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4 CapitalPress.com May 15, 2015 Grazing, timber groups lose national forest rule challenge Opponents of the 2012 planning rule fear reduced logging, grazing Capital Press Grazing and timber groups have lost their challenge against high-level federal reg- ulations that govern activities across all national forests. In 2012, the U.S. Forest Service established a new “planning rule” that lays out national forest management principles, replacing a pre- vious policy established 30 years earlier. The planning rule is used to develop management plans for individual forests, which in turn determine al- lowable grazing and logging levels. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Amer- ican Forest Resource Coun- cil and other industry groups filed a lawsuit claiming the 2012 planning rule doesn’t comply with existing nation- al forest laws. The new rule prioritizes environmental concerns over grazing and timber produc- tion, effectively overriding the will of Congress when it passed three statutes: the Na- tional Forest Management Act, the Multiple-Use Sus- tained Yield Act and the Or- ganic Administration Act, ac- cording to the complaint. The plaintiffs argue that the 2012 planning rule es- tablishes “ecological sus- tainability” as the top forest purpose and “ecosystem ser- vices” as a new type of forest use without any basis in ex- isting laws. The Forest Service and several environmental groups that intervened in the case claimed that it was within the federal agency’s authority to create the new policy. Environmental groups suc- cessfully used litigation to stop previous planning rule changes from going into effect in 2000, 2005 and 2008, but now alleged that the timber and grazing plaintiffs lacked legal standing to oppose the 2012 revisions. U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has agreed with the environ- mentalists and threw out the lawsuit because the plain- tiffs failed to show they’d be directly injured by the 2012 planning rule. The plaintiffs argued they’d suffer economic harm because the rule would even- tually reduce logging and grazing on national forests, with overstocked trees also increasing the risk of wildfire. To support their allega- tions, the groups pointed to language in the rule that said grazing must be modified in areas where it’s identified as a “stressor.” The rule also stated that current trends in the nation- al forest timber program will continue, which the plaintiffs interpreted as further logging declines. However, the judge said the plaintiffs did not demon- strate these alleged harms were an “imminent” effect of the 2012 planning rule, as the new policy doesn’t direct on- the-ground activities. Jackson said the allega- tions of reduced logging and grazing are “sheer specu- lation,” since there are still several “intervening deci- sion points” between the planning rule and site-spe- cific projects. Export, import picture helping apple sales By DAN WHEAT Capital Press WENATCHEE, Wash. — Washington apple ex- ports are up and U.S. apple imports are down, which is a good thing for the state’s apple industry as it contin- ues to work to reduce its potential carryover from the large 2014 crop. As of May 1, the indus- try has sold 100.3 million, 40-pound boxes of the 2014 harvest with 42.5 million left to go. That compares with 31 million boxes left to sell at the same time last year and 36 million two years ago. A big concern among shippers is having too much old crop left as the 2015 harvest begins in August, thus keeping prices deflat- ed. Shipments have been running at about 3 million boxes per week but typi- cally decline in summer as other fresh fruits hit stores. Some shippers fear a car- ryover of about 15 million boxes at the end of August. Over several months, shippers shrank the 2014 crop by sending apples to processors, compost and dumping them. The 2014 crop is now estimated at 142.8 million boxes, down from 143.6 million estimated a month ago and from 155 million at the start of November. The previous record was 128.8 million in 2012. Exports are up almost 23 percent over last year with a lot of apples going to Mexico and India, said Danelle Huber, internation- LEGAL STATE OF OREGON OREGON ALFALFA SEED COMMISSION P.O. BOX 688 ONTARIO, OR 97914 NOTICE OF ALFALFA GROWERS COMMISSION HEARING PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING TO: ALL OREGON ALFALFA SEED GROWERS Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held pursuant to ORS Chapter 604, Section 14, Oregon Laws 2003, on Tuesday, June 11, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at Matsy’s Restaurant, 1241 SW 4th Ave., Ontario, Oregon 97914. The hearing will be upon a proposed budget for oper- ation of the Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission during the fiscal year July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016. At these hearings, any producer of alfalfa has a right to be heard with respect to the proposed budget, a copy of which