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CapitalPress.com
June 15, 2018
Cannabis testing reveals biopesticide contamination
Oregon regulators
issue six ‘stop sale’
orders in past year
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
Mandatory testing of can-
nabis in Oregon has revealed
several biopesticides contam-
inated with more highly reg-
ulated chemicals, prompting
regulators to halt sales of the
products.
The problem has led the
Oregon Department of Agri-
culture to believe such con-
tamination probably is not lim-
ited to marijuana, this state or a
certain pesticide product.
“In a way, this kind of
tipped us off that we could be
seeing this in other crops,” said
Rose Kachadoorian, ODA’s
pesticide registration and cer-
tification leader. “These pesti-
cides are marketed nationally.”
To complicate the situation,
such contamination renders the
pesticides adulterated and mis-
branded under Oregon law but
it’s allowable under a federal
policy adopted two decades
ago by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
Before 1996, the EPA con-
sidered any level of impurity
“toxicologically significant,”
but then the agency changed
its policy to allow up to 1,000
parts per million of contamina-
tion by certain other pesticides.
The federal policy recog-
nizes that low-level contami-
nation may occur at large fa-
cilities that aren’t dedicated to
one chemical and it’s primar-
ily concerned with toxicity to
plants, Kachadoorian said.
Oregon and other states
are urging the EPA to recon-
sider this “pesticide regula-
tion notice,” or PR notice, to
potentially exclude organic
biopesticides from the policy,
or herbicides sprayed over the
top of genetically engineered
crops, she said.
Contamination with an her-
bicide to which a crop isn’t
resistant could damage the
plant, while prohibited resi-
dues could result in rejection
by domestic or foreign buyers,
Kachadoorian said.
“It happens all the time that
retailers are testing,” she said.
If a grower sprays a pes-
ticide that’s labeled to have a
short duration but the product
is contaminated with a lon-
ger-lasting chemical, then the
crop could exceed “tolerance”
levels for the latter substance,
Kachadoorian said. In other
cases, the product may have
no “tolerance” level for the
contaminant.
“We’re concerned about
truth in labeling,” she said.
Recreational and medical
marijuana must undergo test-
ing in Oregon.
The biopesticide issue
came to light when a cannabis
grower was adamant that he
hadn’t used a permethrin pes-
ticide for which his marijuana
had tested positive.
It turned out the neem oil
he’d applied as a biopesticide
was contaminated. ODA con-
ducted additional tests of other
containers to confirm the im-
purity.
When contacted about the
problem, the pesticide manu-
facturer pointed to EPA’s pol-
icy, Kachadoorian said. “We
had never heard of that and
none of the other states we are
dealing with had heard about
this.”
Over the past year, ODA
has issued “stop sale” orders
for six biopesticide products
due to contamination discov-
ered during cannabis testing.
Four of the products were de-
rived from neem seeds and one
was a pyrethrum concentrate.
The contaminants included
permethrin, bifenthrin, cyper-
methrin, cyfluthrin, chlorpyri-
fos, fenpropathrin, lambda-cy-
halothrin, piperonyl butoxide
and MGK-264, none of which
were listed on the labels.
In the past, companies have
spiked biopesticides with more
powerful synthetic chemicals,
Kachadoorian said. “That was
certainly one of the things we
looked at, because we’ve seen
it before.”
However, manufacturers
involved in the six “stop sale”
orders were established firms
that weren’t considered likely
to purposely adulterate their
products, she said.
The ODA hopes that com-
panies continue to thoroughly
follow their equipment clean-
out procedures despite the
EPA’s pesticide regulation pol-
icy, she said. “Are they using
this PR notice as intended or
are they using it a little more
broadly?”
The six products that ODA
found to be contaminated re-
main listed for organic produc-
tion by the Organic Materials
Review Institute, which is pre-
vented by confidentiality from
disclosing whether they’re un-
der investigation.
Apple sales still behind targets
By DAN WHEAT
Capital Press
YAKIMA, Wash. — With
wholesale prices of Red De-
licious and Gala apples inch-
ing up but still at “unhealthy
levels” and other mainstream
varieties not doing much bet-
ter, it’s been a “very tough
year” for Washington apple
growers, particularly small
growers, a leading industry
observer says.
“If you are a small grower
with the wrong varieties, it’s a
very bad year,” says Desmond
O’Rourke, retired Washington
State University agricultur-
al economist in Pullman and
world apple analyst.
The main reason is too
many apples. Washington’s
total 2017 fresh crop was
estimated at 134.4 million,
40-pound boxes on June 1,
down 688,000 boxes or about
one-half a percent from a
month ago. While 9 million
less than the record 143.6
million-box crop of 2014, this
year’s crop is part of a large
U.S. fresh crop that had 24
percent more apples left to
sell on June 1 than a year ear-
lier.
