Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current, February 17, 2017, Image 2

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Newspaper Page Text2 CapitalPress.com February 17, 2017 People & Places Keeping an eye on the future Dana Herron looks at the big picture for Washington’s wheat growers By MATTHEW WEAVER Building trust In recent years, the com- mission has worked hard to build relationships with over- seas buyers. “How do we ingratiate ourselves and our product to them?” he said. “How do we make it more attractive than the next guy’s and keep them paying a premium for the product?” Herron worries about un- anticipated events, such as Established 1928 Board of directors Mike Forrester Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Susan Rana Mike Omeg Capital Press Managers John Perry ................................Publisher Joe Beach ..................................... Editor Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager Capital Press CONNELL, Wash. — Dana Herron sees a day in the not-so-distant future when de- mand may exceed supply for soft white winter wheat, the Pacific Northwest’s premier wheat crop. If Washington’s wheat in- dustry continues to success- fully market soft white wheat to new and emerging markets, showing buyers how to make a higher-quality product for less money — “which gets the attention of a businessman real quick” — farmers may not be able to keep up with demand within the next five to 10 years, Herron predicted. “That would be wonder- ful,” he said. “That means we have done our job well.” Herron has long been one to look at the big picture. He is co-owner of Tri-State Seed Co. in Connell, Wash., and a member of the Washington Grain Commission, a position he’s held for the past decade. Herron said the commis- sion has a “fiduciary responsi- bility” to spend farmers’ mon- ey wisely. They must be able to defend the organization’s spending in public, plus the return on investment, he said. What will benefit “the long-term health of the indus- try?” he asked. Capital Press Matthew Weaver/Capital Press Tri-State Seed Co. co-owner Dana Herron sorts the seeds of a Slo- vakian hard red winter wheat variety, Mandala, in the company’s Connell, Wash., offices. Herron is a member of the Washington Grain Commission. Western Innovator Dana Herron volunteer genetically mod- ified wheat plants found in fields, but said the commis- sion was proactive in building relationships and trust. “The relationships we’ve built with our customers paid huge dividends because they trust us now,” he said. “That’s invaluable. We could have very easily lost this entire market, and it didn’t happen.” Back home Herron was born on a dry- land wheat farm in Kahlotus, Wash. His family moved to Connell in 1958. Herron’s father died when Herron was a college sophomore, and the farm was split between Her- ron, his mother and Herron’s uncle. Herron returned home to farm with his mother for 16 years. Then his brother Chris wanted to farm, so Dana took over the small seed business they’d started on the farm to add value during “lean” years. In 1994, Connell Grain Growers hired Dana to run their seed division. In 2005, he started Tri-State Seed with partner Craig Teel and han- dles marketing and sales. Chairman Mike Miller asked Herron to remain on the commission during his tenure. A visionary “Dana is the historical book of what’s gone on in the past, but he also probably has the most vision of what’s coming forward and what we’re facing of anybody I know, and I know a lot of peo- ple,” Miller said. “He’s got his thumb on the pulse. He knows Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem OR 97301. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. Age: 66 To Reach Us Hometown: Kahlotus, Wash. Education: Degree in political science and agricultural econom- ics, Washington State University Circulation ......................... 800-882-6789 Email ........ Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line ........................... 503-364-4431 Fax ................................... 503-370-4383 Advertising Fax ................ 503-364-2692 Family: Wife Valerie, daughters Karma and Keva, three grandchil- dren News Staff Website: http://www.tristateseed.com/ N. California Tim Hearden .................... 530-605-3072 Current location: Connell, Wash. Member Dana Herron stands outside the Washington Grain Commission building in Spokane. The commission has a “fiduciary responsibility” to spend farmers’ money wisely, he says. An independent newspaper published every Friday. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. Occupation: Co-owner, Tri-State Seed Co. in Connell, Wash.; rep- resents Benton, Franklin, Kittitas, Klickitat and Yakima counties on the Washington Grain Commission Matthew Weaver/Capital Press Entire contents copyright © 2017 EO Media Group dba Capital Press what ag’s going to look like here for the next generation.” Rich Koenig, director of Washington State University Extension and interim chair- man of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, says Herron has advocated for long-term research with “un- certain but potentially huge” returns for wheat farmers. He also credits Herron with building stronger rela- tionships between the com- mission, the university, state Department of Agriculture and Washington Association of Wheat Growers. ‘Frank feedback’ “I have always appreciat- ed his willingness to provide frank and open feedback and, at times, constructive criti- cisms of WSU and USDA,” Koenig said. “We do not always do things right and he has respectfully pointed out faults and areas where we need to improve. Most often, he has pointed out that we should operate with a more business-oriented approach.” Herron expects to com- plete his term on the com- mission in December 2018. He’s also begun preparing the succession plan for the seed company, expecting to begin working part-time in 2018. “Half-time for me is 40 hours a week,” he said. But he won’t vanish. “You’re gonna laugh, but I’m going to start an- other business,” he said. He declined to give specifics, but said it would be agricul- ture-related. 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 Calendar Sponsored by: To submit an event go to the Community Events calendar on the home page of our website at www.capitalpress.com and click on “Submit an Event.” Calen- dar items can also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301 or emailed to newsroom@capital- press.com. Through Friday Feb. 17 Oregon Board of Agriculture meeting. 8:30 a.m. Oregon Depart- ment of Agriculture Hearing Room, 635 Capitol St. NE, Salem, Ore. Legislative developments, the Jap- anese beetle eradication program and other issues will be discussed during the two-day meeting. http:// bit.ly/2cKsbhX Friday, Feb. 17 Farm Bureau Women’s Leg- islative Reception, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oregon State Capitol Galleria, 900 Court St. NE, Salem, Ore. Join the Oregon Farm Bureau Women’s Advisory Council for coffee and cake to kick off the 2017 legislative session and recognize the import- ant roles women play in Oregon agriculture. www.oregonfb.org Rural Farmers’ Market Work- shops. 1-3:45 p.m. Adair Club- house, 6097 NE Ebony Lane, Corvallis, Ore. This interactive series of workshops and small group discussions will focus on topics particularly relevant to rural, small scale or resource limited farmers’ markets. Travel scholarships available. Spon- sored by the Oregon Farmers Markets Association. Free, RSVP required. Website: http:// bit.ly/2iatQ6Q Soil acidity workshop. 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Marcus Whitman Hotel, 6 W. Rose St., Walla Walla, Wash. Washington State University Ex- tension educator Steve Van Vleet plans to show farmers how to manage nutrients and increase soil pH levels. $50 by Feb. 10. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2736297 Saturday, Feb. 18 Oregon State University Ex- tension Service Small Farms Pro- gram. 9 a.m.-5:15 p.m. LaSells Stewart Center and CH2M Hill Alumni Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis, Ore. A day-long event geared toward farmers, agricultural professionals, food policy advocates, students and managers of farmers’ markets. Twenty-seven educational ses- sions are offered on a variety of topics relevant to the Oregon small farmers and include a track in Spanish. Cost: $150 at the door. http://smallfarms.oregon- state.edu/sfc Monday-Tuesday Feb. 20-21 Larry Branen Idaho Ag Summit. Red Lion Downtowner Hotel, 1800 W Fairview Ave., Boise, Idaho. www.idahoagsummit.org Wednesday, Feb. 22 Marion Soil and Water Con- servation District annual meeting and celebration. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Macleay Conference and Retreat Center, 2887 74th Ave. SE, Sa- lem, Ore. RSVP by Feb. 7 to jan- ice.calkins@marionswcd.net or call 503-391-9927. Oregon Ryegrass Commis- sion meeting. 6-8 p.m. Cascade Grill restaurant, 110 Opal St. NE, Albany, Ore. www.ryegrass.com Wednesday-Friday Feb. 22-24 2017 Family Farm Alliance Annual Meeting and Conference. Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, 3770 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Ve- gas, Nevada. www.familyfarmalli- ance.org Saturday-Sunday Feb. 25-26 Second Annual Mid-Valley Winter Ag Fest. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Polk County Fairgrounds and Event Center, 520 S Pacific High- way W, Rickreall, Ore. This event will promote all aspects of local ag commerce and provide a family friendly event that is fun and ed- ucational for kids. Proceeds will benefit Polk County 4-H and FFA. www.mvwagfest.com Tuesday, Feb. 28 Managing large poultry flocks workshop. 5:30-8:30 p.m. South- ern Oregon Research & Extension Center, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point, Ore. Demand for local eggs GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE www.oxarc.com and poultry meat is hot, but how does one manage larger flocks of birds? James Hermes will present this poultry class with a focus on breed selection, poultry health and disease, feeding and nutrition and economics. http://extension.ore- gonstate.edu/sorec/farms Successional Planning Work- shop. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Chemekata Eola Hills Campus, 215 Doaks Ferry Road NW, Salem, Ore. This is the second part of a workshop on succession planning. If you missed the orientation, you can still attend. Presenters in the morning will be Clarie Fiegener, Green Belt Trust and Ron Marek, attorney. Afternoon presenters will be Carl Sohn, Farm Credit Services and Riley Makin, attorney. Lunch is provided. Spon- sored by the Polk and Marion soil and water conservation districts, the Greenbelt Land Trust and the Luckiamute Watershed Council. $50 per family http://www.polkswcd. com/success.html Thursday-Friday March 2-3 Idaho Hay and Forage Con- ference. Best Western Inn, 800 N. Overland Ave., Burley, Idaho. Speakers will include Dan Under- stander, a University of Wisconsin forage specialist; Steve Orloff, a University of California Extension adviser; and Doug Robison, se- nior vice president of Northwest Farm Credit Services. www.ida- hohay.com 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 Thursday-Sunday March 9-12 Natural Products Expo West, Anaheim Convention Center, Marri- ott and Hilton hotels, 800 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim, Calif. www.expow- est.com 20 Northwest Locations Saturday, March 11 Northwest Bison Association annual meeting. 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Forest Grove Senior Center, 2037 Douglas St., Forest Grove, Ore. The NWBA annual meeting will focus on small-scale bison ranching and facility setup and lots of sto- ries from ranchers that have seen everything from tires as a fence to our setups and everything in be- tween. Dr. Richard Veeman with Veterinary Services of Oregon will speak on his experience with bison along with Pat Fitzgerald with Fitz- gerald Corrals. A ranch tour of the L Bar T Bison Ranch is included. Pre-registration is preferred but not required. www.nwbisonassoci- ation.com Wednesday, March 15 Agricultural Biodiversity on Farms: Conservation Practices Working for Western Farmers. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. McMenamins Edge- field, 2126 SW Halsey St. Trout- dale, Ore. A first-of-its-kind confer- ence on the benefits of agricultural biodiversity in Western farming systems and the practices that support it. Sponsored by the Oregon State University Inte- grated Plant Protection Center, the Xerces Society and Oregon Tilth. http://bit.ly/2kpWRsK Thursday, March 16 Building Family Business Val- ue 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 en- terprise, and the earlier the pro- cess begins, the more sustainable the results will be. In addition to building value, most businesses become more efficient and profit- able along the way. Presented by Francis Brown, Key Private Bank and the Austin Family Business Program, Oregon State Univer- sity. 800-859-7609, http://bit. ly/2gR3KC0 Sunday, March 19 Home Orchard Society 42nd Fruit Propagation Fair. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Clackamas County Fair- grounds Main Pavilion, 694 NE Fourth Ave., Canby, Ore. Hundreds of varieties of free scions and cut- tings. If you graft this is paradise, or you can choose custom grafting by experts for $5. Free with your ad- 1-800-765-9055 mission are hundreds of varieties of apple, pear, cherry, plum and per- simmon scions; cuttings of grapes, kiwis, and figs to root; and experts to answer fruit growing questions. Cost: $7 per person (family $12) www.homeorchardsociety.org/ events Friday-Sunday March 24-26 18th Annual Northwest Horse Fair and Expo. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Linn County Fair and Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road, Albany, Ore. Three days of clinics, semi- nars and performances for horse enthusiasts. Cost: Adults $12 a day, children ages 6-12 $6 a day. Parking $4. www.equinepromo- tions.net Friday-Monday March 24-27 Oregon FFA State Convention. Deschutes Fair & Expo Center, 3800 S.E. Airport Way, Redmond, Ore. www.oregonffa.com Saturday, March 25 Clackamas Tree School. 8:15 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Clackamas Communi- ty College, Clairmont Hall Room 117, 19600 S Molalla Ave., Oregon City, Ore. Tree School attendees can learn about basic forestry from “A to Z” — tree identification, woodland man- agement, pest management, wildlife enhancement, chainsaw operations, safety and maintenance, truffle hunt- ing and cultivation, among many oth- er topics. Advanced sessions focus on business management, managing for timber, forest roads, wildlife and biodiversity. Cost is $50 per person in Clackamas County, $65 per person outside Clackamas County and $25 for youths 13-18 with an adult. http:// bit.ly/1Txt8Lk Tuesday, April 11 Do Your Kids Want the Business? Planning for Yes or No. 7:30 to 9 a.m. Hayden’s Lakefront Grill, 8187 SW Tu- alatin-Sherwood Road, Tuala- tin, Ore. Presented by Steve Bennett, Farleigh Wada Witt and the Austin Family Business Program, Oregon State Univer- sity. 800-859-7609, http://bit. ly/2h3k8Ck 2 years U.S. .................................$89.99 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. 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 marketplace.capitalpress.com www.facebook.com/capitalpress www.facebook.com/farmseller twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo Index California .............................. 10 Dairy .................................... 14 Idaho ...................................... 8 Markets ............................... 13 Opinion .................................. 6 Oregon .................................11 Washington ........................... 9 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.