Friday, August 12, 2022
CapitalPress.com 5
Voucher program expanded to
include e-tractors in California
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
PASADENA, Calif. — Califor-
nia farmers thinking about buying an
electric tractor may be enticed with
an extra financial incentive under the
state’s newly expanded Clean Off-Road
Equipment Voucher Incentive Program,
or CORE.
Begun in 2020 by the California Air
Resources Board, CORE is part of a
larger overall strategy to achieve 100%
zero-carbon emissions from passen-
ger cars, trucks and off-road vehicles
by 2035 as mandated by Gov. Gavin
Newsom.
The program is one of many funded
by billions of dollars collected from
California’s cap-and-trade scheme,
which charges certain companies for
“allowances” on emitting greenhouse
gases and reinvesting the proceeds in
projects to combat climate change.
CORE
is
administered
by
CALSTART, a national nonprofit head-
quartered in Pasadena, Calif., that works
to accelerate the adoption of clean trans-
portation technology.
Jacob Whitson, lead program man-
ager, said vouchers were initially lim-
ited to off-road vehicles tied to freight
— equipment such as forklifts, refriger-
ation trucks and ground support equip-
ment used at airports, to name a few
examples.
For fiscal year 2021-22, Whitson
said CORE received $125 million in
additional funding, more than double
the amount originally allotted. That has
allowed the program to add nine new
categories for vouchers, including one
for agricultural equipment.
Whitson said Monarch Tractor and
Solectrac, makers of battery-powered
electric tractors, are both approved for
vouchers through CORE.
“Here in California, obviously, we
have a strong focus on these climate
goals,” he said. “There is the regula-
tory structure to help this transition. But
we’re also starting to see what we refer
to as the ‘tech readiness’ level of the
equipment, getting to that point where
it’s able to do the work of its diesel
equivalent.”
In neighboring Oregon, several non-
profit groups and researchers are work-
ing with farmers to field test these types
of e-tractors, seeing what they can do,
while comparing the cost of ownership
Oregon lifts animal
import requirements
as wildfires burn
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
George Plaven/Capital Press
Robert Wallace, executive director of the Wy’East Resource Conservation
and Development Area Council, demonstrates a new Solectrac compact
electric tractor at his home in Dufur, Ore.
Jacob Whitson, lead program man-
ager for the state of California’s
Clean Off-Road Equipment Vouch-
er Incentive Program, adminis-
tered by CALSTART.
to their diesel counterparts.
Robert Wallace, executive director
of the Wy’East Resource Conservation
and Development Area Council based
in The Dalles, Ore., said he believes the
technology holds promise, particularly
for small farms and vineyards, though
he acknowledges it isn’t yet suited for
every operation.
Meanwhile, Oregon State Univer-
sity published a study May 12 compar-
ing cost of ownership for the Solectrac
Compact Electric Tractor, versus the
32-horsepower John Deere 2032R.
Assuming both tractors operated
250 hours per year for seven years, the
study found the cost of ownership was
roughly the same, ranging from $39,853
to $40,738 for the electric model com-
pared to $37,553 to $43,072 for the die-
sel model.
More than 80% of the cost of own-
ership for the Solectrac was associated
with the initial purchase price. That is
what programs like CORE are seeking
to overcome, Whitson said.
“It seems to be a beneficial avenue
for the consumer to help with the barrier
of cost into these segments,” he said.
As of Aug. 4, CALSTART had
already received more than $170 mil-
lion in requests for vouchers through
CORE. Each category is capped at $25
million, and though some categories
are oversubscribed, Whitson said there
is still about $15 million available for
agriculture equipment.
After Sept. 18, if there is still funding
available, Whitson said they will lift all
caps and allocate the remaining money
based on demand.
“Agriculture has always stepped up
to the plate to be a good steward of the
land and environment,” Whitson said.
“This is just an area where the agri-
culture sector will step up and make
that transition.”
SALEM — Oregon agri-
culture officials are lifting
import requirements for
livestock and companion
animals as multiple large
wildfires have forced resi-
dents in neighboring states
to flee.
As of Aug. 4, the McK-
inney Fire in northern Cali-
fornia near the Oregon bor-
der had burned more than
90 square miles and all
but wiped out the 200-per-
son town of Klamath River.
Four people have been
found dead inside the burn
zone.
West of the McKin-
ney Fire, the Yeti and Alex
fires have also burned 4,626
acres in Siskiyou County,
prompting
additional
evacuations.
The Oregon Department
of Agriculture will provide
an emergency exemption
for any livestock entering
the state, so long as they are
coming from an area under
level 1, 2 or 3 wildfire evac-
uation orders. Exemptions
will remain in place through
Sept. 30.
To qualify, farmers and
ranchers must notify the
Oregon state veterinarian
by phone or email within
72 hours after entry with the
following information:
• Complete physical
address of origin where ani-
mals are being evacuated
from.
• Name and phone num-
ber of owner of animals.
• Complete physical
address of location in Ore-
gon where animals are
being evacuated to.
• Name and phone num-
ber of contact for animals
while in Oregon.
• Number and species
of animals evacuated to
Oregon.
The Oregon state veter-
inarian can be reached at
503-986-4680 or ahforms@
oda.oregon.gov.
Animals evacuated to
Oregon must return to
their state of origin within
30 days. If that is not pos-
sible, the Oregon state vet-
erinarian must be notified
by phone prior to the 30th
day.
Hot, dry and windy
weather has accelerated the
spread of wildfires across
the Northwest. In cen-
tral Washington, the Van-
tage Highway Fire has bal-
looned to 26,490 acres with
21% containment east of
Ellensburg.
The Cow Canyon Fire,
1 mile northeast of Wenas,
Wash., is 1,500 acres and
threatening about 50 homes,
according to Yakima County
Emergency Management.
Large fires in Idaho
include the Payette Wilder-
ness, Wolf Fang and Wood-
tick blazes, burning a com-
bined 5,900 acres of rugged,
mountainous terrain. The
Woodtick Fire has triggered
immediate evacuations for
residents at Camas Creek in
Lemhi County.
Oregon is also seeing
an uptick of wildfire activ-
ity, with Gov. Kate Brown
invoking the Emergency
Conflagration Act to bat-
tle the 10,500-acre Miller
Road Fire in Wasco County.
Evacuation orders are in
effect, and one home has
been destroyed.
Other fires in Oregon
include the 1,093-acre Win-
digo Fire and 125-acre Pot-
ter Fire, both burning in the
Umpqua National Forest,
and the 248-acre Beech Fire
in Grant County.
The National Inter-
agency Fire Center in Boise
has set its fire preparedness
level at 3 out of 5, mean-
ing wildfire activity is now
ongoing through about a
quarter of the country.