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2 CapitalPress.com December 16, 2016 People & Places No California sun for this crop John Ashbaugh grows mushroom farm by using renewable energy Established 1928 Board of directors Mike Forrester ..........................President Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Sid Freeman .................. Outside director Mike Omeg .................... Outside director Corporate officer John Perry Chief operating officer Capital Press Managers Mike O’Brien .............................Publisher Joe Beach ..................................... Editor Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager By JULIA HOLLISTER For the Capital Press COLUSA, Calif. — John Ashbaugh readily admits that running a large mushroom company is a huge leap from his previous job — as an elec- trical engineer in the Silicon John Valley. Ashbaugh “I grew up in Rockwell City, Iowa, where my father was a large animal veterinarian so I was exposed to the farming community,” he said. “I got my degree from Iowa State and spent 20 years working in hardware and software in the San Francisco Bay Area before relocating to Northern California with my family.” Premier Mushrooms Inc. in Colusa started as an invest- ment in 2007 with Ashbaugh involved in the daily opera- tions. “Although seemingly mushrooms will grow any- where, they are an extremely sensitive product to grow con- sistent quality and yields,” he said. “Mushrooms are grown in environmentally controlled dark rooms and are very sen- sitive to temperature, humidi- ty and carbon dioxide. These parameters change during the eight-week growing cycle.” The soil is referred to as mushroom substrate, made from wheat straw, chicken litter, cottonseed meal and gypsum. Chicken litter and cottonseed meal provide ni- trogen and the gypsum is used to adjust the acidity. The mixture is composted over 15 days, resulting in conditions that are specific to growing mycelium and not any other molds or fungus. The company began 9 years ago with 16 growing Capital Press Entire contents copyright © 2016 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Courtesy of Premier Mushrooms One of 64 growing rooms at Premier Mushrooms. The company produces more than 300,000 pounds of mushrooms a week. Western Innovator John Ashbaugh Occupation: CEO, Premier Mushrooms Location: Colusa, Calif. Courtesy of Premier Mushrooms Mushrooms thrive in a special substrate that provides the perfect growing conditions. rooms producing 60,000 pounds of mushrooms per week and now has 64 rooms producing 300,000 pounds per week. The company currently grows agaricus, white but- ton and cremini mushrooms. A Portabella mushroom is a larger cremini that is allowed to grow for an additional two days. “We sell mostly to local retail stores and food service companies in California,” Ashbaugh said. “We have been on the Inc. Magazine’s fastest-growing companies list four out of the last five years. Locally grown and healthier eating choices are attributed to the growth of the market.” There are some issues sprouting that impact the state’s mushroom industry. “The fresh market mush- room industry is very la- bor-intensive; every mush- room is picked by hand,” he said. “Because all wages are relative to the minimum wage, the changes in Califor- nia labor laws for minimum Education: Bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Iowa State University Quote: “It would be much more productive if every- one focused on reducing the waste of our natural resources versus debat- ing the cause of global warning.” wage and agriculture over- time will be the biggest chal- lenge in the coming years. Imports from other states and countries (Canada and Mexi- co) with lower cost structures are a concern.” Melodie Johnson, execu- tive manager of the Colusa County Farm Bureau, had praise for Ashbaugh’s contri- butions to the region’s agri- culture. “Premier Mushroom do- nates product to our annual fundraiser every year,” she said. “In addition, Mr. Ash- baugh provided guided tours for Colusa County Farm Bu- reau’s ‘Dirt Days.’” These events include two full days of ag tours through- out the county to educate teachers about the food they eat and where it comes from. The company also pro- vides grants to local nonprof- its, she said. Ashbaugh stresses the company’s respect for the land and reducing its carbon footprint. “Since we environmental- ly control our growing pro- cess, it is both capital- and energy-intensive,” he said. “About five years ago, we got serious about our sustainabili- ty program. Over that time we have reduced our energy us- age by over 1.4 million kilo- watt-hours and now produce about a third of our energy by burning walnut shells from the local area.” The company also has zero water discharge and sells biochar and spent compost to local farms as a soil amend- ment. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. To Reach Us Toll free ............................. 800-882-6789 Main line ........................... 503-364-4431 Fax ................................... 503-370-4383 Advertising Fax ................ 503-364-2692 News Staff N. California Tim Hearden .................... 530-605-3072 E Idaho John O’Connell ................. 208-421-4347 Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas .......... 208-860-3898 Boise Sean Ellis .......................... 208-914-8264 Central Washington Dan Wheat ........................ 509-699-9099 E Washington Matthew Weaver .............. 