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September 4, 2015 CapitalPress.com 11 Washington $XGLW¿QGVµIDUPODQG¶ VRZLQJRQO\ORZHUWD[HV By DON JENKINS Capital Press Don Jenkins/Capital Press Fosters Farms’ trucks park outside the company’s Kelso, Wash., SURFHVVLQJSODQW7KHVWDWH'HSDUWPHQWRI(FRORJ\KDV¿QHG Foster Farms $44,000 for releasing feathers and grease into a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Foster Farms chicken plant fined for fouling Columbia River Company says it will pay $44,000 penalty By DON JENKINS Capital Press KELSO, Wash. — Foster )DUPVKDVEHHQ¿QHG by the Washington Depart- ment of Ecology for water SROOXWLRQYLRODWLRQVLQFOXGLQJ releasing a large amount of JUHDVHDQGIHDWKHUVLQWRDPX- nicipal sewer plant. 8QWUHDWHG ZDVWHZDWHU IORZHG IURP WKH FRPSDQ\¶V chicken processing plant be- WZHHQ DSSUR[LPDWHO\ DQG 2 a.m. June 6, overwhelming WKH VHZHU SODQW DQG VSLOOLQJ greasy water into the Co- OXPELD 5LYHU DFFRUGLQJ WR DOE. *UHDVH DQG IHDWKHUV ZHUH IRXQG WKURXJKRXW WKH 7KUHH Rivers Regional Wastewa- WHU 7UHDWPHQW 3ODQW ZKLFK VHUYHV .HOVR DQG /RQJYLHZ 3ODQW RSHUDWRUV UHPRYHG KDOI DSLFNXSORDGRIIHDWKHUVDQG other chicken processing waste from an inlet screen, DFFRUGLQJWR'2( 7KH LQFLGHQW RFFXUUHG RQ D6DWXUGD\DQG)RVWHU)DUPV GLGQ¶W WHOO VHZHU SODQW RSHUD- tors about the release until the IROORZLQJ 0RQGD\ PRUQLQJ DFFRUGLQJWR'2( ³,I WKH\ KDG LPPHGLDWHO\ UHSRUWHG WKH GLVFKDUJH WKH WUHDWPHQW SODQ FRXOG KDYH KDGDFKDQFHWRSUHSDUHIRULW DQG EHWWHU SURWHFW WKH ULYHU´ '2(¶V ZDWHU TXDOLW\ PDQDJ- HU+HDWKHU%DUWOHWWVDLGLQD written statement. )RVWHU)DUPVFRXOGDSSHDO WRWKH3ROOXWLRQ&RQWURO+HDU- LQJV %RDUG ,Q D VWDWHPHQW WKHFRPSDQ\VDLGLWZLOOSD\ WKH¿QHDQGLVWDNLQJVWHSVWR prevent more violations of its SHUPLWWRGLVFKDUJHZDVWHZD- ter. 7KH GLVFKDUJH RFFXUUHG while the company was in- VWDOOLQJ QHZ HTXLSPHQW DF- FRUGLQJ WR D '2( LQYHVWLJD- tion. )RVWHU )DUPV VWDWHG WKDW WKHLU HPSOR\HHV WULHG WR FRU- UHFW WKH SUREOHP 7KH FRP- SDQ\ VWDWHG LW ³UHJUHWV WKDW QRWL¿FDWLRQZDVLQDGYHUWHQWO\ GHOD\HG´ 7KH -XQH GLVFKDUJH UH- VXOWHG LQ VHYHQ YLRODWLRQV UH- ODWHG WR UHOHDVLQJ SROOXWLRQ IDLOLQJWRPDLQWDLQHTXLSPHQW DQG IDLOLQJ WR DOHUW WKH VHZHU plant. 7KH FRPSDQ\ ZDV DOVR ¿QHG IRU H[FHHGLQJ SROOXWLRQ levels on eight other occa- VLRQVEHWZHHQ)HEUXDU\ DQG-XQH In assessing the penal- W\ '2( GLGQ¶W ¿QG WKH GLV- FKDUJH HQGDQJHUHG KXPDQ KHDOWK EXW DVVXPHG WKH SRO- OXWLRQFRXOGKDYHFDXVHGHQ- YLURQPHQWDO GDPDJH LQ WKH Columbia River. )RVWHU )DUPV¶ .HOVR SODQW XVHV EHWZHHQ PLOOLRQ DQG PLOOLRQ JDOORQV RI ZDWHU HDFKGD\DFFRUGLQJWR'2(¶V investigation. WSU develops carcass calculator By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press 7KHUH¶VDQHZDSSIRUKHOS- LQJUDQFKHUVHVWLPDWHWKHJUDGH DQGFXWDELOLW\RIOLYHVWRFNFDU- casses, Washington State Uni- versity researchers say. :68 UHFHQWO\ UHOHDVHG WKH OLYHVWRFN FDUFDVV JUDGH DQG FXWDELOLW\FDOFXODWRU7KHWRROLV IUHHWRGRZQORDG Sarah Smith, animal scienc- es extension regional specialist with WSU Extension in Moses /DNH VDLG :68¶V WRRO LV WKH RQO\RQHVKH¶VIRXQGDVDQDSS which can be run on a smart phone or tablet. 