U.S. fresh holdings on
June 1 were 31.6 million box-
es with Washington holding
26.8 million. Washington’s
Courtesy of Lynn Howlett Photography
Luo Linquan, China’s consul general in San Francisco, speaks with
Bryan Harper, a hazelnut grower and member of the Oregon Board
of Agriculture, as Larry George of the George Packing Co. looks on
in the background. The Chinese diplomat met with hazelnut industry
representatives June 8 in Silverton, Ore., to discuss trade relations.
Hazelnut growers find
common ground with
Chinese diplomat
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
Oregon hazelnut grow-
ers hope their shared affini-
ty for agriculture with a top
Chinese diplomat will create
some goodwill in high-stakes
trade negotiations.
Luo Linquan, China’s
consul general in San Fran-
cisco, met June 8 with about
15 farmers in Silverton, Ore.,
to learn about the hazelnut
industry and how it’s affect-
ed by turbulent trade rela-
tions between the U.S. and
China.
“The farmers who were
there really made a connec-
tion with the consul gener-
al because he grew up on a
farm,” said Larry George,
president of hazelnut pro-
cessor George Packing. “He
realized he had a lot of con-
nection with them and told
his story of growing up on a
farm.”
Linquan heads one of five
Consulate General offices in
the U.S. His diplomatic ju-
risdiction includes Oregon,
Washington, Northern Cali-
fornia, Nevada and Alaska.
At a time of trade tensions
between the two countries,
the meeting will hopefully
prove to be a “huge coup”
in putting a human face to
the local hazelnut industry,
George said.
“It’s really important to
have someone who has vis-
ited with growers directly,”
said George. “He is a very
high-ranking official who is
involved in these discussions
with Beijing.”
Even before the recent
strain in trade relations be-
tween the U.S. and China,
Oregon hazelnut farmers
weren’t in a competitive po-
sition to export directly to
that country. China imposed
a 25 percent tariff on in-shell
hazelnuts from the U.S. as
well as a 14.5 percent val-
ue-added tax.
To compare, in-shell U.S.
pistachios are subject to a 5
percent tariff, and in-shell
hazelnuts from Chile face no
tariff.
As a result, the domestic
hazelnut industry has long
shipped the crop to Hong
Kong and other neighboring
countries, such as Vietnam,
where it’s trans-shipped to
China.
In April, China raised the
tariff on in-shell U.S. hazel-
nuts by 15 percentage points
in addition to raising duties
on other agricultural goods
from the U.S.
The change prompted
more U.S. exporters to at-
tempt trans-shipments into
China rather than selling
directly into that market,
bringing increased scrutiny
from Chinese officials who
want to prevent products
from side-stepping its tax
structure.
The effect is a smaller
export pipeline for Oregon
hazelnuts, roughly half of
which are exported, George
said.
“Long term, this conver-
sation had to happen, but
short term, it could have a
very negative impact on the
2018 crop,” he said.
Before the recent tariff
hike, the hazelnut industry
had no direct contact with the
Chinese government, said
Terry Ross, executive direc-
tor of the Hazelnut Industry
Bargaining Association.
Since the increase, hazel-
nut industry representatives
have attended a meeting at
the Consulate General’s of-
fice in San Francisco and
Ross has been invited to
speak at the China Interna-
tional Tree Nut Conference
in August.
“The Chinese govern-
ment is engaged, the U.S.
government is engaged and
we hope something will
come to fruition prior to har-
vest,” said Ross. “It’s been
a blessing in disguise at this
point.”
crop was 77.8 percent shipped
as of June 1 versus 80.1 per-
cent at the same time last year
and 81.5 percent two years
ago.
Weekly movement has
slowed from 3 million box-
es in mid-May to 2.2 million
boxes in the first full week
of June as retail competition
from summer fruit increases.
Washington shippers still
are 12 million boxes behind
their targets, which means a
substantial amount still needs
to be diverted to processing
for juice, sauce and baking
ingredients and some Granny
Smith will be carried over into
the next season, said Charles
Zeutenhorst, general manager
of First Fruits Marketing of
Washington in Yakima.
The 12 million is probably
actually much lower because
industry numbers aren’t ad-
justed for repacking, he said.
Harvest timing of the 2018
crop looks normal, he said. If
it were early it would exacer-
bate the carryover.
Harvest starts with Gala in
August and ends with Cripps
Pink and other late varieties in
early November. Controlled
atmosphere storage allows 13
to 14 months of sales.
Season-to-date, all Wash-
Busy peak fire season likely in NW, Intermountain regions
By BRAD CARLSON
Capital Press
Wash.
BOISE — Wildfire fore-
casters expect a busy season
in the Northwest and Inter-
mountain regions through
August, thanks to early dry
conditions and a healthy crop
of fine fuels.
This year’s growth of grass
and brush and a substantial
carryover from 2017 should
contribute to continued ex-
pansion of wildfire activity
in July and August in the re-
gion as these fuels continue
to dry out, the National Inter-
agency Fire Center said in its
June-September forecast.
