10 CapitalPress.com
June 17, 2016
Open house showcases
Plaque honors late director of Mexico trade ofice
$19 million fertilizer facility
By SEAN ELLIS
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
Farmers will soon get their
irst glimpse at a new $19 mil-
lion facility designed to level
fertilizer prices and keep sup-
plies more steady year-round.
CHS Primeland’s open
house for the Port of Wil-
ma Agronomy Hub Plant is
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 23 in
Clarkston, Wash.
The facility has a capacity
of 24,000 tons of dry fertilizer
storage and 2.5 million gallons
of liquid. Roughly 75 percent
of the materials will be shipped
in, said Jim Miller, director of
sales and marketing.
“Most of it is brought in,
blended to farmers’ speciica-
tions and then shipped out,”
he said.
The facility has manufac-
turing capabilities, including
melting urea, reacting phos-ac-
id and converting anhydrous
ammonia to aquaeous ammo-
nia.
“We realized we were hand-
to-mouth with nutrient prod-
ucts,” said Tim Eichner, chair-
man of the CHS Primeland
board of directors and a farmer
in Kendrick, Idaho. “We real-
ized we needed the ability to
store a large amount of product
to be able to take it in advance
of the season.”
Eichner said the facility
will help level out prices for
growers and make products
available year-round.
“The requirements of to-
day’s farmer are bigger size
and speed,” Miller said. “Lo-
gistics have become a problem
Capital Press
Online
http://www.chsprimeland.com/
moving product into the area
from further distances. We felt
like we really needed a plant to
service the Inland Northwest
a lot more eficiently and a lot
closer.”
CHS Primeland’s trade area
ranges from Spokane in East-
ern Washington to Grangeville,
Idaho. The facility will also
provide storage for sister coop-
eratives in Central Washington.
The materials will come
from multiple sources based on
purchasing opportunities, Mill-
er said. It gives the co-op the
opportunity to pursue a “better
buy for our member-owners,”
he said.
CHS Primeland will launch
the automated system around
the same time as the grand
opening. Miller said the it will
reach full production in the fall.
“It means quality products
available with quicker turn-
around to meet (farmers’)
needs better,” he said. “The
window of time during the
season has narrowed, so it is
‘Go, go, go, get your crop in
the ground, get your products
out and on the crop so they can
grow better,’ The timing is re-
ally important.”
Miller called the facility a
“legacy project” for the CHS
Primeland management team.
“Really, it’s built for size
and scale to meet (producers’)
need for the next 30 years,” he
said. “It’s going to outlast us
and probably outlast the next
generation of farmers.”
NAMPA, Idaho — Mem-
bers of Idaho’s agricultural
industry sponsored a bronze
plaque honoring Armando
Orellana, the long-time direc-
tor of Idaho’s Mexico trade
ofice, who died in March.
It hangs on the wall of the
Hispanic Cultural Center of
Idaho in Nampa.
About 40 people, includ-
ing Idaho ag leaders, mem-
bers of Orellana’s family and
Mexican dignitaries, attended
a ceremony dedicating the
plaque June 9.
“I am delighted that every-
one saw it to keep Armando’s
presence alive because he was
such a big part of our state and
our relationships and friend-
ships in Mexico,” said Idaho
State Department of Agricul-
ture Director Celia Gould.
“We will always hold a dear
part for Armando in our hearts
and for his family,” Gould said.
“Thank you for sharing him with
us.”
Orellana directed the Idaho
trade ofice in Mexico from
1994-2016. During his tenure
exports of Idaho farm prod-
ucts to that nation soared.
More than $191 million
worth of Idaho farm products
were sold in Mexico last year,
making that country the No. 1
foreign market for Idaho agri-
cultural exports.
“Our exports into Mexico
have expanded tremendous-
ly,” said Idaho Farm Bureau
Federation Director of Com-
modities Dennis Brower, who
worked closely with Orellana.
