4
CapitalPress.com
December 22, 2017
La Nina will tighten chilly grip on NW
Signals cold, wet winter
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
La Nina conditions, a harbin-
ger of a cold and wet winter in the
Northwest, have strengthened over
the past month in the Pacific Ocean,
the National Oceanic and Atmo-
spheric Administration reported this
week.
Below-average sea-surface tem-
peratures along the equator in the
central and eastern Pacific became
increasingly prominent, accord-
ing to NOAA’s monthly update on
ocean conditions.
Climatologists lean heavily on
ocean temperatures to make sea-
sonal forecasts. NOAA’s Climate
Prediction Center was scheduled
to issue a new three-month outlook
on Dec. 21.
The center already was forecast-
ing a relatively cold and wet Janu-
ary and February for Washington
and much of Oregon, Idaho and
Northern California.
During a La Nina, temperatures
are generally lower and precipita-
tion above normal in the northern
tier of the U.S. In the southern tier,
temperatures are generally above
average and precipitation is below
normal.
The report today confirmed
that La Nina conditions are like-
ly to persist throughout the winter.
NOAA rates the chances of La Nina
prevailing until the spring at 80 per-
cent, up from 75 percent last month.
La Nina’s odds of sticking
around have been improving
through the fall.
Average sea-surface tempera-
tures in the central equatorial Pacif-
ic, the region most closely watched
by climatologists, were down
0.8 degrees Celsius, according to
NOAA. Climatologists classified
current conditions as a “weak” La
Nina, but said they could strengthen
into a “moderate” La Nina.
El Nino, during which sea tem-
perature is above normal, usually
foreshadows a warm Northwest
winter. The unusually small snow-
pack that accumulated at higher
elevations in Washington in the
2015-16 winter came during an El
Nino. The low snowpack combined
with a hot and dry spring and sum-
mer led to one of state’s most severe
droughts.
FFA collects 350,000 pounds of food for needy families
Perrydale adviser
lands grant,
scholarship
By GEOFF PARKS
For the Capital Press
PERRYDALE, Ore. —
Perrydale High School’s ag
education and FFA programs
received a windfall of good
news this fall.
In addition to celebrating
the 20th anniversary of the
Food For All drive benefiting
families in need with a record
collection of 350,000 pounds
of food, the Perrydale FFA
Chapter adviser, Christina Lo-
renz, recently brought home a
national award and helped se-
cure a substantial state-funded
grant for the school’s ag edu-
cation program.
Perrydale’s ag program
was awarded $372,286 in
Revitalization Grant funds
from the Oregon Department
of Education, and fourth-year
teacher Lorenz was awarded
a Turn the Key Scholarship
during the recent National
Association of Agricultur-
al Educators convention in
Nashville.
The grant will be used to
upgrade the school’s ag ed-
ucation program. Lorenz’s
award is meant to be “a means
of encouraging young teach-
ers to remain in the profession
and recognize their partici-
pation in professional activi-
ties,” according to the NAAE.
Perrydale’s iconic Food
For All program has evolved
Geoff Parks/For the Capital Press
Left to right, Dylan Milburn, 14; Brodie Jager, 15; Courtney Reed, 12; Megan Freeborn, 14; Wyatt
Burg, 12; and Jessica Cruickshank, 15, load spaghetti squash into sacks from donated totes. Perry-
dale’s Food For All Program distributes food to the region’s needy.
into a concerted effort by the
FFA students in all of the
Lower Willamette FFA Dis-
trict — including Central,
Dallas, Willamina, Sheridan,
Perrydale, Amity, Dayton and
Yamhill-Carlton high schools
— in making a massive effort
in gathering, packaging and
distributing donated produce
to needy families.
The vegetables and pro-
duce collected and distributed
range from local rutabagas,
beets, parsnips and other root
vegetables to pears from the
Hood River area, potatoes from
Hermiston and even oranges
and fruit from area distributors.
Food For All was begun
in 1998 by former Perrydale
FFA adviser Kirk Hutchinson
with one donated tote of po-
tatoes. In 2015, over 260,000
pounds were collected and
last year the students collect-
ed and distributed 320,000
pounds.
All of Perrydale School
District’s students, from pre-
school to 12th grade, partici-
pate in the Food For All pro-
gram’s activities each year,
Lorenz said. What they get
out of the effort is much more
than just a chance to do some
hard work.
Students make eight to 10
trips to reach out to partners
prior to collection efforts, Lo-
renz said.
“The trips are beneficial
for a number of reasons,” she
said. “Students are getting out
from a school environment
and into a business setting and
are able to see how those busi-
nesses operate and to make a
sales pitch to them.”
Food For All works with
community outreach groups
NAAE
Christina Lorenz, the Perrydale High School agricultural teacher and
FFA adviser, recently received a plaque and scholarship from the Na-
tional Association of Agricultural Educators honoring her work.
to identify families in need
and distribute 40- to 50-pound
bags of food to them each
year. Food banks, local orga-
nizations such as the Knights
of Columbus, the Elks Club
and churches that adopt fami-
lies in need are all put into the
distribution mix.
“This project is amazing in
so many ways,” Lorenz said.
“But the most obvious way
is that it gives to families in
need and teaches students to
serve their communities and
pay it forward.”