is available for public inspection, under rea- sonable circumstances, in the office of each county exten- sion agent in Oregon. Interested persons may com- ment on the proposed budget in writing to the Commission business office, address above. Comments to be received by June 8, 2015. For further information, contact the Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission business office; P.O Box 688, Ontario, Oregon 97914, telephone 541-881-1335. TDD 503-986- 4762. Dan Cutler, Chairman Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission April 30, 2015 20-1/#4 Dan Wheat/Capital Press Joanna Ortega straightens Red Delicious apples on trays for packing at McDougall & Sons Inc., Wenatchee, Wash., on April 9. As of May 1, the Washington apple industry still has a lot of apples to sell from its record crop. al marketing specialist at the Washington Apple Com- mission in Wenatchee. As of April 30, 8.4 mil- lion boxes of apple have been shipped to Mexico, season-to-date, compared to 6.1 million a year ago, an increase of 38 percent, she said. India is over 4 million boxes compared to 1.8 mil- lion a year ago, she said. A lot of that has been from Washington’s huge oversup- ply of Red Delicious. China, closed to all U.S. apples from August 2012 to November 2014, has taken 845,000 boxes of Red De- LEGAL NOTICE OF THE OREGON HAZELNUT COMMISSION PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING June 3, 2015 Notice is hereby given that a public meeting will be held pursuant to ORS Chapter 576.416(5), Oregon Laws 2003, at the North Willamette Research and Extension Cen- ter, 15210 NE Miley Rd., Aurora, Oregon, on June 3rd, 2015 at 8:00 a.m. The meeting will be held regarding the proposed budget for the operation of the Oregon Hazelnut Commission during the fiscal year July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. At this meeting any pro- ducer of hazelnuts in Oregon has a right to be heard with respect to the proposed budget, a copy of which is available for public inspection at the industry office below. Any producer unable to attend the public meeting may submit written comments to Michael Klein at the address below by June 2nd, 2015. For further information contact: Oregon Hazelnut Commission, 21595-A Dolores Way NE, Aurora, OR 97002 Phone 503.678-6823 Fax 503.678-6825 email: hazelnut@oregonhazelnuts.org This meeting location is accessible to persons with dis- abilities. Please make any requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or for other accommodation for persons with disabilities at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting staff at the location above. 20-1/#4 licious since November and could open to all varieties by the end of May, Huber said. Total exports were at 33.7 million boxes on April 30. The commission had hoped exports would fin- ish the year at 50 million to 60 million boxes but it may be closer to 40 million. Exports were hampered by work slowdowns at West Coast ports for five months. Southern Hemisphere ap- ples, fresh from harvest, can pose strong competition in the U.S. in April and May. So far, they don’t seem to be this year, said Desmond O’Rourke, a retired Wash- ington State University ag- ricultural economist and private consultant in Pull- man. As of April 25, about 685,000 boxes of Chilean apples had been imported to the U.S. compared with 960,000 last year, O’Rourke said. Southern Hemisphere apple imports are down 21 percent while pear imports are up 11 percent, he said. “Our apples are so cheap that it doesn’t make much sense for Southern Hemi- sphere to come in,” he said. Honeycrisp is coming in from New Zealand, he said. The U.S. Honeycrisp crop is sold out. Washington wholesale apple prices have been at their lowest in years. O’Ro- urke said it’s not likely they will rebound because of fruit volume. Amalgamated names new president and CEO BOISE — Amalgamat- ed Sugar Co. has promot- ed its executive vice pres- ident, John McCreedy, to replace President and CEO Vic Jaro, who recent- ly retired, according to a press release. McCreedy, a University of Idaho College of Law graduate, joined the grow- er-owned cooperative in 2004 as its general coun- sel. He led the company’s recent reorganization and was also charged with overseeing labor rela- tions and business de- velopment, according to the press re- McCreedy lease. J a r o worked for nine years as Amalgamated’s CEO. Amalgamated pro- cesses sugar beets raised by its 787 members in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Eric Mortenson/Capital Press An experimental canola field blooms last May near Salem in this file photo. A bill before the Oregon Senate would extend the ex- perimental propagation of canola in the Willamette Valley for three more years. Oregon canola bill in Senate Bill that would extend canola production has already passed the House By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press SALEM — Opponents of a proposal to extend canola production in Oregon’s Willa- mette Valley want to stop the bill