7KH FDOFXODWRU ¿JXUHV HV- WLPDWHG \LHOG JUDGH GUHVVLQJ SHUFHQWDJH DFWXDO \LHOG JUDGH SHUFHQW UHWDLO FXWV DQG GHWHU- PLQHV86'$TXDOLW\JUDGHE\ UHYLHZLQJ 86'$ GHJUHHV RI PDUEOLQJVWDQGDUGVIRU$PDWX- ULW\FDWWOHFDUFDVVHVOHVVWKDQ months of age. )RU SLJV WKH FDOFXODWRU GH- WHUPLQHV HVWLPDWHG SHUFHQW PXVFOH GUHVVLQJ SHUFHQWDJH DQG DFWXDO SHUFHQW PXVFOH IRU ULEEHGDQGXQULEEHGFDUFDVVHV correcting for skin on or off or LI WKH KHDG KDV EHHQ UHPRYHG from the carcass. )RUODPEVWKHFDOFXODWRUGH- WHUPLQHVHVWLPDWHG\LHOGJUDGH GUHVVLQJSHUFHQWDJHDFWXDO\LHOG JUDGH DQG SHUFHQW RI ERQHOHVV FORVHO\WULPPHGUHWDLOFXWV 7KHFDOFXODWRURIIHUVDQDY- erage, putting users in the prop- HUUDQJH6PLWKVDLG 7KH WRRO LV XVHIXO IRU VRPH- one learning to evaluate livestock RUFDUFDVVHVVDLG/LVD%DVHUDJ- ULFXOWXUHWHDFKHUDQG))$DGYLVRU in LaCrosse, Wash. Baser gave the calculator a test run. ³)RUSHRSOHWKDWGRQ¶WKDYH D VROLG NQRZOHGJH RI FDUFDVV JUDGLQJ LW¶V D JRRG ZD\ IRU them to get an accurate calcu- ODWLRQZLWKRXWKDYLQJWRGRDORW RIUHVHDUFK´%DVHUVDLG Ranchers may have a gen- HUDOLGHDRIZKDWWKHLUOLYHDQL- mal will look like as a carcass, VKH VDLG 7KH FDOFXODWRU ZLOO KHOS WKRVH ZKR GRQ¶W KDYH D ORFDOH[WHQVLRQDJHQW))$DG- YLVRU RU RWKHU PHDQV RI JUDG- LQJVKHVDLG ³7REHUHDOO\JRRGDWFDOFX- ODWLQJ TXDOLW\ DQG \LHOG JUDGH LW WDNHV D ORW RI SUDFWLFH´ VKH VDLG³1RWHYHU\RQHKDVWLPHWR JHWLQWRWKHFRROHUDQGGRWKDW +HUH¶V D GHYLFH WKH\ FDQ WDNH in, look at their own carcasses DQGJHWDQDFFXUDWHQXPEHU´ Baser expects the calculator WR KHOS WHDFKHUV ZLWK VWXGHQWV showing livestock at county fairs. 7KH FDOFXODWRU ZLOO KHOS VWXGHQWVOHDUQLQJKRZWRJUDGH carcasses or be useful in butch- HUVKRSV6PLWKVDLG ³:H¶UHRSWLPLVWLFLWZLOOEH XVHGTXLWHDELW´6PLWKVDLG 7KH XQLYHUVLW\ PD\ WU\ WR EXLOGRQWKHWRRO6PLWKKRSHV to be able to evaluate the rib- eye area or the loin eye muscle IRUKRJVDQGODPEV:68DOVR plans to release a sheep mar- NHWLQJGHFLVLRQDSSLQWKHQH[W few months. Online https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=edu.wsu. meatcalculator https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/livestock-carcass-calculator/ id1022439322?mt=8 VANCOUVER, Wash. — A southwest Washington county assessor says he hopes the pros- SHFW RI ORVLQJ WD[ DGYDQWDJHV will motivate property owners WRUHVWRUHIDOORZODQGWRDJULFXO- WXUDOSURGXFWLRQ 7KH &ODUN &RXQW\ $VVHV- VRU¶V2I¿FHLVUHYLHZLQJZKHWK- HU OLJKWO\ WD[HG SDUFHOV GHVLJ- QDWHG IRU DJULFXOWXUDO XVH DUH DFWXDOO\EHLQJXVHGIRUFURSVRU livestock. $ ¿UVWURXQG DXGLW RI DFUHV KDV IRXQG DFUHV QRW LQ DJULFXOWXUDO XVH7KH ¿QGLQJ PHDQV WKH SURSHUW\ RZQHUV RZH EDFN WD[HV LQWHUHVW DQG SHQDOWLHVWRWDOLQJ 3URSHUW\RZQHUVFDQDYRLGD ELJWD[ELOOE\IDUPLQJWKHLUODQG or leasing it to a farmer, Assessor 3HWHU9DQ1RUWZLFNVDLG ³7KH JRDO LV WR JHW SHRSOH IDUPLQJ´ KH VDLG ³,W¶V EHWWHU for the community to cultivate IDUPODQG UDWKHU WKDQ KDYLQJ LW