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February 5, 2016 CapitalPress.com 13 Ex-Obama administration oficial to advise ports Study to come up with policy proposals; Canada ‘getting things done’ By DON JENKINS Capital Press OLYMPIA — A former Obama administration offi- cial will study Washington’s ports and make recommen- dations to state lawmakers on how to compete with ports in other states and Canada. David Matsuda, who was U.S. maritime administrator from 2009 to 2013, will look at how ports are governed and fund projects, and the steps companies must take to win approval to locate in ports. Due out in the spring, the study has been commis- sioned by the Washington Maritime Association, an association of businesses, ports and unions. Washington ports, which became embroiled in a labor dispute last year that slowed the movement of goods, face competition from British Columbia and the uncertain impact of a wider Panama Canal. Meanwhile, several pro- posed projects involving the export of coal face scrutiny from the state Department of Ecology over their effect on global carbon emissions. Some $16.5 billion worth of agricultural products, about half originating in Washington, were exported through Washington ports in 2014, according to the state Department of Agriculture. At a luncheon hosted by the Maritime Association, Matsuda told port officials to watch British Colum- bia ports in Vancouver and Prince Rupert. “They want the big inter- national cargo ships to go to British Columbia, not Seat- tle or Tacoma,” he said. Matsuda said in an inter- view that as maritime ad- ministrator he attended con- ferences around the world and was impressed by the Canadians. “It was a real shock to see the coordination between their ports, government and private sector,” he said. “Canada is getting things done.” Matsuda wasn’t the only one praising Washington’s northern neighbor. During a panel discussion that preced- ed Matsuda’s talk, rail union leader Herb Krohn said Ca- nadians are better at permit- ting and building job-boost- ing port projects. “It doesn’t go on and on,” he said. “Everyone’s on the same page.” ‘Living snow fence’ shows promise for E. Washington By MATTHEW WEAVER Online Capital Press A snow fence made from live trees is an unusual sight in Eastern Washington, but researchers hope it will be- come more common. Researchers planted dou- ble rows of juniper trees, 880 feet long and about 6 1/2 feet apart, 10 years ago. The benefits of the “liv- ing snow fence” include keeping roads clear of snow to improve safety and reduce the expense of plowing, helping homes and barns stay warmer and saving on heating costs, according to a WSU press release. They also shelter barns, pastures and livestock pens and reduce soil erosion caused by wind and require less maintenance than wood or metal fences. The project was intended to dispel the false notion that the trees would not grow in Eastern Washington. Snow fences are uncom- mon in Eastern Washington but are a fixture on farms in the Great Plains. “There’s a lot of people that ask the question, ‘If I plant the tree today, how long is it going to take be- https://research.wsulibs. wsu.edu/xmlui/bitstream/ handle/2376/5676/TB06. pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Courtesy of Gary Kuhn Washington State University Extension forester emeritus Donald Hanley inspects the living snow fence planted 10 years ago north of Davenport, Wash. The trees are pictured at roughly two years old, and now stand more than 6 feet tall, Hanley says. Hanley and retired USDA forester Gary Kuhn say the project shows living snow fences, which are common in the Great Plains, will also work in Eastern Washington. fore it starts providing ben- efit to me?’” said Donald Hanley, WSU Extension for- ester emeritus. Many of the juniper trees are more than 6 feet tall after 10 years, Han- ley said. “They’re there to do a job for the landowner whose job is producing agricultural products or livestock,” said Gary Kuhn, retired USDA Natural Resources Conser- vation Service forester. “The key is their location and to be an asset, producing ben- efits on the farm.” The researchers took the best windbreak designs from the Great Plains, Hanley said. “We knew the technolo- gy would work because the physics of capturing snow were well-demonstrated with this design elsewhere,” Hanley said. “We wanted to get people to understand these trees could grow very well in Eastern Washington without irrigation if done properly.” The trees are Rocky Mountain juniper, a native to the region, not to be confused with Western juniper, which have caused problems in Or- egon to the point where farm- ers are removing them to im- prove water availability for their crops. Hanley said there should be no danger planting Rocky Mountain juniper ad- jacent to wheat ields. A farmer can make a snow fence using several federal cost-share programs, including the NRCS Envi- ronmental Quality Incentive Program, Kuhn said. “After 10 years, we still have 100 percent survival,” Hanley said. “We have data on how long it took for the tree canopy to close, how tall they get in 10 years and we know it’s functioning.” Matthew Weaver/Capital Press Author David Sax delivers the keynote address during the Wash- ington-Oregon Potato Conference Jan. 27 in Kennewick, Wash. He described how bacon, once a seen as only a breakfast food, became a popular food trend. Author talks about how bacon became a superstar By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press KENNEWICK, Wash. — Bacon had lowly beginnings as just another breakfast food, but over the past decade it has been transformed into a culinary su- perstar. David Sax, business and food writer and author of the book “The Tastemakers,” said the U.S. pork industry struggled to ind a market for pork bellies in the late 1970s and 1980s, when low-fat diets were pop- ular. Along with the lack of at- tention came low prices. Bacon prices sagged to 19 cents per pound, down from the typical 60 to 70 cents, he said. Based on restaurant feed- back, the pork industry worked with food processors and uni- versities to develop a better, pre-cooked bacon, and fast-food chains started offering bacon as an option on hamburgers and sandwiches. At the same time, food me- dia expanded. Celebrity chefs, 24-hour food channels on televi- sion and food blogs proliferated. Bacon its all tastes, Sax said, to the point where bacon-la- vored mayonnaise and other specialty items have become popular. Sax delivered the keynote address during the Washing- ton-Oregon Potato Conference in Kennewick, Wash. He deined a food trend as a change in collective eating be- havior. “It fuels the ire — it takes a food and turns it into a food trend by making that trend more about the culture around it, more about the idea of it than the taste,” he said. A food trend has to make sense, taste good and be easy to make, he said, noting bacon is relatively affordable and works in many different recipes. Sax said possible future food trends include Indian food, which includes potatoes, and the broadening of local and organic trends into interests in wellness and sustainability. Sax advised farmers not to get too bogged down in the dai- ly routine of their operations, but to take an interest in food, subscribe to food magazines, read cookbooks and try new restaurants as a way to see what is popular, he said. “You may not think of your- selves as foodies or culinary people, but you are,” he said. “You’re the most central people to the entire thing. Without you, none of those trends happen. If you realize you’re as much a part of that culinary world as everyone else, you’re going to understand it.” 6-4/#4N
