HONEYBEES: RESEARCH FOCUSES ON CRITICAL HIVE SIZE Page 9
FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016
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VOLUME 89, NUMBER 10
WWW.CAPITALPRESS.COM
BOB MOORE
MAN BEHIND
THE MILL
Iconic Oregon miller puts his
employees, customers i rst
$2.00
GMO
bentgrass
plan gets
harsh
reception
Farmers challenge
USDA and Scotts on
problematic trial grass
By SEAN ELLIS
BOB MOORE
By ERIC MORTENSON
Capital Press
Founder of Bob’s Red
Mill in Milwaukie, Ore.
M
ILWAUKIE, Ore. — Bob Moore
has a question for the George
Fox University students visiting
his Red Mill. They are business
students, MBA candidates, sharp
young people. Later, Moore
agrees the country will be in good hands. Any
time you doubt that, he says, go talk to students.
But now he stands before them like a stern
corporate logo come to life. He is ramrod straight
and looks exactly, intentionally, like the trade-
mark image on his whole grain products: White
beard, glasses, touring cap, bolo tie and bright red
company vest.
He’s been featured on a Diane Sawyer ABC
News segment and written up in the New York
Times, among many other publications. His “peo-
ple before profi t” mantra made Bob’s Red Mill
one of the most admired companies in the U.S.
On his 81st birthday he began the process of con-
veying the company to his 400 workers through
an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP,
in which all employees were issued stock certifi -
cates. It didn’t cost them a cent. The fi rst round six
years ago gave employees one-third ownership;
transfer of a second third is in the works.
Turn to BOB, Page 12
Capital Press
ONTARIO, Ore. — During a
contentious meeting March 1, farm-
ers and irrigation district offi cials
challenged USDA’s recent agree-
ment with Scotts Miracle-Gro Co.
to manage a genetically engineered
creeping bentgrass that escaped from
fi eld trials in 2003.
The grass has taken root in Mal-
heur and Jefferson counties in Ore-
gon and Canyon County in Idaho.
Farmers and others expressed
concern about the 10-year plan be-
tween Scotts and USDA’s Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service.
“They created the problem. They
let it escape. Now you’re dumping
it on Malheur and Canyon county,”
seed grower Jerry Erstrom told Sid
Abel, assistant deputy director of
USDA’s Biotechnology Regulatory
Services.
Scotts, in conjunction with Mon-
santo Corp., was developing a genet-
ically modifi ed creeping bentgrass
for use mainly in the golf course
industry.
Since the grass escaped from
grower fi eld trials near Parma in Ida-
ho and Madras in Jefferson County
in 2003, it has taken root in those
areas.
Scotts was fi ned for the incidents
and signed a consent agreement in
2007.
Erstrom, chairman of the Mal-
heur County Weed Board, and others
said that because the grass is genet-
ically engineered to resist Monsan-
to’s Roundup weed killer, it is hard
to eradicate and is causing problems
in waterways.
Turn to GRASS, Page 12
Sean Ellis/Capital Press
Bob’s Red Mill retail store and
restaurant in Milwaukie, Ore.
Photos Courtesy of Bob’s Red Mill
Malheur County farmer Jerry Erstrom
makes a point March 1 during a meet-
ing in Ontario, Ore., to discuss plans
to manage a genetically engineered
bentgrass that escaped from fi eld trials
in Oregon and Idaho in 2003. Farmers
and irrigation district offi cials are
concerned the plan won’t work.
Utah leaders request Idaho’s support in lands challenge
By JOHN O’CONNELL
Capital Press
BOISE — Utah leaders planning a
lawsuit to force the federal government
to transfer public lands to state control
outlined their legal case for Idaho law-
makers Feb. 29 and requested their co-
operation.
Opponents representing several
conservation organizations and sports-
man’s groups, some donning hunter-or-
ange clothing, packed the hearing room,
groaning and scoffi ng throughout pre-
sentations by the Utah group.
Utah’s speakers, addressing Idaho’s
House Committee on Natural Resourc-
es and Senate Resources and Environ-
ment Committee, included the lead at-
torney on the issue, George Wentz, and
the co-chairs for the Utah Commission
for the Stewardship of Public Lands,
Sen. David P. Hinkins and Rep. Kevin
Stratton.
They argued the federal government
has failed at managing Western public
lands, and Western states have been un-
constitutionally placed at an economic
disadvantage by having so much of their
land under federal ownership. They said
64.5 percent of Utah and 61.36 percent
of Idaho is federal land. While the fed-
eral government gets a 76-cent return
for every dollar it spends on managing
public lands, state trust lands generate
$11 to $14 for every dollar invested,
Hinkins said.
Utah offi cials estimate they’ll need
$14 million to wage the legal battle.
Stratton said Utah has spent less than
half of the $2 million it appropriated
two years ago to commence work.
Turn to UTAH, Page 12
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