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July 21, 2017 CapitalPress.com 3 OSU research, extension to lose 17 positions Reduction will likely be achieved through retirements, job changes By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Oregon State Universi- ty’s agricultural research and extension programs stand to lose the equivalent of 17 posi- tions under a budget recently approved by state lawmakers. However, the outlook is much improved from earli- er this year, when a budget proposed by Gov. Kate Brown would have resulted in an even sharper reduction of research and extension positions, ac- cording to university leaders. The Legislature approved a 4.7 percent increase, to $66 Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press Dan Arp, left, dean of Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, speaks with Scott Reed, director of OSU’s Extension Service, about state funding for the programs. million, for OSU’s agricultur- al experiment stations and a 4.6 percent increase, to $47.7 million, for the OSU Extension Service in the 2017-2019 bien- nium. Due to the increasing cost of salaries and benefits, though, each program would need an increase of 7.9 percent just to maintain current service levels. The equivalent of 17 po- sitions must be cut due to the funding gap, but the university doesn’t expect to lay off re- searchers or extension agents. Rather, positions will be left va- cant as people retire or change jobs, said Dan Arp, dean of the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences. “We will be able to manage this with the normal attrition,” Arp said. In early 2017, when the state government was facing a $1.8 billion budget shortfall, Brown recommended keeping OSU’s agricultural research and extension budgets flat. Under that scenario, OSU would have probably been forced to lay people off, said Arp. “It would have been diffi- cult to manage that by attrition alone.” In OSU’s 2015-2017 bud- get, the agricultural research and extension programs re- ceived a hefty funding boost that allowed for hiring new faculty dedicated to several priorities: working landscapes, water, value-added products, workforce development and food safety. Those “priority” research- ers and extension agents won’t be affected by the reduction in positions, said Scott Reed, director of OSU’s Extension Service. “This is not a last in, first out budget management thing,” Reed said. Losing the equivalent of 17 positions is nonetheless a hin- drance for OSU, particularly since researchers bring in addi- tional money from grants, said Arp. “Fewer positions, fewer people out there leveraging dollars,” he said. Similarly, as there are fewer extension agents, those who re- main employed by OSU must cover larger service areas and are spread more thinly across the state, said Reed. Fortunately, voters in 26 counties have approved tax districts that raise funds for extension through modest property tax increases, he said. “That’s because of the support of the citizens of the state.” In the 2017 legislative ses- sion, OSU also secured the authority to sell $9 million in bonds to help pay for a new 27,000-square-foot Fermen- tation Sciences and Research Center on the edge of its cam- pus in Corvallis. The university can only sell those bonds once it rais- es a matching $9 million in matching funds. The Tillamook County Creamery Association has al- ready pledged $1.5 million to the new building, which will feature dairy, wine and beer fermentation plants as well as joint cold storage and retail facilities. Construction of the center is expected to begin within a year and a half. Hazelnut group picks Oregon Aglink’s Horning as CEO Feds’ assurances on Puget Sound tribe’s reach pleases farm group By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press Geoff Horning, who di- rected Oregon Aglink for the past 11 years, has been chosen CEO of Oregon Ha- zelnut Industries, which represents one of the state’s fastest growing agricultural sectors. “Mom always said I was a little nuts, and I suppose that is official now,” Horn- ing joked in an email an- nouncing the change. Horning starts Sept. 1. He replaces Polly Owen, who is retiring and applauds her replacement. “I’m good with it,” said Owen, who will stay on for a time to help Horning tran- sition into the position. She said hazelnut growers and processors did a national search and called Horning a “wonderful” choice. He will be introduced Aug. 2 at the Nut Growers Society Summer Tour. The event includes an orchard tour in the Tangent area fol- lowed by a hazelnut-orient- ed trade show and luncheon at the Linn County Expo Center in Albany. Horning is an Oregon na- tive and a graduate of Lin- field College. Before join- ing Oregon Aglink, a private nonprofit that promotes agriculture and attempts to bridge the urban-rural divide with programs and events, he managed trade shows and publications for the Oregon Association of Nurseries. In taking the hazelnut position, Horning joins a Tribe leader: No reason for alarm By DON JENKINS Capital Press A Washington farm group says it’s relieved federal of- ficials have made clear that a north Puget Sound tribe’s new constitution doesn’t expand the tribe’s jurisdiction to privately owned farmland, a concern that the tribe’s chairman says was overblown. The Interior Department approved July 7 a proposal by the Swinomish Indian tribe to delete references in its constitu- tion to reservation boundaries set in 1873. Instead, the con- stitution will more generally describe the tribe’s territory to Don Jenkins/Capital Press include “accustomed fishing A farm harvests alfalfa in Skagit County, Wash. The Interior Department has OK’d a broader definition grounds.” of a Puget Sound tribe’s jurisdiction, but has assured farmers, businesses, homeowners and county Bureau of Indian Affairs officials that the new definition doesn’t expand the tribe’s authority over non-tribal lands. Northwest director Stanley County officials went to Cladoosby said that the BIA Speaks told the tribe in a letter jurisdiction isn’t expanded be- that the constitutional amend- yond the boundaries of the res- merely confirmed that the tribe Washington, D.C., and lobbied has no interest in controlling Interior Department officials, ment won’t expand the tribe’s ervation,” Baron said. asking for a statement that the The tribe has had a con- farmland. territory. The letter responded “Hopefully, people’s fears agency doesn’t view the