“As soon as those grasses
dry out, there is going to be a
lot of fuel for wildfires,” said
Jennifer Smith, U.S. Bureau
of Land Management public
affairs specialist at NIFC.
Four fairly small range
fires ignited southwest of Boi-
se June 5 and were contained
shortly thereafter. Subse-
quently, rain has spurred more
growth of grasses and brush,
Smith said.
“When that dries out, there
is more potential for fire activ-
ity,” she said. “That depends
on whether there are ignition
sources — dry lightning or
human causes.”
Conditions are expected to
be mostly hot, dry and breezy
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Dan Wheat/Capital Press
A worker tosses fruitlet apples over her left shoulder as she thins
Kanzi apples in Mt. View Orchard, East Wenatchee, Wash., on
May 31. Thinning aids the growth of 2018 apples while shippers
push to sell the 2017 crop.
ington varieties average
$22.95 per box. With Hon-
eycrisp excluded it’s $20.53,
O’Rourke said. Including
renewal costs such as updat-
ing with new varieties, break-
even is about $20, he said.
The eight mainstream va-
rieties average $19.77 while
proprietary varieties average
$42.14, he said.
USDA tracking of Yaki-
ma and Wenatchee shippers
showed Red Delicious extra
fancy (standard grade) medi-
um size 80 and 88 apples per
packed box at $15 to $17 on
June 11, up for the second
month in a row, reflecting
good exports.
Gala stayed fairly even
on 80s at $18 to $25 versus
$18 to $24 a month ago. Gala
moved up $1 on 88s to $17 to
$23 from $16 to $22 a month
ago.
Golden Delicious stayed
even at $20 to $26 on 80s for
the third month in a row and
even at $19 to $22 on 88s for
the second month.
Fuji stayed even at $18 to
$24 on 80s for the third month
in a row and went up $1 on the
high end for 88s at $16 to $21.
Granny Smith fell $5 on
80s from $24 to $30 a month
ago to $19 to $25. It fell on
88s from $20 to $26 a month
ago to $17 to $24.
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Mont.
Ore.
Idaho
Calif.
Projected
wildland fire
potential,
August 2018
Nev.
Utah
The areas marked in red
indicate a greater than usual
likelihood that significant
wildland fires will occur.
Above normal
wildfire conditions
Source: National Interagency Fire Center
Alan Kenaga/Capital Press
in coming weeks across the
Four Corners region and
northward, elevating wildfire
risk, Smith said.
NIFC’s forecast said parts
of California, Washington
and Oregon received less
than half the normal precipi-
tation in May, jump-starting
the fuel-drying process. A dry
spring may offset Washing-
ton’s near-normal snowpack,
allowing mountain fuels to
become critically dry by July,
the forecast said. Later in July,
Northern Rockies fuels that
grew strongly during the re-
gion’s wet spring and follow a
snowy winter should be dried
out at lower and middle eleva-
tions.
The healthy fine-fuel crop
elevates fire potential through
August and early September
across many lower and mid-
dle elevations from the central
Great Basin and California
north to Canada, NIFC said.
Higher mountain elevations
also may see greater fire po-
tential should warmer and
drier-than-average conditions
develop as expected.
Central Oregon’s moderate
drought has persisted through
May. NIFC is watching the
area for possible intensifica-
tion and expansion of drought
in coming months. Drought
also lingered in eastern Mon-
tana.
Drier-than-average condi-
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tions are expected to devel-
op across much of the West
starting this month and lasting
through September, the NIFC
forecast said.
In the Northwest, NIFC
expects normal significant fire
potential in June. July should
see above-normal significant
large-fire potential in south-
east Washington and south-
ern and north central Oregon.
Above-normal conditions are
likely in August and Septem-
ber east of the Cascade Range
in Washington and Oregon.
Southeastern Oregon is ex-
pected to return to normal sig-
nificant wildland fire potential
in September.
The Northern Rockies
should transition from normal
significant wildland fire poten-
tial in June to above normal in
July, NIFC said, from north
central Montana west through
Idaho’s northern panhandle.
This does not include the Bea-
verhead Deer Lodge National
Forest in southwest Montana.
But above-normal potential
will spread to include south
central Montana in August and
September.
NIFC said the Northern
Rockies figures to still be dry-
ing out through mid-July due
to above-average snowpack
and recent rain. Heavy fine fu-
els should be dry by mid July
at lower elevations in northern
Idaho and west central Mon-
tana. Higher elevations are ex-
pected to be drier than average
in the second half of July —
thus the increase to above-nor-
mal significant wildland fire
potential in Idaho as well as
western and central Montana.
But wildfire potential
should be closer to normal in
southwest Montana and Yel-
lowstone National Park as an
active summer monsoon sea-
son helps keep precipitation
and temperature near average
in July and August despite
abundant lightning, NIFC said.