509-688-9923 Oregon Eric Mortenson ................ 503-412-8846 Mateusz Perkowski .......... 800-882-6789 Graphic artist Alan Kenaga ..................... 800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Ad fax .............................. 503-364-2692 or ...................................... 503-370-4383 Telephone (toll free) .......... 866-435-2965 Online ......www.capitalpress.com/classifieds Subscriptions Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $3.75/month (direct with- drawal from bank or credit card account) 1 year U.S. ...................................$49.99 2 years U.S. .................................$89.99 Calendar GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE Sponsored by: www.oxarc.com To submit an event go to the Community Events calendar on the home page of our website at www. capitalpress.com and click on “Sub- mit an Event.” Calendar items can also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301. Salem. Presented by the Oregon Blueberry Commission and the North Willamette Research and Extension Center. 503-589-1700 or oregonblueberry.com. Wednesday-Friday Jan. 4-6 38th Annual Ag Expo. Idaho Holt Arena, 921 Pocatello, Idaho. ductions.com Potato Expo 2017. Moscone Center West, 800 Howard St. San Francisco, Calif. potato-expo. com Friday-Wednesday Jan. 6-11 2017 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show. Phoenix Con- vention Center, 100 N Third St., Phoenix, Ariz. http://annualcon- vention.fb.org Tuesday, Jan. 10 Idaho-Eastern Oregon Alfalfa and Clover Seed School. Caldwell Elks Lodge, Caldwell, Idaho. Con- tact: benjamin@amgidaho.org Thursday, Jan. 12 Inside the Family, Outside the Business. 7:30 to 9 a.m., Bridge- Port BrewPub, 1313 NW Marshall St., Portland. This session will explore how family members in- volved in the business can best communicate and collaborate with non-active members. We will share first-hand insights from a panel of non-active family mem- bers on how they have faced the challenges of being inside the family, but outside the business. Presented by the Austin Family Business Program, Oregon State University. $40 per person. 800- 859-7609 http://bit.ly/2gQX6M4 Thursday-Friday Jan. 12-13 Oregon Mint Growers Annual Meeting. Salishan Lodge & Golf Resort, 7760 Hwy 101 North, Gleneden Beach, Ore. oregon- mint.org Monday, Jan. 16 Oregon Blueberry Conference. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Salem Convention Center, 200 Commercial St. SE, Tuesday-Thursday Jan. 17-19 Eastern Idaho State University South 8th Ave., www.spectrapro- Wednesday-Thursday Jan. 18-19 49th Annual Idaho Potato Con- ference. Idaho State University’s Pond Student Union Building, 921 South 8th Ave., Pocatello, Idaho. Speakers include Idaho Potato Commission President and CEO Frank Muir, Potatoes USA Pres- ident and CEO Blair Richardson and National Potato Council Exec- utive Vice President John Keeling. http://bit.ly/2fayqPE Idaho Noxious Weed Con- ference. Riverside Hotel, 2900 Chinden Blvd., Boise, Idaho. www. idahoweedcontrol.org Wednesday-Friday Jan. 18-20 Idaho Horticulture Expo. Boise Centre on the Grove, 850 W Front St., Boise, Idaho. Sponsored by the Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association, this annual event of- fers seminars and workshops on topics important to the nursery industry. inlagrow.org Thursday, Jan. 19 Oregon Tall Fescue Commis- sion meeting. 6-8 p.m. Cascade Grill restaurant, 110 Opal St. NE, Albany, Ore. www.oregontallfes- cue.org/ Friday, Jan. 20 Family Foresters Workshop, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Coeur d’Alene Inn, 506 W. Appleway Ave., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The program will feature presentations on up and coming forest products, changes in Inland Northwest family forest- ry, managing forests in the face of droughts, effectiveness of pre- scribed burns in preventing fire; re- search updates on forest biofuels, managing family forest habitats for moose and the annual family forest economics/policy update. Register by Jan. 13. Cost: $85-$90, www. uidaho.edu/FamilyForesterWork- shop Tuesday, Jan. 24 Western Idaho Ag Expo. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Caldwell Events Center, 2207 Blaine St., Caldwell, Idaho. http://www.spectraproductions.com Tuesday-Thursday Jan. 24-26 Northwest Agricultural Show. Portland Expo Center, 2060 N. Marine Drive, Portland, Ore. The hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Tues- day, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursday. www.nwagshow.com Wednesday-Friday Jan. 25-27 FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Course. Idaho De- partment of Labor, 600 N. Thorn- ton St., Post Falls, Idaho. The new Food Safety Modernization Act regulation requires every process- ing facility to have a trained re- source person or “Preventive Con- trols Qualified Individual” who has completed a specialized training course (such as this one) devel- oped by the Food Safety Preven- tive Controls Alliance that is recog- nized by the FDA. This person will oversee the implementation of the facility’s food safety plan and other key tasks. http://bit.ly/2f6cogT Wednesday-Saturday Jan. 25-28 American Sheep industry As- sociation Convention. Denver Mar- riott City Center, 1701 California St., Denver, Colo. www.sheepusa. org/About_Events_Convention Wednesday, Feb. 1 California Prune Industry Sum- mit. Orchard Creek Lodge, Lincoln, Calif. www.californiadriedplums. org Tuesday, Feb. 7 Pesticide Short Course-IPM. 8 a.m.