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BIRD FLU, DROUGHT BOOST TAB FOR THANKSGIVING MEAL 70 CENTS Page 3 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015 EYE ON VOLUME 88, NUMBER 48 WWW.CAPITALPRESS.COM $2.00 NUTRITION Concept of breeding for enhanced nutrition may fi nally be coming of age By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press F or the past decade, Pat Hayes has participated in a project with a surprisingly unusual goal among the nation’s crop breeders — selecting seed with nutrition in mind. Even in his own lab, the Oregon State But Hayes believes the concept of breeding for enhanced nutrition may fi nally be coming Illustration by Randy Wrighthouse/EO Media Group “ John O’Connell/Capital Press Victor Raboy, a crop scientist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Aberdeen, Idaho, holds corn he raised in an experiment to demonstrate the effects of epigenetics, a burgeoning science that fi nds environmental factors can have heritable impacts on DNA of progeny. Raboy has been active in research to enhance nutritional qualities of food and believes epigenetics demonstrates that nutri- tional decisions of parents can impact subsequent generations. A farmer is not going to grow low phytic acid corn if they’re getting 5 to 10 percent less yield. ... The low phytic acid corn is so much more nutritious, but there’s less yield.” Victor Raboy Crop scientist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Aberdeen, Idaho Crop researchers throughout the country agree there’s historically been little attention to bolstering levels of key vitamins, minerals and compounds in fresh foods. But times may be changing as produce de- partments slowly introduce unique varieties making bold health claims — such as Del Mon- te’s pink pineapple, genetically engineered with high levels of cancer-fi ghting lycopene. Fresh meats, dairy products and eggs with el- evated heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acid content have also made their way into supermarkets. And the trend hasn’t been missed by commodi- ty crops, where public and private breeders are racing to develop soybeans without artery-clog- ging trans fats. Turn to FOOD, Page 12 Washington ecology signals softening on manure rules Dairy leader: Department of Ecology is listening By DON JENKINS Capital Press OLYMPIA — The Washington Depart- ment of Ecology likely will exempt smaller dairies from expensive new manure-han- dling rules and also drop its assumption that clay-lined lagoons always pollute groundwater, a DOE offi cial said Friday. The dairy industry remains alarmed by the prospect of DOE regulating manure lagoons, which has been the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s job since 1998. But Washington State Dairy Federa- tion policy director Jay Gordon said DOE has at least been listening to dairy farmers’ concerns. “I will give ecology credit. Their ears are open,” he said. DOE has proposed regulating manure lagoons in a fashion similar to industrial plants that discharge wastewater, The agen- cy says the rules are necessary to protect groundwater. DOE maintains that even clay-lined manure lagoons built to Natural Resources Conservation Service standards leak. But at a Senate committee meeting and in an interview afterward, DOE special assis- tant Kelly Susewind said the department is moving away from its stance that the seep- ing manure always reaches groundwater. The department likely will assume the burden of proof to document groundwater pollution at individual farms before requir- ing a producer to obtain a confi ned animal feeding operation permit, a shift in posi- tion from the DOE’s tentative proposal in October. “It’s a huge change,” Susewind said. Turn to RULES, Page 12 Don Jenkins/Capital Press A lagoon stores manure at a dairy farm in Ferndale, Wash.. The Washington Department of Ecology has proposed new lagoon regulations, alarming dairy farmers who argue the rules are unnec- essary and be expensive to comply with. Oregon’s water demand to grow by 15 percent by 2050 Longer and warmer growing seasons will require more water By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press By 2050, Oregon’s an- nual demand for water will increase by 1.3 million acre feet — enough to fi ll 640,000 Olympic swimming pools, according to state water reg- ulators. That’s an increase of roughly 15 percent from to- day’s annual usage of about 8.425 million acre feet. Oregon’s agricultural in- dustry, which uses about 85 percent of the state’s water, is expected to need 6-9 percent more water over the next 35 years because growing sea- sons are expected to become longer and warmer, according to the Oregon Water Resourc- es Department. Because of a projected population increase of 1.5 million people, Oregon’s municipal and industrial wa- ter use is projected to grow by 20 percent by 2050, ac- cording to the agency’s find- ings. Based on crop and irriga- tion trends, the southeastern portion of the state will like- ly see the greatest increase in water demand, particularly Klamath, Lake and Harney counties, said Rachel Lovell- ford, an OWRD hydrologist, during the Nov. 20 meeting of the Oregon Water Resources Commission. As average annual tem- peratures are expected to rise — between 2 and 8 degrees Fahrenheit, according to OWRD — crops will require more water earlier in the sea- son, Lovellford said. Farmers of alfalfa, for ex- ample, are expected to increase the number of cuttings they harvest each year, she said. Meanwhile, growers are expected to become more de- pendent on irrigation, rather than rainfall, Lovellford said. Currently, rainfall accounts for 30 percent of water needs of Oregon crops, while irriga- tion provides 70 percent, she said. That ratio is expected to shift to between 26 and 29 percent rainfall and 71 and 74 percent irrigation by 2050, Lovellford said. The agency arrived at its conclusions by analyzing sev- eral climate scenarios under Turn to WATER, Page 12