2
CapitalPress.com
December 22, 2017
People & Places
Navigating cannabis policy’s complexities
Sunny Jones helps
Oregon producers
comply with state’s
new regulations
Western
Innovator
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
There’s no shortage of
confusion over Oregon’s can-
nabis rules.
Establishing a regulatory
regime for the crop has been
compared to building an air-
plane while it’s in mid-flight,
said Sunny Jones, cannabis
policy coordinator for the
Oregon Department of Agri-
culture.
“When you’re trying to
start an industry from the
ground up, there are going to
be some learning curves and
bumps in the road,” she said.
Jones is charged with help-
ing cannabis producers navi-
gate the byzantine regulatory
system they must traverse to
legally grow the crop.
Consider the complex lay-
ers of its legal status.
Varieties of the plant with
minuscule levels of THC, a
psychoactive substance, can
be grown for research pur-
poses as hemp under federal
law, but cultivars with high-
er levels of THC, which are
considered marijuana, remain
federally prohibited.
Nonetheless, Oregon has
legalized marijuana for medi-
cal and recreational purposes,
with both uses regulated dif-
ferently under state law.
Several state agencies are
involved in overseeing mar-
ijuana’s cultivation and sale,
including the Liquor Control
Commission, the Health Au-
thority and the Department of
Agriculture.
Regulating
pesticides
used on marijuana is within
ODA’s jurisdiction, as is the
food safety enforcement of
edible marijuana products and
the testing of scales used for
weighing the crop.
Meanwhile, the state’s li-
censing system for industrial
hemp is also administered by
ODA.
Managing change
If all this wasn’t compli-
cated enough, Oregon law-
makers are also continually
revising the state’s cannabis
laws as the industry finds its
legs.
“We’re only a few years
Sunny Jones
Occupation: Cannabis
policy coordinator for the
Oregon Department of
Agriculture
Age: 36
Education: Bachelor of
science in bioresource
research, Oregon State
University in 2003
Hometown: Salem, Ore.
Family: A partner and two
children
Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press
Sunny Jones, the cannabis policy coordinator for the Oregon Department of Agriculture, helps growers
navigate the complex regulatory system for marijuana and hemp.
in. It’s going to continue to
change,” said Jones, who be-
gan working as the agency’s
cannabis policy coordinator
in 2015, a year after Oregon
voters legalized recreational
marijuana.
Some aspects of the canna-
bis industry have evolved in
unexpected ways.
When Oregon lawmakers
legalized industrial hemp,
they expected the crop would
be primarily cultivated for oil-
seed and fiber.
Instead, most Oregon
hemp growers are focused
on cultivating hemp flowers,
which produce cannabidiol,
a non-psychoactive substance
thought to possess healthful
qualities.
At this point, Oregon
hemp farmers lack nearby
processing facilities for fiber
and oilseed, Jones said. “We
don’t have a lot of infrastruc-
ture for other uses.”
The production of cannabi-
diol extract from hemp is also
becoming intermixed with the
marijuana industry, as canna-
bis entrepreneurs are seeking
to create novel products by
combining the substance with
THC extract.
Such developments re-
quire Oregon lawmakers and
regulators to clarify how these
interactions are regulated,
Jones said.
Jones often fields questions
about pesticides and cannabis,
which is a tricky subject be-
cause the crop is illegal under
federal law.
Because no pesticides
are specifically labeled for
cannabis, growers can only
use products that aren’t sub-
ject to federal residue tol-
erance rules. The pesticides
must also be labeled for use
on a broad assortment of
plants, as opposed to distinct
crops.
Advice lacking
The federal illegality of
cannabis imposes a problem
for growers seeking agronom-
ic advice, since Oregon State
University’s Extension sys-
tem is prohibited from advis-
ing on the crop.
“Not having extension
services is hard,” Jones said.
“Who do you look to for the
best practices?”
The solution may be found
in cannabis farmers working
together.
