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CapitalPress.com
July 20, 2018
Fruit leader offers immigration solution
By DAN WHEAT
Capital Press
Congress will never pass
immigration reform but there is
a solution that could work, says
the president of the California
Fresh Fruit Association.
Congress could pass the
portions it’s comfortable with,
E-verify and border protection,
and the president could do the
rest, guestworker reform and
legal status for existing domes-
tic workers, through a trade or
executive agreement with the
new president of Mexico.
That’s the idea of George
Radanovich, president of the
California Fresh Fruit Associ-
ation in Fresno and the former
Republican congressman of
California’s 19th District from
1995 to 2011.
“We could end illegal im-
migration once and for all with
E-verify (electronic verification
of employment eligibility) and
border protection but to do that
we need a guestworker pro-
gram and adjusting the status of
those here. Congress will never
do that,” Radanovich said.
His solution: Congress does
what it can.
And at near the
same time, the
president does
the rest.
A
trade
or executive
George
agreement be-
Radanovich tween Presi-
dent Donald
Trump and new Mexican Pres-
ident Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador would not need con-
gressional approval and would
be on more solid legal standing
than the Deferred Action on
Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
that former President Barack
Obama did by executive order,
Radanovich said.
Obama did his Iran deal
through an executive agree-
ment and it was upheld in court,
he said.
A future president could
undo such an agreement, as
Trump undid the Iran deal, but
it can be hard to undo, he said.
“I was in Washington for
16 years and this thought never
occurred to me. It’s never been
thought of before when histor-
ically initial guestworker pro-
grams have been functions of
the executive branch,” he said.
Trump has domestic policy
advisors who either don’t want
a responsible end to the issue or
won’t allow illegal Mexicans to
stay in the country, Radanovich
said.
“The president has to decide
if he wants to end illegal immi-
gration once and for all that he
has to take the initiative with
Mexico,” he said.
Mexico has a trade agree-
ment with Canada that allows
Mexicans to go to and from
Canada to work, he said.
Guestworkers could even
be charged an entry fee at the
border to help pay for a border
wall, he said.
He said he’s talked to mem-
bers of Congress, administra-
tion and Mexican embassy of-
ficials who are interested.
“It’s really a solution
where there are not many
out there,” he said. “It’s the
only way to resolve it without
harming western agriculture.
Seventy percent of specialty
agriculture requiring labor
is in the West. If anyone can
come up with a better plan, I’d
dare them.”
Shepherd’s Grain brings farmers, customers together
Two positions opening on
Oregon Board of Agriculture Manager expects
Capital Press
Farmers and ranchers are
encouraged to apply for two
positions that are opening on
the Oregon Board of Agri-
culture, a 10-member body
that advises the Oregon De-
partment of Agriculture on
policy.
Candidates must be ac-
tively engaged in producing
agricultural
commodities
and have until July 30 to
submit applications to Or-
egon Gov. Kate Brown’s
executive appointments of-
fice, along with a resumé,
biography and statement of
interest.
Application materials can
be found online at www.or-
egon.gov/gov/admin/Pages/
How_To_Apply.aspx. Board
members can serve up to two
terms of four years.
Alexis Taylor, ODA’s
director, said the board is
intended to represent the di-
versity of Oregon agriculture
and reflect diversity in age,
gender, race and sexual ori-
entation.
The board provides “in-
valuable” insights and lead-
ership to the department, she
said. “Having that touch-
point with real farmers and
ranchers keeps us grounded
at ODA.”
Agricultural water qual-
ity, solar developments on
farmland and regulation of
canola are among the key is-
sues that the board will like-
ly be advising the agency in
the near future, she said.
As she makes recom-
mendations to the governor,
Taylor said she hopes to put
forth a candidate from the
Klamath basin to replace
outgoing member Tracey
Liskey, a farmer from that
region.
The board does have
members from Central and
Eastern Oregon, but the
Klamath area faces distinct
challenges, she said. “That’s
the amazing thing about Or-
egon but also challenging
sometimes.”
Managing conflicts be-
tween different crops and
types of agriculture — such
as marijuana and hemp, cano-
la and related crops as well
as genetically engineered or-
ganisms and organic crops —
will probably continue being
one of the major challenges
facing the board, Liskey said.
“Coexistence is the big is-
sue,” he said.
During his eight years on
the board, Liskey has seen
ODA shift its water quali-
ty enforcement from being
complaint-driven to more
proactive.
Board members should
make sure the agency ensures
regulations are workable and
landowners receive help with
compliance, he said. “More
carrots and less hammer.”
Liskey said he hopes his
replacement will come from
a rural part of Oregon and
have a conventional agricul-
tural background.
“I think we need to en-
sure the niche markets aren’t
over-represented,” he said.
Laura Masterson, the
other outgoing member and
farmer near Portland, like-
wise said her seat should be
filled by someone who’s ex-
perienced with small, organ-
ic and direct-market agricul-
ture but also has “curiosity
and diplomacy” about other
farming sectors.
