14 CapitalPress.com
April 29, 2016
Judge: Anti-GMO activists illegally concealed donors’ names
Food Democracy
Now faces penalty
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
OLYMPIA — An an-
ti-GMO organization violated
Washington’s public disclo-
sure law by concealing the
names of more than 7,000 do-
nors who contributed in 2013
to an initiative that would have
required food makers to label
products with genetically en-
gineered ingredients, a judge
ruled April 22.
Food Democracy Now,
based in Iowa, didn’t register
as a political-action committee
or report until after the election
the sources of the $200,000 it
contributed to the Yes on Ini-
tiative 522 campaign.
Thurston County Superi-
or Court Judge Gary Tabor
Capital Press file photo
The fallout over Washington’s most-expensive political battle
ever continues. A Thurston County judge ruled April 22 that Food
Democracy Now broke the state’s disclosure law by failing to report
the names of donors to the “Yes on I-522” campaign. The defeated
measure would have required food makers to label products made
with genetically engineered ingredients.
rejected arguments that Food
Democracy was a short-staffed
nonprofit and naive to Wash-
ington’s political laws.
“They were able to get
huge interest, with 7,000 peo-
ple donating,” he said. “This is
not an insubstantial amount of
money that was contributed.”
The ruling was a second
victory for the state attorney
general’s office in cases stem-
ming from the most-expen-
sive political campaign Wash-
ington history.
Another Thurston County
judge ruled in March that the
Grocery Manufacturers Asso-
ciation was guilty of failing to
disclose the names of the food
and beverage companies that
contributed to I-522’s defeat.
Tabor noted the similar-
ities between the two cases,
but said he wasn’t influenced
by the ruling against GMA.
He said he was swayed by
Washington’s one-sentence
law prohibiting concealing
the sources of contributions.
“I just think it’s clear there
was concealment,” Tabor
said. “We had 7,000 donors in
this election; we didn’t know
who the 7,000 donors were.”
Tabor’s ruling came on a
motion by the attorney gen-
eral’s office to find Food De-
mocracy guilty before a trial
based on the case’s facts.
Food Democracy’s fine
will be decided at a trial, un-
less the sides negotiate a set-
tlement. The attorney gener-
al’s office has not indicated the
penalty it will seek. A trial date
has not been set.
The attorney general’s of-
fice has argued GMA should
be punished with a fine of up to
$42 million, triple the amount
$14 million the trade associa-
tion raised in 2013 for political
activities nationwide.
GMA contributed $11 mil-
lion to the “No on I-522” cam-
paign. A trial to decide the pen-
alty is scheduled for August.
Food Democracy raised
$295,661 by soliciting cam-
paign contributions through
four electronic newsletters.
The group contributed the
$200,000 through its political
arm, Food Democracy Action.
Food Democracy’s lawyer,
Greg Wong, acknowledged ig-
norance is no defense, but he
disputed the state’s allegation
that the group was guilty of
acting to conceal the identities
of donors.
“It simply did not know
it was suppose to report,” he
said.
GMA made a similar ar-
gument, with the same result.
Tabor ruled after hearing brief
oral arguments that lawyers
made to supplement their writ-
ten arguments.
GMO-labeling supporters
contributed $9.87 million to
the Yes on I-522 campaign,
while opponents spent $33.3
million against the measure.
The Public Disclosure
Commission can levy fines
of up to $10,000 per disclo-
sure violation. The attorney
general’s office pursues cases
in state court when potential
penalties are higher.
Ram sale a hit with sheep producers
By CECILIA PARSONS
For the Capital Press
PORTERVILLE, Calif. —
Range ready rams that will
go on to sire a good portion of
California’s commercial lamb
crop were offered for sale at
the 96th annual California
Ram Sale held in Porterville.
The sale, by the California
Wool Growers Association is
held to provide the commer-
cial sheep industry with rams
that will improve their lamb
and wool production.
Twenty-five
consigners
brought a total of 423 Suf-
folk, Hampshire, crossbred
and white face rams to the sale
from Utah, Idaho, Oregon and
California.
Prices and ram numbers
were down slightly from
2015 as 285 head of Suffolks
averaged $684, 100 cross
bred rams averaged $658, six
Hampshire rams averaged
$475 and 32 whiteface rams
averaged $600.
Last year 506 rams were
sold with 309 Suffolks averag-
ing $729, 146 crossbred rams
averaging $667, 10 Hamp-
shires averaging $623. There
Cecilia Parsons/For the Capital Press
Rams are readied for the 96th annual California Ram Sale held
in Porterville, Calif. Twenty-five consigners brought a total of 423
rams to the sale from Utah, Idaho, Oregon and California.
were nine fewer whiteface
rams sold this year, but they
averaged $600 – up from $584
in 2015.
This year all rams con-
signed to the sale were
weighed and ultrasounded to
provide prospective buyers
and sellers with information
about the ram’s genetic po-
tential. All rams went through
health and quality sifts.
Ram weight, body fat and
loin eye area were included in
the sale catalog. The informa-
tion was used to assign each
ram an index value to help
buyers make selections that
will improve their flocks.
The Range Ram Index es-
timates the potential carcass
merit of the lambs sired by the
ram. The index uses heritable
carcass measurements includ-
ing loin eye area, loin depth,
fat thickness and weight. The
index quantifies those genetic
characteristics into a potential
genetic merit. It is a tool, said
ram sale chairman Wes Patton,
that producers can use to select
rams.
The index formulation
and ultrasounding were fund-
ed partly by grants from the
American Sheep Industry’s
Let’s Grow Committee.
Modesto-based ultrasound
technician John Openshaw
said in past years buyers have
been skeptical that the carcass
values provided by live ani-
mal ultrasound would actually
make them money. Technolog-
ical advances in ultrasounding
and the increased value in the
higher-price muscle cuts are
changing that attitude, he said.
Establishing a base line and
using animals that have the
genetic potential to improve
those valuable genetic char-
acteristics is important in the
sheep industry and will allow
lamb producers to be more
competitive, Openshaw added.
Based on U.S. Sheep Ex-
periment Station research, ge-
netic selection for larger loin
muscle area should be expect-
ed to improve carcass merit
and carcass value of market
lambs.
Idaho Power offers safety warning after ag accident
By JOHN O’CONNELL
Capital Press
MOUNTAIN HOME, Ida-
ho — Officials at Idaho Power
are reminding farmworkers
to use caution while working
around overhead power lines
in the wake of an April 18 ac-
cident that seriously injured a
31-year-old woman.
The female farmworker
remains in critical condition
after being shocked while
moving a piece of irrigation
pipe that came in contact with
a 34,500-volt overhead power
line, according to the Elmore
County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputy Nick Griffin said
Shelley Dodge, 31, was flown
by helicopter from the farm
field to St. Alphonsus Medi-
cal Center in Boise, where she
was stabilized and flown to
University of Utah Burn Cen-
ter in Salt Lake City.
Griffin said she remained
in critical condition as of
April 25. Her 35-year-old
husband, Matthew Dodge,
and a juvenile family member
were also shocked, though
they weren’t holding onto the
pipe. He said the juvenile was
driven in someone’s personal
vehicle to St. Luke’s Elmore
Medical Center in Mountain
Courtesy of Idaho Power
Idaho Power has run radio and print advertisements such as the
one pictured above to promote safety among those who work near
power lines. A recent farming accident involving workers who were
shocked while moving irrigation pipe highlights the risk.
Home and was later flown to
St. Alphonsus. He would not
elaborate on the juvenile’s
condition.
Matthew Dodge was eval-
uated and released from St.
Luke’s Elmore shortly after
the 5:20 p.m. accident. Griffin
said Matthew Dodge admin-
istered CPR to his wife at the
scene and resuscitated her.
Griffin said the pipes had
been piled under the power
line and “at some point they
brought the irrigation hand-
lines vertical and hooked it on
the power line.”
“When Idaho Power got
out there and shut off the
power, it was hot enough that
the end of the pipe had melted
and there were glass beads in
the sand,” Griffin said.
Griffin said friends set up
a GoFundMe account to help
the family with bills.
Idaho Power safety director
Jim Duke said the utility runs
print and radio advertisements
in both English and Spanish
throughout April warning any-
one who works near power
lines to look up and keep a safe
distance. State law prohibits
people from bringing any con-
ductive object within 10 feet of
an overhead line.
“Some objects that people
think about as non-cunductive
are actually conductive. Even
a wooden pole can conduct
electricity,” Duke said, adding
pipes should remain horizontal
when workers move them.
Dan Axness, Idaho Power’s
irrigation segment coordinator,
said the best way to prevent
such accidents is for farm-
workers to avoid stacking pipe
near lines.
Axness said Idaho Power
emphasized safe handling of
irrigation equipment around
power lines in seven irrigation
workshops it hosted this year
throughout the state. The next
workshop will be in the fall in
Richland, Ore.
The Occupational Safe-
ty & Health Administration
advises farm employers who
work near power lines to pro-
vide adequate safety training
to workers, apply decals to
equipment that could pose
electrical hazards and explain
them to workers and train
workers to use routes that
avoid power lines when they
move equipment.
Tim Hearden/Capital Press
California Secretary of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross speaks
April 25 at the state FFA convention in Fresno’s Selland Arena as
state FFA Sentinel Tim Truax looks on. Ross told the roughly 5,000
members attending that the state’s agricultural industries need
their energy and innovation.
CDFA’s Ross urges FFA
members to think of the future
By TIM HEARDEN
Capital Press
FRESNO, Calif. — State
Food and Agriculture Secre-
tary Karen Ross told 5,000
FFA members here that Cali-
fornia’s agriculture-related in-
dustries will need their energy
and innovations in the chal-
lenging years to come.
Ross cited water shortag-
es, food safety concerns and
global population growth as
problems that today’s students
in FFA could someday help
solve.
“Think about how you use
your hand-held technology and
your gaming technology,” Ross
told a packed audience during
the April 25 morning session in
Fresno’s Selland Arena. “Those
are the very tools you may use
for (assisting) the smart farm of
the future.”
Ross also praised the FFA
chapters for promoting the
CDFA’s three-year-old agri-
culture-themed license plate
program, which has generated
nearly $500,000 for education.
The department in January
handed out $249,352 in the sec-
ond round of grants from the
CalAgPlate program, including
$212,000 for FFA leadership
and development programs.
“It’s going great, but one
of the challenges of the special
license plates program is they
have to keep selling or the in-
terest goes away,” Ross told the
Capital Press after her speech.
“The students’ energy (in pro-
moting the plates) is really im-
portant for these ag programs.
… It’s such an important way
for people to know, ‘I’m mak-
ing a contribution to ag educa-
tion.’”
Ross’ appearance was
among the highlights of the
88th annual California State
FFA Leadership Conference,
which continues through April
26. With the theme, “Electri-
fy,” students in high school FFA
programs throughout California
converged to participate in con-
tests, hear inspiring speakers, at-
tend a career fair and take part in
other activities.
Ross’ appearance excited
members of the FFA’s state lead-
ership team, including outgoing
president Joelle Lewis of San
Luis Obispo, who said she’s also
met the secretary during visits to
schools.
“I think having her come
here and talk (about students’
potential for future leadership)
makes a big difference in peo-
ple’s minds,” Lewis said.
Ross has attended several
state FFA conventions since be-
coming food and ag secretary in
2011.
She began her address by
praising FFA member McKen-
zie Brazier of King City, Calif.,
who sang during one of the ses-
sion’s talent segments.
“I would recommend her for
‘The Voice,’” Ross said to loud
cheers. “Wouldn’t it be great if
we had someone on ‘The Voice’
with a blue jacket? And then if
somebody standing behind her
would hold up a CalAgPlate
sign?”
Ross told the students that
among them could be sitting
a future state lawmaker, water
board member, agriculture sec-
retary or even U.S. president.
She said it’s important that Cal-
ifornia agriculture recognize its
mission and the ability to feed
the world.
“You cannot appreciate
what you have until you don’t
have it,” Ross said, noting that
she missed fresh California
produce when she shopped in
Washington, D.C., during her
stint as chief of staff for U.S.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vil-
sack.
Fifth-generation rancher says he’s a conservation-easement convert
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
TWIN FALLS, Idaho —
As a fifth-generation rancher
in Oregon’s Jordan Valley,
Bob Skinner was adamantly
opposed to conservation ease-
ments.
But the former president
of the Oregon Cattlemen’s
Association and a long-time
director for the Public Lands
Council had a change of phi-
losophy when he was invited
to find out more about how
conservation easements can
protect working landscapes.
His awakening came more
than a decade ago and led him
to become a founding mem-
ber of the Northwest Range-
land Trust, of which he now
serves as vice chairman.
As a rancher, Skinner can
understand a rancher’s re-
sistance to transferring any
rights on his private property
and skepticism about “so-
called” conservationists.
“If you have reservations, I
totally understand. I was there
once,” he told ranchers at the
Idaho Range Livestock Sym-
posium on April 20.
“Talk about ‘conservation’
makes you wince a bit when
so-called
conservationists
take us to court every day,”
he said.
When you fight those folks
over your property rights, the
word just doesn’t have a good
ring, he said.
But conservation ease-
ments can be a valuable tool
to protect the future of a
ranching operation, and it can
help ranchers get out of a fi-
nancial jam and save the land
for agriculture, he said.
Urban encroachment is a
big issue in some areas, and
everybody knows ranching
families that have had to sell
the ranch to pay estate taxes,
he said.
Putting a conservation
easement on the property can
help in both situations, putting
ranchers in a better position
without really changing what
they’re already doing, he said.
“It has helped a lot of peo-
ple out,” he said.
It protects the property
from development while pre-
serving the ranching opera-
tion and retaining the property
owner’s rights to use the land
for such activities as grazing,
farming and family residenc-
es.
“We are all about working
landscapes. We want to keep
working landscapes work-
ing,” he said.
The property owner can
write the easement any way
he wants. And if something
isn’t working, he can come
back and change things if all
parties involved agree, he
said.
Even after hearing about
what an easement can pro-
vide, some people still might
not want to do it or they might
not need to. But it’s there if
they do need it, he said.
“These conservation ease-
ments aren’t for everybody,”
he said.
Skinner doesn’t have an
easement on his property be-
cause his ranch isn’t in an area
that’s threatened by encroach-
ment and, other than the sage
grouse, he doesn’t have any
conservation issues. But many
ranchers do face such issues
or could use an easement in
estate planning, he said.
Conservation easements
can keep people on the ground
and keep land in production,
he said.
And whether or not it’s a
good fit for individual opera-
tions, there’s no denying the
money and desire exists to
conserve land. So it behooves
the cattle industry to care
about who is holding those
easements, he said.