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CapitalPress.com
Friday, May 27, 2022
Ag groups: Indo-Pacific framework must reduce trade barriers
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
U.S. agricultural groups
are calling the new Indo-Pa-
cific Economic Framework a
good first step but say it has
a long way to go to benefit
farmers and ranchers.
The IPEF includes 13
countries: the U.S., Austra-
lia, Brunei, India, Indonesia,
Japan, South Korea, Malay-
sia, New Zealand, the Phil-
ippines, Singapore, Thailand
and Vietnam.
A joint statement from
those countries said they
share a commitment to a free,
open, fair, inclusive, intercon-
nected, resilient and prosper-
ous Indo-Pacific region with
the potential to achieve sus-
tainable and inclusive eco-
nomic growth.
Agricultural groups wel-
come the initiative, saying it
holds a lot of potential, but
there’s a lot riding on its abil-
ity to reduce tariff and non-tar-
iff trade barriers.
Farmers for Free Trade
said U.S. farmers have long
looked to the Indo-Pacific as
Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press
The Port of Portland’s Terminal 6. A new trade framework promises to open the door
to more trade with many nations around the Pacific Rim.
Zippy
Duvall
Krysta
Harden
an essential market for grow-
ing food and ag exports.
As the populations in
the region grow in num-
ber and prosperity, they look
to U.S. farmers for protein,
high-quality produce and
other food and ag products,
Company wants to
override county law
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
A Canadian company
has asked the state Energy
Facility Site Evaluation
Council to overrule a Cen-
tral Washington county and
allow a 470-megawatt solar-
power plant on farmland.
Quebec-based Innergex
Renewable Energy pro-
poses to build the Wau-
toma Solar Energy Proj-
ect in Benton County on
pastureland and cropland,
including 756 acres that are
irrigated.
An ordinance passed
unanimously in December
by county commissioners
bars wind and solar devel-
opments on land zoned for
agriculture.
Commissioners said the
county risked being over-
run with renewable-energy
projects and that a morato-
rium would give local plan-
ners time to develop a siting
policy.
The ordinance was
passed too late to apply
to the Horse Heaven, a
wind and solar project that
would include 244 wind-
mills and be visible from
the Tri-Cities.
Commission
Chair-
man Shon Small said May
19 that renewable-energy
projects should be judged
individually. He criticized
Horse Heaven, but said he
supports Innergex’s pro-
posal to place solar panes in
a remote part of the county.
“I’ve been talking with
them for about six months,”
Small said. “I think they’ve
been very classy. I’d actu-
ally like to see the project
go forward.”
Washington’s
renew-
able-energy law has fueled
solar projects in sun-baked
Central Washington. Com-
panies have tried to avoid
native plants and wildlife
by leasing land historically
LEGAL
PUBLIC NOTICE
OREGON HOP COMMISSION
BUDGET HEARING
JUNE 16, 2022
12:00 PM
Ratchet Brewery
990 N. 1st Street
Silverton, OR 97381
As required by ORS 576.416,
the Oregon Hop Commission
will hold a public hearing for
the purpose of receiving pub-
lic comments on its proposed
budget for the fiscal year
2022-23.
The public budget hearing
will be held at the above date,
time, and location.
Copies of the proposed bud-
get are available at the Com-
mission office, 3467 Third
Street, Hubbard Oregon 97032
and online at www.oregon-
hops.org
The meeting location is acces-
sible to persons with disabili-
ties.
For accommodations for per-
sons with disabilities, make
a request at least 48 hours
(Monday-Friday) before the
meeting by contacting the
Commission at 503-982-7600
or info@oregonhops.org
used for agriculture.
Property owners, includ-
ing farmers and ranchers,
have said the leases will
provide steady income that
makes farming less risky.
Farmland conversion, how-
ever, conflicts with state
and local goals to preserve
farmland.
Innergex filed an appli-
cation with the state site
council on May 6. EFSEC
made the application public
May 18 after initially with-
holding it until the company
deposited $50,000 for the
review.
According to the appli-
cation, the project would
cover 4,573 acres, including
roads, maintenance build-
ings, battery storage and a
substation.
The land to be fenced
off includes includes pas-
tures, wheat fields and irri-
gated alfalfa fields. The
solar array would be about
12 miles northeast of Sun-
nyside in Yakima County.
Innergex opposed the
Benton County ordinance.
Since it passed, the state
council should pre-empt the
local law, according to the
company.
Innergex said it has lined
up leases with landowners
and that the solar panels will
not interfere with surround-
ing farms and ranches.
The state site council
offers
renewable-energy
companies a way to bypass
counties. The council, made
up of state government offi-
cials, makes recommenda-
tions to Gov. Jay Insee.
In a procedural step, the
council has found the Horse
Heaven wind and solar
project was allowed under
Benton County’s land-use
laws as they were when
Scout Clean Energy applied
to build it.
Innergex has 80 renew-
able energy projects in Can-
ada, France, Chile and the
U.S. A company spokes-
woman said Innergex was
attracted to Washington by
the state law requiring all
electricity to be renewable
by 2045.
Jim
Mulhern
Brian
Kuehl
said Brian Kuehl, FFT exec-
utive director.
“To take advantage of this
generational opportunity, we
need to knock down barri-
ers to trade and position our-
selves as a viable alternative
to Chinese dominance in the
region,” he said.
The Indo-Pacific Eco-
nomic Framework is a laud-
able first step to re-engaging
in the region, he said.
“However, it will be essen-
tial that the administration
articulate how an agreement
that does not currently include
tariff reduction will provide
new market access and eco-
nomic opportunities for farm-
ers,” he said.
“Opening engagement in
the Indo-Pacific region is a
positive sign, closing out an
agreement that gives Amer-
ican farmers expanded mar-
ket access must be the goal,”
he said.
The U.S. Dairy Export
Council and National Milk
Producers Federation said the
Indo-Pacific framework offers
an opportunity to strengthen
ties with key trading partners
across the Asia-Pacific region,
an important destination for
U.S. dairy exports.
“IPEF offers a chance for
the United States to have a
positive impact on the trading
environment in a vital area
of the world,” said Krysta
Harden, president and CEO
of USDEC.
“If IPEF is crafted to
include meaningful market
access improvements and
address non-tariff barriers,
then these regional trends will
help drive economic benefits
for American farmers, dairy
manufacturers and industry
workers for decades to come,”
she said.
The framework is an essen-
tial first step on what will
surely be a complex journey,
said Jim Mulhern, president
and CEO of NMPF.
“But to successfully com-
pete in the Asia-Pacific region
and meet their demand for
dairy, we ultimately need a
level playing field,” he said.
That means tackling both
tariff and nontariff barriers that
weigh down the ability of U.S.
dairy exporters to keep pace
with EU and Oceania com-
petitors that have successfully
negotiated agreements across
the region, he said.
He urged the Biden admin-
istration to set specific time
frames for IPEF negotiations
so it can deliver meaningful
results for U.S. dairy farmers.
“We cannot afford another
Trans-Pacific Partnership-type
outcome in which we negoti-
ate for six years only to walk
away from the final result,
leaving our exporters no fur-
ther down the road than where
we started,” he said.
American Farm Bureau
Federation President Zippy
Duvall said the framework will
help reduce barriers, improve
the adoption of science-based
standards and grow Ameri-
can agricultural exports to the
region.
Canadian solar company eyes
3,000 acres in Central Washington
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
A Canadian company
has applied to build a solar-
power plant on about 3,000
acres in south-central Wash-
ington, the most expansive
solar-only project yet sub-
mitted for state approval
since Washington passed its
renewable-energy law.
Quebec-based Innergex
Renewable Energy sub-
mitted details May 6 to the
Energy Facility Site Evalua-
tion Council on its plans for
the 470-megawatt Wautoma
Solar Energy Project in Ben-
ton County.
The council has not
made the application pub-
lic. Council spokeswoman
Emilie Brown said Tuesday
the council won’t release the
application until Innergex
deposits a $50,000 fee.
There is no deadline to pay
the fee, she said.
The council’s staff has
started working on the appli-
cation and scheduling meet-
ings, siting and compliance
manager Ami Hafkemeyer
told the council at a meeting
Tuesday.
Innergex senior coordi-
nator for environment Laura
O’Neill made a brief presen-
tation, telling the council the
project responds to Wash-
ington’s law requiring elec-
tricity to be free of fossil
fuels by 2045.
The solar panels would
border Yakima County and
would be 12 miles northeast
of Sunnyside.
Washington’s
renew-
able-energy law has drawn
international
companies
to south-central Washing-
ton. With Innergex’s pro-
posal, the state site coun-
cil is reviewing four
applications from large
energy developers.
The council, estab-
lished in the 1970s to eval-
uate locations for nuclear
power plants and transmis-
sion lines, provides compa-
nies with an alternative to
seeking approval from local
governments.
The council is part of
the Inslee administration.
Lawmakers this year, at the
request of Gov. Jay Inslee,
expanded the council’s pow-
ers. The council will be able
to review and recommend
that Inslee approve indus-
trial developments related to
renewable energy.
Innergex has an interest
in 80 hydro, wind and solar
power projects in Canada,
Chile, France and the U.S.,
according to the company’s
website.
The Horse Heaven wind
and solar project proposed by
Scout Clean Energy would
“permanently impact” more
than 6,800 acres in Benton
County. Quinbrook Infra-
structure Partners, a private
investment firm with oper-
ations in the United King-
dom, Australia and U.S.,
owns Scout.
Avangrid Renewables,
owned by Spanish energy
developer Iberdola Group,
has proposed the Bad-
ger Mountain solar project
on 2,390 acres in Yakima
County.
California
company
Cypress Creek Renewables
proposes to build side-by-
side High Top and Ostrea
solar projects on 1,800 acres
in Yakima County.
Toronto-based Brookfield
Renewable Partners recently
acquired the rights to build
the Goose Prairie solar proj-
ect on 625 acres in Yakima
County. Inslee approved the
project in December.
PSA enforcement bill faces industry opposition
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
A bill to create a spe-
cial investigator at USDA
to examine and prosecute
alleged violations of the
Packers and Stockyards Act is
meeting with opposition from
the cattle and meat industries.
H.R. 7606, the Meat and
Poultry Special Investiga-
tor Act, which passed the
House Agriculture Commit-
tee, creates a separate office
for enforcement — although
that function already exists at
USDA, said Tanner Beymer,
senior director of government
affairs for National Cattle-
men’s Beef Association.
“The bill’s duplicative,” he
said.
Obviously, NCBA sup-
ports robust enforcement of
the Packers and Stockyards
Act, he said. But creating a
second office to do what the
Packers and Stockyards Divi-
sion already does “is just a
waste of time and money.”
Most cases under the
Packers and Stockyards Act
are civil suits and remediated
through an administrative law
judge. If a case needs to be
prosecuted, it goes through
the U.S. Attorney’s office, he
said.
The bill would give USDA
unilateral
prosecutorial
authority to handle all law-
suits, which is atypical among
federal agencies, he said.
Establishing a new office
separate from the century-old
Packers and Stockyards
enforcement arm would blur
the jurisdictional line between
USDA and the Department of
Justice, NCBA said in a letter
to House Agriculture Commit-
tee leaders.
In addition, the bill is
unfunded and includes no
authorization for appropri-
ations. A new office would
compete with the Packers
and Stockyards Division for
resources. A better way to
enforce competition laws is to
increase funding for additional
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2014 JEEP GCH UT
VIN = 1C4RJFBM0EC425683
Amount due on lien $1675.00
Reputed owner(s)
PAVEL P PROTOPOPOV C/O ALLSTATE
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2014 CHEV SLV PK
VIN = 3GCPCREC3EG271439
Amount due on lien $1675.00
Reputed owner(s)
MIGUEL ANGEL ROSAS ROSAS
WESTLAKE FINANCIAL SERVICES
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2003 TOYT TAC PK
VIN = 5TENL42N73Z268173
Amount due on lien $1675.00
Reputed owner(s)
FRANK & ILA AICHER/AICHER
LVNG TRST
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2016 TRAC 17’ BOAT
VIN = ISRME154A616
Amount due on lien $4035.00
Reputed owner(s)
COLUMBIA MOTORS INC
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2015 KIA SOUL 4DR
VIN = KNDJP3A58F7149705
Amount due on lien $1595.00
Reputed owner(s)
MICHELLE BERGMAN
& STEVEN THOMAS
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2017 TOYT YARIS 4D
VIN = 3MYDLBYV3HY178637
Amount due on lien $1435.00
Reputed owner(s)
JUSTA CAUICH & YESENIA CHABLE
TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORP
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2015 GMC SRA PK
VIN = 1GT120E82FF640567
Amount due on lien $1455.00
Reputed owner(s)
AIDA BARAJAS ESCOBEDO
PACIFIC NW FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2013 SUBA XVC 4D
VIN = JF2GPAWC7D2894673
Amount due on lien $1455.00
Reputed owner(s)
TIMOTHY & ALYSA MOUNCE
OREGON STATE CREDIT UNION
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The House Agriculture Committee has passed a bill
that would create a special investigator in the USDA for
Packers and Stockyards Act violations.
staff, Beymer said.
The North American Meat
Institute also opposes the bill.
“USDA and the Depart-
ment of Justice already have
the authorities this bill would
grant, making this expansion
of government bureaucracy
with its required staff and
offices duplicative and waste-
ful,” said Julie Anna Potts,
Meat Institute president and
CEO.
Processors are also con-
cerned about the creation of a
special investigator empow-
ered to enforce new changes to
Packers and Stockyards regu-
lations, soon to be announced.
“The special investigator
(and staff) would feel embold-
ened and obligated to bring
as many cases as possible,
warranted or not, to test and
expand the legal limits of the
new rules,” she said.
“The resulting legal uncer-
tainty and market chaos will
accelerate
unpredictable
changes in livestock and poul-
try marketing that will add
costs to both producers and
consumers at a time of high
inflation,” she said.
The National Farmers
Union, however, said the bill
would increase enforcement
and boost USDA’s resources
to investigate abusive market
practices.
“Laws intended to protect
markets from monopolies and
anti-competitive practices in
agriculture are not being ade-
quately enforced,” said Rob
Larew, NFU president.
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
06/06/2022. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2021 PORSCHE CAYANNE LL
VIN = WP1AA2AY9MDA06250
Amount due on lien $1415.00
Reputed owner(s)
HEIDI CORDAY BROCKMAN
PORSCHE LEASING LTD