Jones believes it may be
wise to form commodity com-
missions for hemp or marijua-
na, which would allow grow-
ers to pool resources and steer
research.
The cannabis community
isn’t limited to the “Birken-
stock, tie-dye crowd,” and
includes engineers and others
from diverse backgrounds,
she said.
“It’s really cool the wide
group of people I get to work
with on a regular basis,” Jones
said. “Community is a core
value for me as a person, and
I get to put that value into ac-
tion in this position.”
Community interactions
have played a significant role
in Jones’ career since she
graduated from OSU in 2003
with a bachelor’s degree in
bioresource research.
She initially advised peo-
ple on pesticides at the Na-
tional Pesticide Information
Center, then was hired by
ODA to run its pesticide use
reporting system.
The system never worked
well because of the disparity
between needed information
and farmers’ privacy interests
— the data was too general
to be useful while growers
chafed at reporting require-
ments.
When the program was
eventually scrapped, Jones
remained at ODA as a pesti-
cide investigator before tak-
ing the cannabis policy coor-
dinator job.
Though the pesticide use
reporting system wasn’t suc-
cessful, the experience has
proven valuable in her new
role.
“I’m used to jumping into
a position that hasn’t existed
before,” Jones said.
Capital Press
Established 1928
Board of directors
Mike Forrester
Steve Forrester
Kathryn Brown
Susan Rana
Mike Omeg
Corporate Officer
Heidi Wright
Chief Operating Officer
Capital Press Managers
Joe Beach ..................Editor & Publisher
Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director
Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor
Jessica Boone ........ Production Manager
Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager
Entire contents copyright © 2017
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.
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
Circulation ......................... 800-882-6789
Email ........ Circulation@capitalpress.com
Main line ........................... 503-364-4431
Fax ................................... 503-370-4383
Advertising Fax ................ 503-364-2692
News Staff
Idaho
Carol Ryan Dumas .......... 208-860-3898
Boise
Sean Ellis .......................... 208-914-8264
Cent. Washington
Dan Wheat ........................ 509-699-9099
W. Washington
Don Jenkins ...................... 360-722-6975
E Washington
Matthew Weaver .............. 509-688-9923
Oregon
George Plaven ................. 406-560-1655
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) .......... 800-882-6789
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
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
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 “Sub-
mit an Event.” Calendar items can
also be mailed to Capital Press,
1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR
97301 or emailed to newsroom@
capitalpress.com. Write “Calendar”
in the subject line.
Thursday, Jan. 4
Ag Tech Boot Camp. 9 a.m.-4
p.m. Roy F. Christensen Building,
Idaho State University campus,
Pocatello, Idaho. Presenters will
feature the latest innovations in crop
and livestock production. Sponsored
by University of Idaho Extension offi-
cials, private industry representatives
and state commodity group leaders.
Cost: $30
Friday, Jan. 5
Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop. 10
a.m.-noon. How to prune apple trees
in the tall spindle system and how to
prune peach trees. Details about lo-
cation will be provided to those who
RSVP Jeff Choate at jeff.choate@
oregonstate.edu or 541-344-1709.
Cost: Free
Friday-Wednesday
Jan. 5-10
2018 American Farm Bureau
Federation Convention and IDEAg
Trade Show. Gaylord Opryland Re-
sort and Convention Center, 2800
Opryland Drive, Nashville, Tenn. Cel-
ebrate the accomplishments of lead-
ers in agriculture and witness power-
ful keynote speakers in the general
sessions. Explore the IDEAg Trade
Show floor to gain a stronger indus-
try network, shop featured products,
learn about innovative technologies,
and enjoy TED-style talks on the Cul-
tivation Center stage. Website: http://
bit.ly/2iJS9t3
Tuesday-Wednesday
Jan. 9-10
Cropping Systems Conference.