During her eight years on
the board, Masterson said
she’s tried to expose other
members and ODA staff to
farmers serving organic and
niche markets, who often
have a different perspective
on policy issues.
“The flip side is I got to
see types of production I
never would have,” she said.
While membership on the
board helps “build bridges”
between various types of
farmers, it’s still tough for
members to “balance natu-
ral resources and economic
vitality in the state,” Master-
son said.
LEGAL
ODESSA PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
CALL FOR BIDS – PROPERTY SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that separate sealed bids will be received
by the Odessa Public Development Authority (OPDA) for purchase
of a 28,000 sq. ft. industrial building located at 206 W. Railroad Ave,
Odessa, WA 99159. Legal Description: Tract 1 Odessa Union Sp Steel
Flathouse B/170 Adjoining 12 Ft North Line Qcd 457023. This
building was once a grain storage flat house then converted to a
large warehouse/office space in 2006. Restrooms and office space
occupy 3,000 sq. ft. of the building. Additional 60’ of property
extends west of the building. The site would be suitable primarily
for industrial or ag-related commercial/industrial development as
permitted by zoning.
Sealed bids will be received until 12:00 noon (PDT) August 20,
2018 at which time they will be held until opened and publicly read
aloud at the OPDA Board Meeting, August 20, 2018, 7:00 p.m.,
located at the Odessa Hospital Guild Room, 503 Amende St., Odessa,
WA 99159.
Bids shall be mailed prior to bid opening to P.O. Box 763, Odessa,
WA. 99159 or hand delivered prior to bid opening to: 207 W. First
Avenue, Odessa, WA no later than 12:00 pm on August 20, 2018. All
bids must meet a minimum price of $305,000 to be considered.
Questions regarding the project may be directed to Stacey
Rasmussen, stacey@odessapda, 509-348-0090. Odessa Public
Development Authority, Kim Ramm, President
28-2-3/999
growing demand
for company’s flour
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
REARDAN, Wash. —
Shepherd’s Grain, a farm-
er-owned company based in
the Northwest, brought farm-
ers and bakers together at the
same table this week.
The company is owned by
wheat farmers and focuses
on no-till farming practices.
It uses the cost of production
to set its prices instead of the
commodity market.
Shepherd’s Grain has sales
offices in Seattle and Portland.
Farmers grow wheat in East-
ern Washington, Idaho and
Eastern Oregon.
Forty-four customers who
use Shepherd’s Grain flour on
July 11 visited farms in Ritz-
ville, Reardan and Davenport,
Wash.
“The farmers love to see
who it is who’s using their
wheat and on the other side,
the users like to see who’s
growing the wheat,” Shep-
herd’s Grain general manager
Mark Swenson said.
Company co-founder Fred
Fleming, who farms near
Reardan, said the company
tests new wheat varieties to see
how well they meet Shepherd
Grain standards, checking for
milling and baking quality.
Some varieties don’t meet
the company standards, Flem-
ing said. One didn’t have the
needed flavor component;
another yielded well, but also
didn’t have the necessary fla-
vor. Others had too strong a
mixing component, because
Photos by Matthew Weaver/Capital Press
Fred Fleming, co-founder of Shepherd’s Grain, addresses farmers and customers as Ryan Higgin-
botham, manager of seed and special services for HighLine Grain Growers Inc., looks on.
Stacey Shimon, baker for Forest Ridge School in Bellevue, Wash.,
gets a photo of dark northern spring wheat on Hal Johnson’s farm
near Davenport, Wash., during the Shepherd’s Grain tour July 11.
much of Shepherd’s Grain
flour must be worked by hand,
he said.
Tom McLaughlin, mer-
chandiser for Archer Daniels
Midland, told tour participants
that his company keeps Shep-
herd’s Grain wheat separate
from other wheats when mill-
ing.
“It’s a niche compared
to the commodity world, no
doubt, but it’s a quality product
with much more consistency
in its production,” McLaugh-
lin said. “The biggest thing is
being able to pick the varieties
that meet the customer’s end
need.”
Shepherd’s Grain’s ap-
proach is unique, McLaughlin
said, primarily because it came
from a grassroots level.
“A lot of producers don’t
By DAN WHEAT
Capital Press
Farmworker housing fund-
ed by USDA loans will soon
be available to agricultural
foreign guestworkers again.
An amendment by U.S.
Rep. Dan Newhouse allowing
H-2A workers to be housed
in facilities built with USDA
loans is part of the Consoli-
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the following
vehicle will be sold, for cash to the
highest bidder, on 8/3/2018. The sale will
be held at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2014 KW TRK
VIN = 1XKAD49X8EJ400295
Amount due on lien $1,695.00
Reputed owner(s)
JOEGESHWAR SINGH
HITACHI CPTL AMERICA CORP ELT
SPRINT CARRIERS INC
dated Appropriations Act of
2018.