Courtesy of Laura Johnson
State Agriculture Director Celia Gould, right, talks about a memorial plaque honoring Armando Orella-
na, the late director of Idaho’s Mexico trade ofice, during a dedication ceremony June 9. It hangs on
the wall of the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho. She is joined by members of Orellana’s family.
Brower said Orellana, who
previously spent 18 years
working for major ag irms
in Mexico, had an extensive
knowledge of many farm
industries and was good at
making businesses and farm
groups on both sides of the
border comfortable with
each other.
When it comes to Idaho
farm exports in recent years,
“He’s been an integral part
of almost everything that
has been done in Mexico,”
Brower said.
While Idaho farm busi-
nesses that sell products in
Mexico did a lot of their
own work, Orellana played
a major role in helping them
get started there, said Laura
Johnson, who manages IS-
DA’s Market Development
Division.
“There are so many
companies and commodi-
ty groups that would really
point to all of his hard work
as the reason for the business
they are doing in Mexico
now,” she said.
Brower said Orellana was
extremely well-liked in Ida-
ho and “he literally became
family over the years.”
His brother, Javier Orel-
lana, said Armando had a
great fondness in his heart
for Idahoans.
“Be assured that he al-
ways spoke wonderful things
about the warm people that
he always found here in Ida-
ho,” he said.
Orellana was instrumen-
tal 20 years ago in estab-
lishing Idaho’s sister state
relationship with Jalisco,
Mexico, which led to the
building of the cultural cen-
ter, Johnson said.
Humberto Fuentes, CEO
of the cultural center, said
the facility has few plaques
honoring people.
Farm labor leader Cesar
Chavez is one of them, “and
now we have Armando,” he
said. “We put him in that
same category.”
Delgado Ramirez, Mex-
ico’s consul in Idaho, said
Orellana’s actions “have im-
proved relations between the
state of Idaho and Mexico.
Armando will be here forever,
not only in mind, but in this
plaque.”
Oregon FFA officers prepare
for busy year.
members, and be elected by the
Oregon FFA delegate body.
Since its election in March,
the State Officer Team has
already completed one of nine
Leadership Camps for FFA
members throughout the state as
well as gone through multiple
trainings to prepare for their
year of service to Oregon FFA
and its members.
Oregon FFA state officers are shown. Front row from left are President Shea Booster
of Bend and Secretary Liberty Greenlund of Yamhill-Carlton. Back row from left are
Treasurer Raymond Seal of Joseph, Sentinel Bryson Price of Sutherlin, Vice President
Hailee Patterson of Imbler and Reporter Zanden Unger of Dallas.
FFA teaches lifelong service
to high school agricultural
education students throughout
the country.
Recently, six high school
seniors were elected to a full
year of service as Oregon FFA
state officers. They take off a
year of school to travel Oregon
and visit the 12,000 students
who are enrolled in agricultural
education in over 105 FFA
programs.
This year Oregon FFA elected
the following: President Shea
Booster of Bend, Vice President
Hailee Patterson of Imbler,
Secretary Liberty Greenlund of
Yamhill-Carlton, Treasurer
Raymond Seal of Joseph,
Reporter Zanden Unger of
Dallas, and Sentinel Bryson
Price of Sutherlin.
To be elected, members must
show extraordinary leadership
skills, take part in a three-day
nominating committee process
made up of fellow FFA
The officer team is currently
preparing for a very busy
summer and state officer year.
From now until October officers
will work closely with FFA
members from across Oregon
and assist with facilitation of
workshops for eight additional
leadership camps.
The state officers will be
attending the Oregon State Fair
for the duration of the fair to
help educate the public about
agriculture and FFA. They can
be seen throughout the barns
talking to the public, being the
emcee at several shows and
talking to FFA members.
Officers will be part of well
over 50 business and industry
visits with the Oregon FFA
Foundation.
The Oregon FFA Association
is a state organization associated
with the National FFA
Association that makes a
positive difference in the lives
of students by developing their
potential for premier leadership,
personal growth and career
success through agricultural
education. The FFA is an
integral part of middle and high
school agricultural education
programs.
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