-4:10 p.m. Lane Community College, Center for Meeting and Learning, Bldg. 19, 4000 E. 30th Ave., Eugene, Ore. $85 if regis- tered by Jan. 23; $95 after. http:// 20 Northwest Locations extension.oregonstae.edu/lane/ farms Tuesday-Thursday Feb. 7-9 Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific Northwest Farm Forum. Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spo- kane Falls Blvd., Spokane, Wash. Spokane Ag Expo is the largest farm machinery show in the Inland Northwest. https://greaterspokane. org/ag-expo/ Wednesday-Feb. 8 Oregon Clover Growers Annual Meeting. Noon-1 p.m. Holiday Inn, Wilsonville, Ore. Wednesday-Thursday Feb. 8-9 The 8th Annual Organic Farm- ing Conference. Canyon Crest Event Center, 330 Canyon Crest Drive, Twin Falls, Idaho. The event is organized by the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesti- cides. www.pesticide.org/events Tuesday-Thursday Feb. 14-16 Practical Food Safety & HACCP. The Riverside Hotel, 2900 Chinden Blvd., Boise, Ida- ho. HACCP, or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, is a pre- ventive system for the control of health-threatening food hazards during food processing. The comprehensive three-day work- shop is designed for individuals responsible for implementing and managing a HACCP system in a food processing facility. Partici- pants who pass a final test will receive a certificate of comple- tion. http://bit.ly/2f2iJ9Q Thursday, Feb. 16 Keeping Your Family Business Communication on Track. 7:30 to 9 a.m. Hayden’s Lakefront Grill, 8187 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Road, Tualatin, Ore. This session will provide tools and techniques that attendees can use right away to cultivate better communication among family members, employ- ees, and shareholders. Presented by: Mark Wickman, Family Busi- ness Counsel. $40 per person. 800-859-7609, http://bit.ly/2f- PK987. 1-800-765-9055 Wednesday, March 8 Taxes and Succession Plan- ning. Noon-1 p.m. Join us for a free online webinar and an intro- duction to how planning ahead for estate and gift taxes can help address family and busi- ness needs and meet retirement goals for the current generation. Presented by: Carol Wachter and Heather Tomsick, Deloitte Tax LLP, and the Austin Family Business Program, Oregon State University. 800-859-7609, http:// bit.ly/2gW7Kjq 1 year Canada .................................$275 1 year other countries ......... call for quote 1 year Internet only .......................$49.99 1 year 4-H, FFA students and teachers ....$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students & teachers .....$25 Visa and Mastercard accepted To get information published Mailing address: Capital Press P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048 News: Contact the main office or news staff member closest to you, send the in- formation to newsroom@capitalpress.com or mail it to “Newsroom,” c/o Capital Press. Include a contact telephone number. Thursday, March 16 Building Family Business Value from the Inside Out. 7:30 to 9 a.m. BridgePort BrewPub, 1313 NW Marshall St., Portland. Much can be done to build the value of the business from inside the enterprise, and the earlier the process begins, the more sustainable the results will be. In addition to building value, most businesses become more ef- ficient and profitable along the way. Presented by Francis Brown, Key Private Bank and the Austin Family Business Program, Oregon State University. 800-859-7609, http://bit. ly/2gR3KC0 Tuesday, April 11 Do Your Kids Want the Busi- ness? Planning for Yes or No. 7:30 to 9 a.m. Hayden’s Lakefront Grill, 8187 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Road, Tualatin, Ore. This session will deliver practical advice for fam- ily business owners regarding next generation succession. Presented by Steve Bennett, Farleigh Wada Witt and the Austin Family Business Program, Oregon State University. 800-859-7609, http://bit.ly/2h3k8Ck Letters to the Editor: Send your comments on agriculture-related public issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital Press. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday. Capital Press ag media www.capitalpress.com www.FarmSeller.com www.AgDirectoryWest.com marketplace.capitalpress.com www.facebook.com/capitalpress www.facebook.com/farmseller www.facebook.com/onlyAGdotcom twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo www.blogriculture.com Index California ...............................11 Idaho ...................................... 9 Markets ............................... 13 Opinion .................................. 6 Oregon ................................ 10 Washington ........................... 8 Thursday, May 18 Family Business Charters. 7:30 to 9 a.m. BridgePort BrewPub, 1313 NW Marshall St., Portland. A family business charter sets forth the es- sential rules, obligations, and re- sponsibilities relating to ownership and management of the business, as well as the family values that will help sustain the business for future generations. Presented by A. Jef- fery Bird, Lane Powell PC and the Austin Family Business Program, Oregon State University. $40 per person. 800-859-7609, http://bit. ly/2gPuLYY Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. If you see a misstatement, omission or factual error in a headline, story or photo caption, please call the Capital Press news department at 503-364-4431, or send email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. We want to publish corrections to set the record straight.