7:30 a.m. Three Rivers Convention
Center, 7016 W Grandridge Blvd.,
Kennewick, Wash. The Conference
is sponsored by the Pacific North-
west Direct Seed Association, but it’s
not just for direct seeders. Besides
a robust selection of presentations, it
also offers six educational tracks and
a trade show. Website: www.direct-
seed.org/events/annual-conference
Tuesday-Thursday
Jan. 9-11
N. Willamette Horticulture Society
Conference and Trade Show. 8 a.m.-
4:15 p.m. Clackamas County Event
Center, 694 NE Fourth Ave., Canby,
Ore. This year’s conference will in-
clude a vegetable crops section on
Jan. 9, an organic section in Jan. 10
and a berry section on Jan. 11. Web-
site: http://nwhortsoc.com
Wednesday, Jan. 10
Developing or Expanding Your
Farm Stand or Agritourism Operation,
Part 3. 5-8 p.m. OSU Extension, Au-
ditorium, SOREC, 569 Hanley Road,
Central Point, Ore. Are you interested
in developing or expanding a farm
stand or agritourism operation? Jan.
10 is Accepting Food Stamps/SNAP/
EBT at a Farm Stand or CSA and
Feb. 6 is Starting a Farm Stand/Agri-
tourism Operation. Website: http://bit.
ly/JacksonSmallFarms
Wednesday-Friday
Jan. 10-12
Potato Expo 2018, 7:30 a.m.-9
p.m. Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Uni-
versal Blvd., Orlando, Florida. Over
the last 10 years, the Potato Expo has
gained the reputation as the best set-
ting for conducting business and get-
ting caught up on industry issues. Talk
about new equipment, products, tech-
nology and innovations in the potato
industry. Website: potato-expo.com
Thursday-Friday
Jan. 11-12
Oregon Essential Oil Growers
League Annual Conference. Salis-
han Lodge, 7760 US-101, Gleneden
Beach, Ore. This is the annual con-
ference of the Oregon mint industry.
GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE
www.oxarc.com
20 Northwest Locations
Website: oregonmint.org
Website: http://bit.ly/2BpzYNT
Monday, Jan. 15
Wednesday-Thursday
Jan. 17-18
Sheep Producer Workshop. Et-
chamendy Sheep Company, 24394
Highway 46, Wasco, Calif. The Cal-
ifornia Wool Growers Association is
hosting four interactive workshops
focusing on improving lamb market-
ing and quality as well as producer
profitability by applying innovative
management practices and technol-
ogies. To register contact the CWGA
office at info@woolgrowers.org or
(916) 444-8122.
Tuesday, Jan. 16
Sheep Producer Workshop. Em-
igh Livestock, 2838 Goose Haven
Road, Suisun City, Calif. California
Wool Growers Association is hosting
four interactive workshops focusing
on improving lamb marketing and
quality as well as producer profitabil-
ity by applying innovative manage-
ment practices and technologies. To
register contact the CWGA office at
info@woolgrowers.org or (916) 444-
8122.
Soil Health Workshop with Bren-
don Rockey & Steve Kenyon. 8 a.m.-
3 p.m. The Gathering Place, 510
South Main, Three Forks, Mont. We
have a number of great presenters
lined up throughout the week that will
share their own experiences in build-
ing and maintaining soil health. Cost:
$20. Website: http://bit.ly/2zGUuZC
Wednesday, Jan. 17
Sheep Producer Workshop. Chi-
co State University Sheep Unit, 311
Nicholas C Shouten Lane, Chico,
Calif. The California Wool Growers
Association is hosting four inter-
active workshops focusing on im-
proving lamb marketing and quality
as well as producer profitability.To
register contact the CWGA office
at info@woolgrowers.org or (916)
444-8122.
Soil Health Workshop Featuring
Brendon Rockey & Wendy Taheri.
8 a.m.-3 p.m. Holiday Inn, 1100 5th
St. S, Great Falls, Mont. Cost: $20.
