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May 22, 2015 CapitalPress.com 3 GMO ban fails in Oregon’s Benton County Oregon State University concerned by proposal By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Matthew Weaver/Capital Press Friend Hayley Huber, last year’s Washington FFA state sentinel, gets a hug from incoming president Julia Spangler of Wenatchee, Wash., May 16 after Spangler was elected during the 85th annual state convention in Pullman, Wash. Huber and Spangler were both in the Wenatchee chapter together. FFA gives Washington officers a sense of place By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press PULLMAN, Wash. — The incoming and outgoing Wash- ington state FFA presidents say the organization is all about giving its members a feeling of belonging. During the 85th annual con- vention May 16 in Pullman, Wash., FFA members elected: Julia Spangler, of Wenatchee, president; Monica Haugen, of Pullman, vice president; Mitch Jamison, of Garfield-Palouse, secretary; Dallas Tyus, of Tonas- ket, treasurer; Jason Wigen, of LaCrosse, reporter; and Daniel Lyng, of Bellingham, sentinel. Spangler was emotional after her name was called. “I can’t even believe my life right now — I am so honored and ecstatic about receiving this opportunity to serve such an amazing organization,” she said. Spangler said she doesn’t come from an agricultural back- ground. Her involvement with FFA was in service and sales, she said. “I really want to target the kids who don’t think they have a place,” she said. “I want to give them a place and show them where they can be, where they’ll grow and love everything about that place.” Departing president Apolinar Blanco, of Chelan, in his retiring address before the 3,185 mem- bers of guests at the convention, remembered his adviser telling him the only colors that mat- tered in FFA were blue and gold. “We all have a different story, but we all travel the FFA highway,” he said. “In FFA, we accept all kinds of kids.... In this A proposed ban on biotech crops in Oregon’s Benton County has failed by a strong margin. As of Wednesday morning, nearly 73 percent of voters rejected Measure 2-89, which would have prohibited cultivation of genetically modified organisms. The proposal was met with alarm by scientists at Oregon State University, which lies in the county, who feared it would stop research projects that rely on genetic engineering. Its defeat shows that once voters learn the facts, they will reject extreme mea- sures, said Scott Dahlman, policy direc- tor of the Oregonians for Food and Shel- ter agribusiness group, which opposed the initative. “I think it’s a resounding statement that folks in Benton County support all types of agriculture,” he said. Dana Allen, a chief petitioner for the ballot initiative, said OSU’s statements were likely the reason that people voted against Measure 2-89. However, Allen said that the prohi- bition was focused solely on the coun- ty’s food system and wouldn’t be as far-reaching as the university claimed. “It wouldn’t shut down any research at OSU at all. All it would shut down is the open planting of GMOs that would con- taminate our local food system,” she said. Even if it had been approved, the ini- tiative was probably largely unenforce- able. Legislation passed by lawmakers in 2013, Senate Bill 863, precluded most Oregon counties from regulating GMOs. That bill applied to seed, but OSU was concerned that research involving geneti- cally modified bacteria or animals would not be covered by SB 863 and could be disallowed by the proposed ordinance, said Dahlman. “There was a lot of risk there,” he said. Benton County’s ballot initiative was intended to challenge the statewide pre-emption statute as undemocratic, said Allen. “We don’t think the state should be telling communities what to do.” Similar measures are likely to con- tinue being proposed at the county lev- el as communities resist the statewide pre-emption, she said. “You’re going to see this type of activity all over Oregon.” Aside from local measures, biotech critics also hope to get a ballot initiative on the 2016 statewide ballot that would allow local governments to enact such restrictions. Voters in Jackson and Josephine coun- ties passed GMO prohibitions last year. Josephine County’s ordinance is pre-empted by state law, but Jackson Coun- ty was exempted from SB 863 because its initiative was already on the ballot. Alfalfa farmers are now seeking an injunction prohibiting Jackson County’s ban from going into effect for allegedly violating the state’s “right to farm” law, which disallows local government re- strictions of farm practices. Organic checkoff draws supporters, detractors By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Fred Brossy looks over his or- ganic wheat field near Shoshone, Idaho. Brossy, who with wife, Judy, has farmed organically for more than 40 years, said he isn’t sure where he stands on the checkoff. Capital Press Matthew Weaver/Capital Press Departing Washington FFA state president Apolinar Blanco begins his retiring address May 16 during the state convention in Pullman, Wash. organization, and in this life, we all matter.” Abbie DeMeerleer, Wash- ington FFA executive director, said she was looking forward to sitting down with the new team and learning what