Farmworker housing fund-
ed by USDA Section 514
loans was closed to H-2A
foreign guestworkers by the
Obama administration un-
der the premise they could
displace domestic workers,
said Dan Fazio, director of
the farm labor association
WAFLA in Olympia.
The problem was brought
to light by Bob Boehm, Mich-
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold, for cash
to the highest bidder, on 8/2/2018. The
sale will be held at 10:00am by
AUTO TEAM CAR CARE CENTER LLC
2305 MCGILCHRIST ST SE, SALEM OR
2014 DODGE CARAVAN VAN
VIN = 2C4RDGBG9ER162267
Amount due on lien $6,256.96
Reputed owner(s):
FERY ASSOCIATES LLC/ GOLD STAR
TRAN ADVANTAGE FUNDING COMM
CAP CORP
29-2-3-999
igan Farm Bureau commodity
and marketing manager, more
than a year ago when the or-
ganization was assisted by
WAFLA in setting up an H-2A
program, Fazio said.
Fazio learned the rules
prevented H-2A workers
from using a 70-bed Yakima
Housing Authority facility in
Granger, Wash., and would
impact housing in Oroville,
Wash., this year.
Fazio took the matter to
Newhouse, who sponsored an
amendment.
The rule change will ben-
LEGAL
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
The USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS)
announces a meeting of the
Washington State Technical
Advisory Committee (STAC)
on Thursday, July 26, 2018 from
9:30am to 4:35pm at the
Northwest Indian Fisheries
Conference Room, 6730 Martin
Way E., Olympia, WA 98516. For
more information contact Nick
Vira at (360) 704-7758.
29-3/999
LEGAL
3995 Brooklake Rd. NE
•
Brooks, OR 97303
Vintage & Antique Tractors
Parades & Tractor Pulls
Swap Me et & Quilt Show
15 VIntage machinery & Implement Museums
Great Food & Family Fun!
Kids 12 & under FREE!
$12.00 General Admission
www.PowerlandHeritagePark.com
look at net margin per acre,” he
said. “They focus on yield. If
we could get producers to start
looking at net margin per acre
— we’re going to give up 10
percent yield, but guess what?
(The farmer is) getting 20
percent more revenue — that
would facilitate the process.”
Swenson estimated 20 per-
cent of the wheat produced by
its 37 farmers goes to Shep-
herd’s Grain. Farmers sell the
remainder on their own or on
the commodity market. The
company would like to in-
crease demand to sell the re-
maining 80 percent, he said.
Shepherd’s Grain farmers
received $9.54 per bushel for
dark northern spring wheat,
$6.71 per bushel for hard red
winter wheat and $5.63 per
bushel for soft white wheat.
Prices are arrived at by cal-
culating the grower’s costs of
producing the wheat and a fair
rate of return to the farmer,
Swenson said.
USDA-funded housing open to H-2A workers again
29-2-3/999
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Soil and Water Conservation
Commission (SWCC) will hold
its regular quarterly meeting
on Tuesday, August 7, 2018,
from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The
meeting will be held at the
Yamhill Valley Heritage Center
Museum, 11275 SW Durham
Lane, McMinnville, OR, 97128.
The meeting agenda covers
SWCC reports, advisor reports,
Soil and Water Conservation
District programs and funding,
Agriculture Water Quality
Management Program updates,
and other agenda items.
The Oregon Department of
Agriculture complies with the
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). If you need special
accommodations to participate
in this meeting, please contact
Sandi Hiatt at (503) 986-4704,
at least 72 hours prior to the
meeting.
29-3/999
efit the Granger and Oroville
facilities and farmworker
housing built by growers with
Section 514 loans, Fazio said.
It also should apply to US-
DA-funded housing in other
states, he said.
“Congressman Newhouse
did a great job getting this
through the legislative pro-
cess,” Fazio said. “The more
housing available, the better
as an aging and shrinking do-
mestic workforce is causing
greater use of H-2A.”
WAFLA is the largest pro-
vider of H-2A workers in the
Northwest.
In a news release, New-
house said labor scarcity con-
tinues to be a growing prob-
lem for agricultural producers
nationwide and that improv-
ing access to guestworkers is
a top priority for farmers in
Central Washington.
“I applaud USDA’s an-
nouncement that it is imple-
menting my legislation to
allow housing to be used for
both domestic and legally ad-
mitted temporary workers,”
he said.
LEGAL
CHERRY AVENUE
STORAGE
2680 Cherry Ave. NE
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 399-7454
AUCTION
SAT., AUGUST 4, 2018
• 10 A.M.
Unit AS-11 Anthony Ballentine
Unit AS-93 Alena Virgilio
Unit 75:
Lisa Gayman
Unit 103:
Brian Clem
Unit 124
Cynyhia Mendoza
Unit 149
Gene R. Boyd
Unit 156
Able Martinez
Unit 162
Erik Vincent
CherryAvenue Storage
reserves the right to
refuse any and all bids.
29-2-3/999