in the Senate after its re- sounding win in the House. House Bill 3382, which would allow 500 acres of the crop to be grown in the region for an additional three years, passed the House 42-16 and is now being considered by the Senate Committee on Environ- ment and Natural Resources. A six-year moratorium on canola production in the Wil- lamette Valley was established under 2013 legislation, but 500 acres were allowed to be cul- tivated for the first three years as part of an Oregon State Uni- versity study. Proponents of HB 3382 say that extending production on a limited acreage for the full six years will avoid disrupting their market, but opponents who fear cross-pollination with related seed crops argue the bill will double the “seed bank” of potential volunteers. “It’s unnecessary and should be rejected,” said Nick Tichinin, president of the Uni- versal Seed Co., during a May 11 hearing. Leaving the Willamette Valley free of canola for the final three years of the morato- rium was intended to provide insights about problems with volunteers, he said. Opponents say that cano- la seeds have been shown to persist in the soil and remain viable for several years. Tichinin said canola threat- ens specialty seed production in Oregon just as it did in France, Italy and Britain, which were dealt a severe blow as seed buyers decided to source prod- uct from elsewhere. Allowing additional cano- la production undermines the carefully crafted legislation from 2013 and “jumps the gun” because OSU’s study is still incomplete, according to opponents. Supporters of HB 3382 counter that the legislation wouldn’t have a negative impact on the specialty seed industry. “Five hundred acres is a drop in the bucket in the Willa- mette Valley and I don’t think it will hurt to continue for three more years,” said Eric Bowers, a farmer near Harrisburg, Ore. Tomas Endicott, of Wil- lamette Biomass Processors, argued that canola poses no bigger threat to related brassica seed crops than turnips or rad- ishes, which are grown without any regulation in the area. Halting canola production in the Willamette Valley will prevent Endicott’s compa- ny from using its full oilseed crushing capacity and delay any possible investment in ex- panding the facility, he said. Scott Setniker, a farmer near Independence, Ore., said he already grows closely relat- ed crops like chard and sugar beets without cross-pollination problems. While canola opponents say their market is threatened, the current system is already harm- ing farmers who want to grow the crop for its rotational and financial benefits, Setniker said. Canola supporters say the crop gives them more weed treatment options when grown in rotation with grasses and is more easily marketable as a commodity compared to oth- er seeds, which are produced under contract and typically aren’t paid for as quickly. “I can’t have all my eggs in that one basket,” Setniker said. Sixth haystack arson reported in Central Wash. By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press The Grant County Sher- iff’s Office is investigating a sixth case of haystack ar- son in Central Washington state. Five haystack fires caused by an incendiary de- vice were reported in late April. The estimated dam- age totaled several hundred thousand dollars. A passerby reported the most recent fire at about 11:30 p.m. May 6 near Roads 8 and R-Northwest near Quincy, Kyle Foreman, a spokesman for the office, said. No vehicles or people were seen in the area, ac- cording to a sheriff’s office press release. About 34 tons of hay was lost in what the fire marshal calls a “suspicious fire.” The loss is valued at more than $9,100. The hay was insured. The fires seem to be the work of the same person, Foreman said. “We have a major crimes detective from the sher- iff’s office working with the Grant County fire mar- shal’s investigators to try to find out who’s caus- ing these fires,” Foreman said. “We’re taking this crime seriously and we’re hop- ing we can find the persons causing it,” Foreman said. “We do need the help from the public. If anyone sees anyone that’s suspicious or any suspicious vehicles at night around any haystacks, please give us a call right away so we can go check that out.” Contact the Grant County Sheriff’s Office at 509-762- 1160 or send information to crimetips@grantcountywa. gov. Tipsters can remain anonymous. LEGAL 15-5/16 x 10 x 2 18-3/4 x 14-3/8 x 3 IMPRINTING & DELIVERY AVAILABLE Delivery 503-588-8313 2561 Pringle Rd. SE Available 20-2/#7 Salem, OR NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces a meeting of the Washington State Technical Advisory Committee on May 26, 2015 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm, 316 W. Boone Ave., Suite 450, Spokane, WA. Remote access is also available. For more information contact Sherre Copeland, (360) 704-7758. 20-1/#4 • Maximize herbicide performance • Improve water and nutrient absorption • Increase root mass • Increase crop yield 20-1/#T4D By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI