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May 22, 2015 CapitalPress.com 5 Report calls for investment in ‘Ag of the Middle’ By ERIC MORTENSON More online Capital Press Oregon’s medium-sized ag producers churn out high-quality meat, grain and greens, but gaps in the aggregation, processing and distribution infrastructure make it difficult to put on consumers’ plates at an af- fordable price. A new report from Ecotrust, a Portland non-profit, calls for invest- ment in “Ag of the Middle” producers and the network that can sustain a strong re- gional food economy. The report, “Oregon Food Infrastructure Gap Analysis,” defines “Ag of the Middle” producers as too big to survive by selling only at farmers’ markets or to CSAs, but too small com- pete in commodity markets. “It’s absolutely the most painful place to be as a producer,” said Amanda Oborne, one of the report’s authors and Ecotrust’s food and farms vice president. The 250-page study de- Ecotrust: http://www.ecotrust.org/publication/regional-food-infrastructure/ Eric Mortenson/Capital Press Ecotrust, a Portland nonprofit, is retrofitting a former ironworks to become a regional food development and distribution hub. The group published a report on infrastructure gaps that hamper medium-sized growers and producers. scribes a haphazard system in which growers and other food producers spend too much time on the supply chain instead of developing their product. They must cobble together outlets, pick, pack and store things themselves and deliver small amounts to multiple buyers. Neighborhood grocery stores in Portland, especial- ly those catering to consum- ers willing to pay more for local, organic or sustainably produced food, are besieged by clusters of delivery vehi- cles. Some of them amount to a cooler in the trunk of a grower’s car. In Portland’s increasingly busy streets, getting from store to store isn’t easy. The founder of Portland’s Bowery Bagels, which uses Northwest grains, told the report writers he delivers to 114 outlets on weekdays. “I can make more bagels,” CEO Michael Madigan is quoted as saying, “but I can’t deliver any more.” The report says Ag of the Middle producers often lack branding or marketing strat- egy and do without com- munications and strategic planning. The result is a system that is “highly fragmented, lacking consistent data and information, and dependent on personal relationships,” according to the study. Ecotrust is investing in the solution. The organiza- tion is retrofitting a former ironworks building in Port- land’s eastside industrial area to be a food develop- ment, storage and distribu- tion hub. The building on South- east Salmon Street — called “The Redd” after the egg nests salmon make in streams — will have 16,000 square feet of development, incubator or processing space for meat, grain and greens. A mezzanine will contain 8,000 square feet of offices and educational space. A building next door will have cold storage and ware- housing space, and a deliv- ery company that uses elec- tric cargo bicycles capable of hauling up to 800 pounds of product to restaurants or other customers. Bowery Bagels is moving into the building as well. Portland has a reputation as a “foodie” city, but Ob- orne said Ecotrust and its partners are intent on devel- oping a “food system, not a food scene.” Study: Passions high on all sides in wolf debate Oregon high school equestrian WDFW commissions report to help grasp ‘social side’ By DON JENKINS Capital Press OLYMPIA — Ranchers and environmentalists agree that conflicts over wolves in Washington state are intense and polarizing, fed by fear, suspicion and high stakes, ac- cording to a report prepared for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. A consultant, Francine Mad- den, interviewed more than 90 livestock producers, con- servationists, hunters, wildlife managers and elected officials between January and March for a recently released 43-page as- sessment on the human-side of wolf policy. Predation of livestock and the lethal removal of wolves have deepened the clash be- tween interest groups, according to Madden. “Most people interviewed across all groups felt the con- flict has gotten worse in the recent past, with many noting that it has gotten much worse,” she wrote. “Some stakeholders feel that the emotions on all sides of the wolf issue are run- ning so high that neither side can really hear each other. This applies, as well, to hearing the science.” WDFW wolf policy coor- dinator Dave Ware said the re- port, which cost the department $82,000, revealed deep-seated passions. Ranchers and environ- mentalists criticized WDFW for purportedly failing to provide strong leadership or playing fa- vorites. Ware said the report can help the agency communicate better. “We really don’t have expertise with the social side,” Ware said. Among Madden’s observa- tions: • With few exceptions, most people, regardless of their view- point, thought an east-west di- vide distinguished Washington from other states’ wolf conflicts. • Some WDFW officials said groups have unrealistic expecta- tions about the agency’s ability to traps wolves to put on radio collars and to count breeding pairs. • Ranchers and hunters think Idaho and Montana, which all have wolf hunting seasons, are models for how to manage wolves. Environmentalists see those states as models of what not to do. • Ranchers felt others had little at stake because wolves won’t change their daily lives or jeopardize their livelihoods. Environmentalists felt their in- terests were being slighted and that they’re fighting for healthy ecosystems and what most peo- ple want. Both sides say they worry about the next generation. • Ranchers thought Wash- ington’s recovery plan was too ambitious, especially compared to Oregon’s. Environmentalists complained about a rush to take away wolves’ endangered status under the Endangered Species Act. • Environmentalists are re- Courtesy of ODFW A young female from the Walla Walla pack was fitted with a radio collar on Oct. 21, 2011, in northern Umatilla County, Ore. Washington Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife officials say groups have unrealistic expecta- tions when it comes to trapping and collaring wolves, according to an assessment of the the state’s public confict over wolf management. luctant to compromise on lethal control because they don’t trust WDFW to be a genuine advo- cate for recovery. Ranchers feel their way of life is under attack and compromise will invite more challenges to their prac- tices. • Environmental groups were widely perceived, even among their own members, to benefit financially from the wolf conflict. While some is- sues are hard to grasp, fundrais- ing appeals based on “stop the slaughter of wolves” are easy to understand. • Some ranchers acknowl- edged reasonable environmen- talists are working toward wolf recovery. Many environmental- ists voiced respect for ranchers’ respect for wildlife, conserva- tion ethic and hard work. The agency has retained Madden, executive director of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Collaboration, to facilitate a meeting Thursday in Spokane of WDFW’s wolf advisory group. championship rescheduled By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press Oregon’s high school equestrian team champion- ship has been rescheduled to June 24-27 due to lingering concern about an outbreak of equine herpes virus. The event will be held at the Deschutes County Fair- grounds in Redmond. Ap- proximately 550 riders from 100 schools will compete in events over the four days. The championship event was postponed after nine horses became ill following high school meets in April. Multiple horses were quar- antined as the disease ran its course. Two horses were tak- en to Oregon State Universi- ty’s veterinarian hospital but responded to treatment and have been returned home. Equine herpes virus, called EHV-1, is a common virus among horses and may lie dormant until activated by stress or other factors. It can cause respiratory or neurolog- ical problems and in severe cases can kill horses. Symptoms can include fe- ver, poor coordination, nasal discharge, urine dribbling, loss of tail tone and hind limb weakness. Horses may lean against a wall or fence to avoid falling, or may not be able to rise. The illness is spread by horse-to-horse contact, equip- ment, clothing or human hands. 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