tribe’s to concerns of farmers, home- tentious relationship with ag- owners, businesses and Skagit riculture, worsened by What’s will now be relieved,” he said. new constitution as an expan- “The Swinomish has zero sion of authority. County commissioners that Upstream, a tribe-organized “I think this was a good the tribe would use the new campaign to restrict farming jurisdiction over ag land, and description of its authority to near water, The campaign was we want to keep it that way,” outcome for us,” said county gain control over land outside funded by a grant from the En- Cladoosby said. “Agriculture Commissioner Ron Wesen, a vironmental Protection Agen- is a necessary, important indus- dairy farmer. its 7,000-acre reservation. Wesen said expanded tribal try to the economy of Skagit Skagit Family Farmers di- cy. jurisdiction could hinder the “People would like to be- County.” rector Gerald Baron said Friday Cladoosby said the constitu- operations of drainage systems, that Speaks’ letter satisfied the lieve we are anti-ag,” tribe Chairman Brian Cladoosby tional amendment clarifies that which make farming possible group’s worries. “What it does, as far as said Friday. “We just want peo- the tribe has jurisdiction over in much of the county. Tide- we’re concerned, is make clear ple to understand ag has a re- its members exercising their gate maintenance has been the that the position of the federal sponsibility like everybody else hunting, fish and gathering source of litigation between the treaty rights off the reservation. tribe and a drainage district. government is that the tribe’s for the environment.” segment of Oregon agri- culture that has grown dramatically in the past two decades and Geoff potentially Horning could become more of an in- ternational player. Oregon produces an estimated 99 percent of U.S. hazelnuts and appears poised to grab a larger share of the world market from Turkey, by far the largest production area. Horning cautioned that he faces a “huge learn- ing curve” in his new job but hopes to help position the industry “to be what it should be on the internation- al scale.” Oregon produces 3 to 5 percent of the world’s hazelnuts but the majority of production is of in-shell nuts, which are popular as a snack in markets such as China. Industry observers have mused for years about adding value by increasing kernel production; shelled, dry-roasted Oregon hazel- nuts sell for $7.99 a pound in stores such as Trader Joe’s. Conversations with growers and processors made it clear “an opportu- nity does present itself,” Horning said. He called ha- zelnuts “one of the most ex- citing segments of Oregon agriculture.” “I don’t have a big agen- da to come in and change everything,” he said. “It’s fair to say the hazelnut in- dustry is going through im- mense growth.” Scotts claims significant progress in killing GE bentgrass in Oregon By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press ONTARIO, Ore. — Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. is reporting significant progress in elimi- nating genetically engineered creeping bentgrass plants from Malheur and Jefferson counties in Oregon. “We’re making a tremen- dous dent in the population of bentgrass right now,” said Danielle Posch, a senior re- search specialist with Scotts. She was hired by Scotts in March to coordinate efforts to control the plant with local farmers, ranchers and irriga- tion districts. The creeping bentgrass was genetically engineered by Scotts and Monsanto Corp. to withstand applications of gly- phosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer, which makes it hard to kill. It took root in Malheur and Jefferson coun- ties after escap- ing field trials in 2003 and some farmers worry the plants could Danielle clog irrigation Posch ditches and af- fect shipments of crops to nations that don’t accept traces of genetically modified organisms. Malheur County farmer Dan Andersen said Scotts is making real progress in con- trolling the plant. “They’re doing a good job of staying right on top of it,” said Andersen, co-chairman of a working group of farm- ers, irrigation district repre- sentatives and others that was created in Malheur County to coordinate with Scotts in its continuing efforts to try to control the plant. Eastern Oregon farmer Bruce Corn, a member of the Owyhee Irrigation District’s NEW ITEMS! 1 1 / 2 QT. BASKETS and (3) PINT TRAYS to be vigilant keeping an eye out for it and not letting our guard down.” Posch said efforts to fight the plant got a significant boost earlier this year when the Environmental Protection Agency approved a special local need label for Reckon, an herbicide that is effective in controlling the bentgrass. The special label will al- low growers and irrigation districts to spray glufosinate, the active ingredient in Reck- on and the most effective HERITAGE PARK 3995 Brooklake Rd. NE • Brooks, OR 97303 Trains-Trolley Rides Vintage & Antique Tractors 15 Museums & Heritage Groups Quilt Show & Swap Me et 29-30 & Aug. 5-6 Great Food & Family Fun! Kids 12 & under FREE! $12.00 General Admission Delivery Available 29-2/#7 2561 Pringle Rd. SE Salem, OR herbicide for killing the bent- grass, over water during the growing season. That chemical previous- ly could only be used over waterways, such as canals, during a period before the be- ginning of the growing season or after canals were dry. The plants weren’t grow- ing during those times, which made it harder to kill them be- cause they didn’t take up the chemical, Posch said. Being able to use Reckon over waterways during the POWERLAND July 503-588-8313 Call for Pricing. Subject to stock on hand. board of directors, agrees. He said he used to have several of the plants on his property “but it’s really hard to find one on my place now. There’s definite prog- ress. I think so far Scotts is doing a pretty good job on it.” Andersen is not overly hopeful the plant will ever be eradicated from the area, “but I think we’ll be able to get to a point where it’s minor and very manageable,” he said. “But we’re still going to have www.antiquepowerland.com entire year is a game-changer in efforts to combat the GE creeping bentgrass, Posch said. “In my opinion, it’s a god- send,” Andersen said. Scotts has also started a voucher program that pro- vides growers with the plant on their property with free, 2.5-gallon containers of Reckon. For more information about that program, contact Posch by email at danielle. posch@scotts.com.
