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About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2019)
2 CapitalPress.com Friday, March 1, 2019 People & Places Ingenuity meets enthusiasm Leo Castagno builds equipment, structures of all types EMPOWERING PRODUCERS OF FOOD & FIBER Established 1928 Board of Directors Mike Forrester Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Susan Rana Harrison Forrester Mike Omeg Cory Bollinger Jeff Rogers By DIANNA TROYER For the Capital Press Instead of wincing at a problem with dread, welder and designer Leo Castagno confronts it with an inven- tor’s ingenuity and an edu- cator’s enthusiasm at his businesses in eastern Idaho. Whatever problem farm- ers, business owners and homeowners present, “we find a solution,” he said of his Rexburg-based busi- nesses: Premier Powder Coating and Custom Fabri- cation, Idaho Laser Cutting and Grow it Now. “We can design and build whatever people need from OEM ag parts to furniture and decorative signs for businesses and entryways to ranches,” he said of himself and his 35 employees, rang- ing from engineers to weld- ers. “We love to partner with any size business that wants to make great products.” Castagno holds three pat- ents: a structure having a compactible walkway, inte- rior space expansion sys- tem and a plant protector for gardeners. He has also designed and built foldaway steps to access a trailer, a stable picnic table that does not tip over and bear-proof receptacles. One of his most memo- rable designs helped carrot farmers market their prod- uct. While working for Van- mark Equipment in Iowa, he designed a machine that washed, scrubbed and peeled the baby carrots sold in grocery stores. Castagno shared that experience when he taught welding engineering tech- nology at Brigham Young University-Idaho, as an example of how students’ work could eventually be used outside the classroom. After the welding pro- gram was eliminated from the curriculum, he opened Premier Powder Coating and Custom Fabrication in 2005. “To me welding has become more than just plunking down a pretty bead of hot molten metal,” he said. “I’ve always tried to inspire.” While it has been reward- ing to receive patents, he said one of his greatest privi- leges was establishing weld- ing schools in Mexico City and Guadalajara. “It was immensely sat- isfying to teach young peo- ple how welding could influ- Corporate Officers Heidi Wright Chief Operating Officer Rick Hansen Chief Financial 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 © 2019 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Courtesy of Leo Castagno Castagno’s bear-proof containers are used at campgrounds throughout the region. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. Western Innovator LEO CASTAGNO Age: 61 Leo Castagno and his wife, Becky, employ 35 workers who design and weld customized ag equipment, picnic tables, memorial benches and signs. ence their future,” he said. “It was a way to teach them ‘how to fish.’” Castagno said teach- ing in Mexico changed his ideas about education and eventually running his businesses. “I came back and changed my syllabus to say, ‘This is not a welding course. This is a course on ship-building, sword-mak- ing, problem-solving and leadership. I will teach you to stand up, lead out, take charge, solve problems and make decisions and use welding to do it.’ ” To Castagno, “sword- making” is a metaphor to protect people from their “enemies,” whether in a classroom or workplace. “We all have enemies — lack of training, lack of education, unemploy- ment or underemployment, laziness, poor quality, lack of pride, indecision, pro- crastination, poor lead- ership, and issues with problem-solving, self-con- fidence and self-esteem.” “Ship-building” can carry the future of students as well as employees. “A ship is a vessel that floats and carries and transports valuable cargo — people with dreams,” he said. “While protect- ing passengers, it weath- ers storms and navigates rough seas and strong cur- rents. I encouraged stu- dents and now my employ- ees to make swords and to build ships.” Castagno said whatever he designs, “I try to mini- mize the number of welds and parts to help make a product last.” His company’s reputa- tion for precision and fast turnaround times landed him a contract with a business cleaning up the Fukushima nuclear acci- dent site in Japan. “A company back East Cultivating the Harvest Small Farm Conference: 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m., University of Idaho Pitman Center, 709 Deakin Ave., Moscow, Idaho. Keynote speakers include Beth Robinette of Lazy R Ranch, Laura Garber of Homestead Organics Farm and Bill Snyder, WSU entomologist. Colette DePhelps, cdephelps@ uidaho.edu, 208-885-4003. $25-75. Website: https://bit. ly/2GTdoD7 SUNDAY, MARCH 3 National Farmers Union 117th Anniversary Convention: Hyatt Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, Wash. Fam- ily farmers and ranchers from across the country, industry professionals and notable speakers will gather. Those from Washington, Oregon and Idaho are provided with a special offer to receive a free, one-year NFU membership with their registra- tion. Website: http://NFU.org/ nwfu-2019-convention. MONDAY, MARCH 4 National Farmers Union 117th Anniversary Convention: Hyatt Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, Wash. Website: http://NFU.org/ nwfu-2019-convention. TUESDAY, MARCH 5 National Farmers Union 117th Anniversary Convention: Hyatt Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, Wash. Website: http://NFU.org/ nwfu-2019-convention. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 Changing Hands in Corvallis: Workshop on Farm Transfer and Land Access: 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m., LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis, Ore. Join Rogue Farm Corps for a workshop that will bring together retiring and aspiring farmers for a full day of training on land access and suc- cession planning. We will also have facilitated networking throughout the day. Retiring farmers can learn from experts about how to pass on their business to the next gen- eration. Aspiring farmers can learn about creative ways to start their farm business. Starts with light breakfast at 8 a.m. The program begins at 8:30 a.m. and goes until 3:45 p.m. Lunch included. Ashley Rood, ashley@roguefarmcorps.org, (971) 409-6806. $20. https://bit. ly/2GqGdHP NRCS Northwest Working Group Meeting: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 10441 Bayview Edison Road, Mt. Vernon, Wash. The data collected at these meetings plays a major role in the agency’s direc- tion at the local level. Snohomish, Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan Islands, Whidbey Island, Clallum, Jefferson conservation districts. Sarah Tanu- vasa, 360-428-7684. OFRF’s 22nd Annual Benefit Lun- cheon: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., The City National Grove of Anaheim, 2200 East Katella Avenue, Anaheim, Calif. Organic dairy farmer Heather Darby of Allburg, Vt., will be joined by Allie Mentzer, advocacy senior manager at National Co+op Gro- cers, and Brise Tensor, executive director at the Organic Farming Research Foundation. Prepare to be inspired by these groundbreak- ers in the organic industry as you kick off Expo West. https://ofrf.org/ events. MONDAY, MARCH 11 NRCS Snake River Working Group Meeting: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., WDFW Office, 529 W. Main St., Day- ton, Wash. The data collected at these meetings plays a major role in the agency’s direction at the lo- cal level. Includes the Asotin Coun- ty, Columbia, Franklin, Pomeroy, Walla Walla conservation districts. Tracy Hanger, 509-522-6340. TUESDAY, MARCH 12 Healthy Soil, Healthy Region Workshop: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Pendleton Convention Center, 1608 West- gate, Pendleton, Ore. The Healthy Soil, Healthy Region Workshop is a region-wide approach to bring together agricultural professionals and producers from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho for a 3-day workshop to improve awareness of existing, new, and evolving regional soil health practices and assessment methods. The workshop will provide hands-on training on soil health practices, improve understanding of the practical barriers producers face when implementing soil health practices, and increase familiarity with tools that can be used by producers to make decisions related to soil health. Karen Hills, khills@ wsu.edu. http://csanr.wsu.edu/ healthysoils/. Introduction to GMPs, Preventive Controls, and FSMA Workshop: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Century Hotel, 8185 POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. To Reach Us Education: Brigham Young Uni- versity with a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering tech- nology and a master’s degree in engineering management Circulation ...........................800-882-6789 Email ........... Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line .............................503-364-4431 Owner: Premier Powder Coating and Custom Fabrication, Idaho Laser Cutting, Grow it Now Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas ..............208-860-3898 Patents: A structure having a compactible walkway, interior space expansion system, and a plant protector for gardeners Boise Brad Carlson .......................208-914-8264 Family: He and his wife, Becky, have seven children and 11 grandchildren Website: ppccfab.com found us on a Google search,” he said. “They needed customized metal catwalks with certain spec- ifications. We made and shipped what they needed in about two weeks.” He has also designed and built platforms and railings for the Hanford Nuclear Site. At his website, a video shows how his foldaway stairs solved a problem at farms and businesses and are used to easily and safely access places with- out having to use a ladder. A regional problem he solved was to make dura- ble bear-proof containers. His Bear Guardian products are used at parks and camp- grounds and include dump- sters, trash cans and food containers. “We make a large quan- tity of items as part of the Bear-Proofing Montana Project,” he said. Castagno’s Premier Pic- nic Tables do not tip over. The sturdy metal tables are popular with farm fam- ilies and park managers because they are safe and long-lasting. His employees at Idaho Laser Cutting manufacture the tables and other items including bedframes, cus- tomized memorial benches and signs. An avid gardener, Cast- agno started Grow It Now after becoming frustrated with eastern Idaho’s short, unpredictable growing sea- son and June frosts. He designed several plant protectors to shelter vege- tation from frost, wind and hail. His mini-greenhouses and raised beds help garden- ers’ plants flourish. He attributes his busi- ness success “to having great customers, wonderful employees and my very sup- portive wife, Becky. We’ll always be developing new products.” CALENDAR SATURDAY, MARCH 2 Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 2870 Broadway NE, Salem OR 97303. SW Tualatin-Sherwood Road, Tualatin, Ore. This one-day overview course is especially designed for line workers, QC personnel, sanitors, supervisors, and other employees of food processing operations. It provides an overview of food safety, GMPs, and Preventive Controls, and meets the FDA Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) regula- tion Presented by Mark Daeschel, professor emeritus, Oregon State University; and Jeff Kronenberg, retired assistant professor, University of Idaho. Ariel Kronenberg, ak@ fsnwllc.com, 208-891-5799. $295. https://bit.ly/2DBY0I4 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 Healthy Soil, Healthy Region Workshop: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Pendleton Convention Center, 1608 Westgate, Pendleton, Ore. http://csanr.wsu. edu/healthysoils/. NRCS Puget Sound Working Group Meeting: 9 a.m.-3:15 p.m., USDA Service Center, 1835 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Olympia, Wash. The data collected at these meetings plays a major role in the agency’s direction at the local level. Includes the King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Thurston conservation districts. Amy Hendershot, 253-256-6744. THURSDAY, MARCH 14 2019 Agri-Ecotourism Confer- ence: 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center St. NE, Salem. Farmers and value-added operators who sell directly to consumers, and family woodland owners who provide rec- reation to visitors on their land, will benefit from information presented at a conference featuring national and local experts in both agri and ecotourism. Ecotourism Keynoter Toby Bloom, national program man- ager for tourism and interpretive services for the U.S. Forest Service, kicks off the day presenting how the U.S. Forest Service brings together gateway communities, their part- ners and experts from conservation, the community and economic development. Agritourism Key- noter Stephanie Larson, director, University of California Cooperative Extension Sonoma County, will cover opportunities to enhance local experiences with agritourism adventures. Other presentation topics range from the cider industry to industrial hemp tourism. Mary Stewart, mary.stewart@oregonstate. edu, 503-891-4103. https://bit. ly/2GzDPhT. Healthy Soil, Healthy Region Workshop: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Pendleton Convention Center, 1608 Westgate, Pendleton, Ore. http://csanr.wsu. edu/healthysoils/. Introduction to GMPs, Preventive Controls, and FSMA Workshop: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn, 1000 Welcome Way, Medford, Ore. Participants will spend one-half day learning about GMPs and prerequisite programs. This includes the recently updated FDA GMP rules, which are required by both state and federal food regulators. The second half of course material will be devoted to introducing participants to the new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), with a focus on the Preventive Controls for Human Food regula- tion (21 CFR 117). Other new FSMA regulations will be presented. Ariel Kronenberg, ak@fsnwllc.com, 208 891 5799. $295. https://bit. ly/2DBY0I4 News Staff Central Washington Dan Wheat ..........................509-699-9099 Western Washington Don Jenkins .........................360-722-6975 Eastern Washington Matthew Weaver ................509-688-9923 Oregon George Plaven ....................406-560-1655 Mateusz Perkowski .............800-882-6789 Graphic artist Alan Kenaga ........................800-882-6789 Designer Randy Wrighthouse .............800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Telephone (toll free) ............800-882-6789 Online ...........CapitalPress.com/classifieds Subscriptions Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $4 /month (direct withdrawal 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/teachers .......$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students/teachers ..$25 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 information 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 CapitalPress.com FarmSeller.com MarketPlace.capitalpress.com facebook.com/CapitalPress facebook.com/FarmSeller twitter.com/CapitalPress youtube.com/CapitalPressvideo Index Opinion ...................................................6 Markets .................................................12 CORRECTION A story in last week’s editions about the proposed move of the USDA Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agricul- ture from Washington, D.C., should have stated Congress had given NIFA more than $100 million to modernize the grants management system. Also, Sonny Ramaswamy, former head of NIFA, did not contact several land grant universities regarding their efforts to attract ERS and NIFA. The Capital Press regrets the errors.
