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April 24, 2015 CapitalPress.com 7 Idaho ag fared well in legislative session By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press BOISE — There were no big-ticket bills for agriculture during the 2015 Idaho legisla- tive session, but most legisla- tion supported by the industry fared well. Lawmakers “took good care of a lot of smaller items that were of importance to the industry,” said Idaho Wool Growers Association Execu- tive Director Stan Boyd. Sen. Bert Brackett, a Re- publican rancher from Rog- erson, said the 2015 session lacked some of the major farm-related proposals that past sessions have had. “But small things add up to big things,” he said. “Gen- erally, I think the session was pretty successful for ag- riculture.” Lawmakers passed a bill that solidifies the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s primacy when it comes to governing the state’s seed in- dustry. That update to Idaho’s Pure Seed Law will stop local governments from banning the planting and use of geneti- cally modified crops. The Legislature also passed a joint memorial to Congress in support of a fed- eral policy for the voluntary labeling of genetically engi- neered foods. Taking steps, even mod- erate ones, to protect farm- ers’ right to plant genetically modified crops was a good development, said Rep. Clark Kauffman, a Republi- can farmer from Filer who introduced the Pure Seed Law bill. “I think those are incre- mental steps on that issue that are good for agriculture,” he said. Most farm industry lead- ers say the session should get an incomplete grade when it came to addressing the state’s $262 million a year transpor- tation funding shortfall. The last bill of the ses- sion to get passed will raise an additional $94 million a year in transportation funding through increased fuel taxes and registration fees. Idaho’s farming industry, which got the conversation on increased transportation funding rolling two years ago, realizes how important good roads and bridges are to agri- culture, said Food Producers of Idaho Executive Director Rick Waitley. The $94 million raised by the lone transportation fund- ing bill that passed “is far from the necessary amount to make headway on the con- tinuing problem,” he said. The state’s honey and cherry industries successfully pushed legislation that makes small modifications to their commissions “which should help them operate more effi- ciently going forward,” Wait- ley said. The Legislature passed a bill that will allow the free movement of hops plant ma- terial between Idaho, Wash- ington and Oregon and require hops material from other states to be certified dis- ease-free. Legislators also approved a rule that will result in goat producers being charged an assessment of 80 cents per head when they sell their animals at auction yards and provided University of Ida- ho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences an addi- tional $2.27 million for re- search and extension. Lawmakers failed to act on two bills that would have set statewide standards for cottage food products pro- duced in home kitchens and they also rejected a proposal that would have allowed po- tato growers in a federal pale cyst nematode quarantine area in East Idaho to receive a refund of their state potato assessment fee. “We didn’t have any con- troversial issues this year, which is good, and we got done a few things that need- ed to be done,” said Sen. Jim Patrick, a Republican farmer from Twin Falls. Sean Ellis/Capital Press Observers say the 2015 Idaho legislative sessions was successful for agriculture interests. McFerson considering WSU research director position By DAN WHEAT Capital Press WENATCHEE, Wash. — The manager of the Wash- ington Tree Fruit Research Commission, Jim McFerson, is looking at becoming direc- tor of the Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, and pos- sibly holding both jobs. Both are in Wenatchee. WSU’s College of Agri- cultural Human and Natural Resource Sciences “has de- termined, after consulting with faculty, to offer Dr. Jim McFerson an invitation to in- terview for the position,” said Jay Brunner, who is retiring as center director in August. McFerson shared his lead- ership vision and experience in a public seminar at the center April 20, Brunner said. Antibiotics bill stays alive, heads to Senate Rules panel Dan Wheat/Capital Press Jim McFerson, manager of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission in Wenatchee, is shown in this file photo. In addition to his commission job, he is exploring the possibility of becoming di- rector of the Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center. That was followed by private discussions by WSU facul- ty and USDA scientists with McFerson, Brunner said. Both men emphasized there’s been no job offer and referred to the interview as exploratory. The center dates back to 1937, and operates with a $4 million annual budget. It has 50 full-time and 20 seasonal employees and more than 100 research and extension proj- ects involving many aspects of growing, harvesting, storing, grading and packing tree fruit. Brunner, 67, is an entomol- ogist and has divided his duties between entomology and cen- ter administration. The Tree Fruit Research Commission was established by the Legislature in 1969 and is governed by industry mem- bers and allocates more than $2 million collected annual- ly from growers for tree fruit research. Projects are done by commission staff and universi- ties and organizations to which the commission awards re- search grants, including WSU. McFerson doesn’t award the grants. Commissioners make those decisions based on committee recommendations, but McFerson is involved in discussions. McFerson said he doesn’t foresee a conflict of interest in the usual sense in serving in both roles but more of an issue of divided loyalties. “When I came to Wenatchee (as a commission scientist), relationships be- tween the commission and WSU were not good,” he said. “They have come a long way since that time. My vi- sion is to continue and deep- en that partnership. “As partners there are differences in organiza- tions, interests and perspec- tive, but ultimately we’re all working for profitabili- ty and sustainability of our tree fruit industry and to contribute to Washington’s economy and the well-being of its citizens and the rest of the world that enjoys our tree fruit products.” The industry, through the commission, has com- mitted to the largest WSU endowment of $32 million over eight years to build and sustain tree fruit research at WSU, McFerson said. Because of that, the com- mission already is biased to- ward WSU, he said. There could be questions both ways, but it’s a creative way to pro- ceed, he said. WSU’s agricultural fund- ing has been cut in half in re- cent years, leaving university scientists competing for more federal grants, such as special- ty crop block grants, he said. Whether he could remain active at the national level in the USDA’s specialty crop research initiative and Clean Plant Network are questions, he said. At 64, McFerson said a one-, two- or three-year ap- pointment with a possible re- newal is an option and that he doesn’t foresee long-term em- ployment. The idea of him consider- ing the job came from WSU leadership and would be a big change from choosing a pro- fessor for the role, he said. John Deere Dealers See one of these dealers for a demonstration Legislation would limit “non- therapeutic” uses in livestock By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press SALEM — A proposal to restrict “non-therapeu- tic” uses of antibiotics in livestock has stayed alive in the Oregon legislature and may be subject to fur- ther deliberations. On April 20, the Senate Committee on Health Care voted 3-2 to refer Senate Bill 920 to the Senate Rules Committee with a “do pass” recommendation. The bill would prohibit treating farm animals with antibiotics for disease prevention and growth promotion in most circum- stances. By moving the SB 920 to a new committee, law- makers have kept the bill viable without bringing it to a vote on the Senate floor. The proposal has di- vided groups represent- ing Oregon physicians, who fear antibiotic over- use will foster resistant pathogens, and veterinar- ians, who claim the bill will unnecessarily limit their options in managing herd health. Sen. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, said the tes- timony in favor of the bill was misinformed and pre- sented a distorted view the livestock industry, which is economically important and technically competent. 17-4/#4N