their plan is for the year ahead. “The things this team wants to see improve, evolve and to grow in Washington FFA — they’re going to help set that vision and help us work towards accomplishing those goals,” she said. State adviser Rebecca Wal- lace expects membership to grow, noting the organization reached more than 8,000 mem- bers this year. Agriculture edu- cation enrollment in the state av- erages around 36,000 to 37,000 students each semester, she said. “Our programs, our teach- ers, our students — we have to share our stories about what FFA has done and why it is such an important part of a student’s experience in high school and beyond,” she said The Organic Trade Associ- ation has petitioned the USDA for a national checkoff program, which would raise an estimated $30 million a year for research and promotion. The proposal, three years in the making, is being led by OTA, which has 8,500 members, and a core committee of stakeholders. It is focused on research to sup- port organic production, grow the industry and communicate the value of organic agriculture to consumers. Widespread support exists for research, both in plant breed- ing and addressing pests and disease, but many organic pro- ducers mistrust government-run checkoff programs and some question the need for promotion. Organic sales in the U.S. have grown from $10 billion in 2003 to $39.1 billion in 2014, and the number of certified op- erations — producers, handlers and processors — has grown from about 8,000 to nearly 19,500. Organic demand is booming, production isn’t keeping pace, research is lacking, and con- sumers are confused about the meaning of the USDA organic seal, said OTA CEO and Execu- tive Director Laura Batcha. “The organic industry in America is thriving and matur- ing, but it is at a critical junc- ture,” she said. An organic checkoff would give stakeholders the oppor- tunity to collectively invest in addressing those challenges and advancing the entire industry, she said. Carol Ryan Dumas Capital Press Organic consultant Dave Carter of Westminster, Colo., served on the National Organics Standards Board and supports the checkoff, saying it is need- ed if the industry is going to in- crease production. He said research is criti- cally needed to bring more acres into production, increase profitability and ease the tran- sition period for new growers. Education and promotion are also needed to communicate the health and environmental benefits of organic and clear up the confusion between organic, non-genetically modified foods and “natural.” Funding for research is particularly important because public funding for research often has to be matched. Educating the public on organic agriculture and organic production is going to take effort and investment because organic is such a rich, complex issue it’s hard to get out the message in sound bites, he said. Doug Crabtree, who with wife, Anna, farms 4,700 dryland acres of small grains, pulses and oil seeds in Havre, Mont., serves on OTA’s farmer advisory coun- cil. “I just think it’s common sense. We all benefit from or- ganic markets, and we need a way to collect funds and give them back for research and pro- motion of our own industry,” he said. “I just think it’s really im- portant we reinvest some of our own funds to benefit our com- munity, our industry. We can’t wait for government to do it for us,” he said. Longtime organic grower Nate Jones of King Hill, Idaho, said he likes the idea of funding for research but doesn’t think he’s in favor of the checkoff. “I have mixed emotions. I want to know who’s going to administer it,” he said. “My gut feeling is it would favor the larg- er conglomerates.” Paying to get more people to increase production is also a bit counterintuitive, he said. “Those of us in it maybe want to keep the golden goose as long as possible,” he said. Fred Brossy, who with wife, Judy, has farmed organically for more than 40 years, said he isn’t sure where he stands. OTA will be the driver of the checkoff, he said, and he’s concerned the organization rep- resents the “big end” of organic. “I’m not sure big organic needs to be represented by all of us. They have deep pockets, let them do their own,” Brossy said. Carter said he gets nervous when so much of the debate gets tied up in size. “Being organic is being true to organic standards,” he said. Small producers should be able to benefit by default from additional product sales, and research will give them better tools, he said. Crabtree suggests organic producers read the proposal and become informed. The proposal was changed a number of times in response to grower concerns, he said. “There’s been tremendous responsiveness on the part of OTA,” he said. Alder, Maple, Cottonwood Saw Logs, Standing Timber www.cascadehardwood.com ROP-18-5-1/#24 BUYING 6” and UP Matthew Weaver/Capital Press The new 2015-2016 Washington State FFA officers take a moment on the Beasley Coliseum stage following the 85th state convention May 16 in Pullman, Wash. From left to right are reporter Jason Wigen of LaCrosse, president Julia Spangler of Wenatchee, secretary Mitch Jamison of Garfield-Palouse FFA, vice president Monica Haugen of Pullman, sentinel Daniel Lyng of Meridian FFA in Bellingham and treasurer Dallas Tyus of Tonasket. SALE PRICING! IN STOCK! 21-2/#4x 21-2/#14