Idaho Noxious Weed Confer-
ence. Riverside Hotel, 2900 W.
Chinden Blvd. Boise, Idaho. A va-
riety of presenters will offer infor-
mation important to weed control.
Website: www.idahoweedcontrol.org
Thursday, Jan. 18
Sheep Producer Workshop. UC
Hopland Research and Extension
Center, 4070 University Road, Hop-
land, Calif. To register contact the
CWGA office at info@woolgrowers.
org or (916) 444-8122.
Soil Health Workshop Featuring
Brendon Rockey & Steve Kenyon. 8
a.m.-3 p.m. Big Horn Resort, 1801
Majestic Lane, Billings, Mont. We
have a number of great presenters
lined up throughout the week that
will share their own experiences
in building and maintaining soil
health. Cost: $20. Website: http://bit.
ly/2zGUuZC
Friday, Jan. 19
SAIF Agri-Business Banquet.
6-9 p.m. Salem Convention Center,
200 Commercial St. SE, Salem, Ore.
The SAIF Agri-Business Banquet
is a celebration of the agricultural
community and its impact on the
mid-Willamette Valley. The Salem
Area Chamber of Commerce prior-
itizes hosting this event along with
title sponsor SAIF and presenting
sponsor KeyBank because agricul-
ture is a key part of Oregon’s econ-
omy. The banquet will feature guest
speaker Steve Gilliland’s humor,
inspiration and business insight.
There will also be recognition of an
outstanding FFA student for leader-
ship in shaping the future of the ag-
ricultural industry. Website: https://
salemchamber.org/
Soil Health Workshop Featuring
Brendon Rockey & Derek Axton. 8
a.m.-3 p.m. Richland County Fair-
grounds, 2118 W Holly St. Sidney,
Mont. We have a number of great
1-800-765-9055
presenters lined up throughout the
week that will share their own experi-
ences in building and maintaining soil
health. Cost: $20. Website: http://bit.
ly/2zGUuZC
Soil Health Workshop Featur-
ing Steve Kenyon & Wendy Taheri.
8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sleep Inn, 1006 S.
Haynes Ave., Miles City, Mont. We
have a number of great presenters
lined up throughout the week that will
share their own experiences in build-
ing and maintaining soil health. Cost:
$20. Website: http://bit.ly/2zGUuZC
Family Foresters Workshop. 8:30
a.m.-5 p.m. Coeur d’Alene Inn, 506
W Appleway Ave., Coeur d’Alene,
Idaho. The workshop, sponsored by
the University of Idaho and Wash-
ington State University, is for any
professionals that work with family
forest owners. Cost: $90 by Jan. 12.
Website: www.uidaho.edu/FamilyFor-
esterWorkshop
Saturday, Jan. 20
Sheep Producer Workshop —
Small Flocks. Flying Mule Farm,
11515 Joeger Road, Auburn, Calif.
This is the small flock version of the
workshop presented by the California
Wool Growers Association on improv-
ing lamb marketing and quality as well
as producer profitability. To register
contact the CWGA office at info@
woolgrowers.org or (916) 444-8122.
Tuesday-Thursday
Jan. 23-25
FSPCA Preventive Controls for
Human Food. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Riverside
Hotel, 2900 W. Chinden Blvd., Boise.
Food Safety Specialist and Assistant
Professor Jeff Kronenberg of Tech-
Help and the University of Idaho will
host a 2.5 Day FSPCA Preventive
Controls for Human Food Course
Jan. 23-25 in Boise. He will be joined
by Joshua Bevan, director of the
Food Technology Center in the Col-
lege of Agricultural Life and Sciences
at the University of Idaho. Cost: $725.
Website:
http://www.techhelp.org/
events/385/fspcaboise2018/
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
Dairy ...................................... 8
Livestock ............................. 14
Markets ............................... 13
Opinion .................................. 6
Wildfire ................................... 7
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.