Yakima woman receives USDA honor No help for hemp in Wash. budget proposal
Agency relies on surveys
Advocate says rules
smother young
industry
Capital Press
Judy Fulkerson of Yakima, Wash., has
been named Enumerator of the Year by the
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Ser-
vice’s Northwest Region.
Fulkerson was one of four enumerators
honored nationwide by USDA on Dec. 15.
Each year, the agency honors outstanding
enumerators employed by the National Asso-
ciation of State Departments of Agriculture.
There are about 3,000 enumerators who sur-
vey producers.
Fulkerson said it is a privilege to work
with people involved in Yakima Valley agri-
culture. “They are thinkers and doers. I love
that I have learned so much more about ag-
riculture above and beyond their answers to
my survey questions,” she said in a written
statement.
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
Judy Wilkerson
Enumerators are recognized for survey
quality, response rates, training and develop-
ment, and enhancing relations with the agri-
cultural community.
Data collection and public relations by
enumerators are keys to publishing timely,
accurate and useful information, according to
NASS.
The budget Washington
Gov. Jay Inslee will submit
to the 2018 Legislature does
not include money to save the
state’s hemp program.
The state Department of
Agriculture says it needs
$287,000 to oversee hemp
cultivation in 2018 and 2019.
Lawmakers could still pro-
vide the infusion of cash. But
as part of the Inslee adminis-
tration, WSDA won’t lobby
for the money.
“We understand the gover-
nor has to balance a lot of pri-
orities. We are supportive of
his budget,” WSDA spokes-
man Hector Castro said.
Washington last year
joined about 30 states that
allow the growing of hemp,
a federally controlled sub-
stance. Fees on farmers and
handlers are expected to pay
for WSDA supervision. De-
partment costs, however, are
far exceeding the money it
LEGAL
CHERRY AVENUE
STORAGE
WE SPECIALIZE IN BULK BAGS!
BAGS:
• Seed Bags
• Fertilizer Bags
• Feed Bags
• Potato Bags
• Printed Bags
• Plain Bags
• Bulk Bags
• Totes
• Woven Polypropylene
• Bopp
• Polyethylene
• Pocket Bags
• Roll Stock & More!
HAY PRESS SUPPORT:
• Hay Sleeves
• Strap
• Totes
• Printed or Plain
• Stretch Film
(ALL GAUGES)
WAREHOUSE
PACKAGING:
• Stretch Film
• Pallet Sheets
• Pallet Covers
LOCATIONS:
Albany, Oregon (MAIN OFFICE)
Ellensburg, Washington
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Phone: 855-928-3856
Fax: 541-497-6262
info@westernpackaging.com
.......................................................
CUSTOMER SERVICE
IS OUR TOP PRIORITY!
w w w. w e s t e r n p a c k a g i n g. c o m
51-3/100
2680 Cherry Ave. NE
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 399-7454
AUCTION
SAT., DEC. 30 TH
• 10 A.M.
• Unit AS-96 -
Alicia Barnes
• Unit 4 -
Jeremy VanDyke
• Unit 60 - Jeff Cheek
• Unit 98 - Kathy Lewis
• Unit 220-C -
Frias Construction
• Unit 222 -
Ranae Shante
Cherry Avenue Storage
reserves the right to
refuse any and all bids
51-3/999
Don Jenkins/Capital Press File
Hemp is planted June 6 in Grant County, Wash., the first year
cultivating the crop was legal in the state under the 2014 Farm Bill.
It may be the last unless the Legislature throws the young industry
a lifeline.
collects from the seven li-
cense holders.
Because of the shortfall,
WSDA has suspended issuing
new licenses. The current li-
censes begin expiring in June.
The department says the bud-
get gap is too large to simply
raise fees.
Moses Lake Republican
Sen. Judy Warnick, whose
district had the state’s largest
hemp farm last summer, said
she hoped that lawmakers
will appropriate the money
for hemp.
Lawmakers in 2016 allo-
cated $145,000 to start the
program. Warnick noted that
private money also has been
invested in building a Wash-
ington hemp industry.
“I’m surprised that it
wasn’t included in the gov-
ernor’s budget because it’s
a new crop that could have a
huge impact,” Warnick said.
“We’ve got farmers trying to
grow it and trying to do the
right thing.”
The 2014 Farm Bill autho-
rized state-supervised hemp
cultivation and processing.
Washington, already risking
the ire of federal officials with
recreational marijuana, strove
to stay within federal rules.
In the process, it has fallen
behind states with looser reg-
ulations.
Hemp advocate Joy Beck-
erman said Washington will
need to relax the rules to give
hemp a chance to prosper.
“We are overly regulated
here in Washington state,”
Beckerman said. “We need to
change the rules.”
Even if lawmakers give the
hemp program a reprieve, re-
forms are needed, she said.
“If we don’t change the
law to allow for CBD ex-
traction and remove the most
burdensome and unnecessary
regulations, basically it’s a
non-starter,” Beckerman said.
“There are too many barriers
to entry.”
Farmers must buy a license
to grow hemp and pay for reg-
ular inspections and testing
by WSDA. Seeds can only be
obtained through WSDA. The
department has no plans, or
funding, to rewrite the regu-
lations.
A total of 175 acres of hemp
were cultivated in Washington
in 2017, compared to 3,469
acres in Oregon, according
to the advocacy group Hemp
Vote. Colorado led all states
with more than 9,000 acres.