OHIWIDOORZ´ 7KH&ODUN&RXQW\)DUP%X- UHDX HPEUDFHV WKH DXGLWV 7KH JURXS¶V SUHVLGHQW 9DQFRXYHU IDUPHU %LOO =LPPHUPDQ VDLG JURZHUV LQFOXGLQJ KLPVHOI KDYH EHHQ UHEXIIHG LQ WKHLU HI- forts to lease vacant agricultural ODQG E\ SURSHUW\ RZQHUV ZKR ZHUHZDLWLQJWRGHYHORSLWEXW still receiving an agricultural tax UHGXFWLRQ ³:H YHU\ PXFK DSSODXG ZKDWWKHDVVHVVRU¶VRI¿FHLVGR- LQJ ,W¶V ¿QDOO\ UHTXLULQJ VRPH Don Jenkins/Capital Press Farmworker Galdino Marquez harvests Indian corn Aug. 28 at Bi-Zi Farms in Clark County in south- west Washington. Clark County Assessor Peter Van Nortwick says he hopes the prospect of losing tax breaks will motivate property owners to put fallow land into agricultural production. proof that the tax break is being SXWWRJRRGXVH´KHVDLG 7D[HV RQ IDUPODQG DUH IDU ORZHU WKDQ RQ UHVLGHQWLDO RU EXVLQHVV SURSHUWLHV ,I WKH ODQG IDOOVRXWRISURGXFWLRQKRZHY- er, property owners must make XSWKHGLIIHUHQFHLQWD[HVIRUWKH previous seven years, plus 12 SHUFHQW LQWHUHVW 7KH VWDWHZLGH ODZ GLVFRXUDJHV ORVV RI IDUP- ODQG 7KHWD[VDYLQJVDUHHVSHFLDO- ly large in Clark County, where property values have risen much faster than the value of agricul- WXUDO FURSV 7KH DFUHV GHVLJQDWHG IRU DJULFXOWXUDO SUR- GXFWLRQ KDV D PDUNHW YDOXH RI PLOOLRQ RU DQ DYHUDJH RIDQDFUHDFFRUGLQJWR WKHDVVHVVRU¶VRI¿FH:KLOHWKH ODQGUHPDLQVGHVLJQDWHGIRUDJ- ricultural use, the taxable value LVPLOOLRQ Clark County was the state VHFRQGIDVWHVW JURZLQJ FRXQW\ LQ 7KH WD[ VDYLQJV DUH VPDOOHU in slower-growing counties that have high-value crops growing RQDODUJHSHUFHQWDJHRIWKHODQG 9DQ1RUWZLFNVDLGWKHDVVHV- VRU¶VRI¿FHKDGIDOOHQEHKLQGLQ checking whether agricultural ODQGZDVVWLOOLQSURGXFWLRQ+H VDLGWKHEDFNWD[HVWKHFRXQW\ DOUHDG\KDVFROOHFWHG ZRQ¶WEHDZLQGIDOOIRUJRYHUQ- ment. 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Guy likens them to the GLIIHUHQFHEHWZHHQVSULQJZKHDW DQGZLQWHUZKHDWZKHUHZLQWHU ZKHDWKDVSHUFHQWWRSHU- FHQWPRUH\LHOGSRWHQWLDO “If a farmer is raising SRXQG VSULQJ SHDV SHU acre on an average, he might H[SHFW XSZDUGV RI SRXQGV SHU DFUH IRU D ZLQWHU FURS´*X\VDLG 2QH RI WKH PDMRU KXUGOHV when bringing in new crops to DQ DUHD LV W\SLFDOO\ ODFN RI GH- PDQGEXWIRRGTXDOLW\SHDVDO- UHDG\KDYHDQHVWDEOLVKHGPDU- NHW*X\VDLG :HHGFRQWUROLVDQRWKHUKXU- GOH +HUELFLGHV DUH DYDLODEOH for peas, but farmers will only be able to clean up some winter DQQXDO JUDVV ZHHGV *X\ VDLG 0DQ\ OHJXPH DFUHV KDG ODUJH ZHHG QXPEHUV WKLV \HDUV SDU- WLFXODUO\ODPE¶VTXDUWHUV0DQ\ KHUELFLGHVDUHSUHHPHUJHQWDQG UHTXLUHUDLQIDOOWRDFWLYDWH You Can’t Control The Wind, The Snow Or The Rain... You Can Plant The Cleanest, Most Robust Cereal Seeds Available ! t s e B y r e V e h T t n a l P d n A g a T e u l B e h T h t i W o G Always Plant Certified Seed !$%) $%) Guaranteed Quality Washington State Crop Improvement Association Located in the heart of The Palouse at the Port of Whitman in Pullman, Washington 2575 NE Hopkins Court Pullman WA 99163 509-334-0461 www.washingtoncrop.com 36-1/#14