corporations do — the farmers can expand their harvest time and produce goods at higher levels. The market will be run by a hired manager and will provide a “real diversity of produce" at wholesale prices and amounts, Forster says. Customers will be able to choose from more than 30 varieties of pro duce, including raspberries, strawberries and all of the “salad vegetables," he says. Most of the "member farms” have pro ryn Photo by Dave Johnson Organically Grown cooperative members ceremoniously cut a garland of cloves celebrating their grand opening. vided produce at the Farmer’s Market, a spin-off of the Saturday Market. But "a lot of these same farmers have more than they can sell at these Saturday Market things," so they are making a move to expand, Forster says. He compares the co-op’s beginning to that of Eugene’s Agripac, a 10-acre warehouse and processing facility that started in 1908 with $5,000 capital. Pot advocates fight drug ‘war’ By John Healy Of the Emerald The Reagan administration has declared war on the “200,000 green collar workers of America,” according to George Farnham, director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Those green collar workers grow domestic marijuana, Far nham says, and they “are treated as second class citizens.” Farnham was in Eugene Saturday for the Oregon Mari juana Reform Conference, held at the Hilton Hotel. He was also in Eugene to show support for an initiative drive to place a statewide referendum on the 1984 ballot that would decriminalize possession and growing of marijuana. Under Pres. Ronald Reagan, the federal government has adopted a “confrontational ap proach” against domestic marijuana growers, Farnham says. As evidence of the Reagan administration’s new tactics, Farnham points to high altitude reconnaissance flights of the U-2 spy plane over California, Arkansas and Oregon, and an agreement bet ween the Pentagon and 20 states that will allow the Na tional Guard to search for marijuana fields. The administration’s $300 million war on domestic mari juana growers also includes the use of NASA’s Landsat surveillance satellite and the establishment of 12 regional task forces set up to fight drug trafficking in those areas. All are modeled on the widely ac claimed South Florida Task Force, Farnham says. ‘‘Anti-marijuana forces have re-established the Reefer Madness syndrome,” he adds, referring to the federal government-produced film which portrayed the evils of “killer weed” in the late 1940s. Farnham says the federal government believes its "OK to violate civil liberties if you go after drug users,” especial ly since Congressional legisla tion was passed last year allowing the government to seize property of suspected marijuana growers who are arrested. NORML plans to file a lawsuit next month in federal court that will seek to in validate any search warrant based on evidence gathered by the military, Farnaham says. “Marijuana reformers,” as Farnham calls himself, have had more success over the last several years because of the aging of the largest group of marijuana users. Those are the “’60s genera tion” that are now over 30 and have amassed “more money and impact,” Farnham says. "Legislators don’t think we are burned out hippies anymore,” he says Enjoy lunch at PIZAN'S Your choice of 24 different kinds of deli sandwiches Prices ranging from $1.50-$3.50 The Best in homemade pies and cheesecakes Thursday & Friday Eugene's Best Homemade Clam Chowder Happy Hour 3:30- Closing Pitchers of beer $1.25! pizflns 1225 Alder St. 343-9661 Open9^Morh-Fri^^^^^ Student Discount! 10% Off on all books to any student with current I D. We re close to campus at 19th & Agate. BOOK and TEA 1646 East 19th • 344-3422 OREGON ELECTRIC STATION Restaurant & Lounge Jazz Depot Tues. thru Sat. In the Jazz Room Specials on Oregon Wines AH Tonic Drinks $ 1.00 485-4444 5th & Willamette Downtown Eugene JOIN THE FUN! DIM SUM Every Sunday^ 11 «.m. 3 I DIM SUM LUNCH $J95 And Try Us for Dinner p.nrc. Regular Lunches, Too CHINA BLUE Restaurant 879 E. 13th 343-2832 ;v.' • ••m/.-w. / O OFF ANY REqaLARiy PRICED: MERCHANDISE SMits: .. h. . with this coupon. Coupon expires 7/21/83 Limit one coupon per purchase. ALBUMS, CASSETTES, SINGLES BUTTONS, T-SHIRTS CARDS, PHOTOS POSTERS & MORE Across the street from the 0 of O Bookstore 886 E. 13th • 345-1010 r-esm Food Service Thursday Beer Garden 3:30-6:30 Free Entertainment Come and join us in the Fountain Court Cafe and Dining Room. 16 oz. cups 75C 32 oz. cups $1.50 pitchers $2.50 Alternate beverages served
