THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 Business & Ag Economic development discusses grocery options BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com The Baker County Economic Development Committee (EDC) met on Thursday, October 22, at 4 p.m., in the Commission Chambers of the County Courthouse, to discuss a variety of topics, among them timber salvage, development and employ- ment issues, and the future of grocery shopping in Baker City. Attending the meeting were County Commission Chair Bill Harvey, EDC Chair Craig Ward, BTI Director Jerry Peacock, Baker County Economic Development Director Greg Smith, Smith’s as- sistant Julie Hicks, Blue Mountain Community Col- lege Small Business De- velopment Center (BMCC SBDC) Vice President Jeff Nelson, City Manager Mike Kee, BMCC SBDC Advisor Glenas Orcutt, Baker County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debi Bainter, and former BMCC SBDC Advisor Bob Savage. Ward called the meeting to order, followed by in- troductions, including new SBDC Advisor Orcutt, for- mer Regional Advertising Director for the Baker City Herald and the La Grande Observer. Harvey, giving those present a Commission Chair update, spoke about the second coordination meeting between Tom Montoya and Jeff Tomac, of the U.S. Forest Service — Weekly Hay Report — Friday, October 23, 2015 — Eastern Oregon Prices trended generally steady compared to week- ago prices. Export sales continue to be slow. Re- tail/Stable demand for all types of hay from Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Wasco counties continues to be good. Many producers have decided to hold on to their hay for now, in hopes for higher prices. Some producers are have had their water rights cut off due to the drought. Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa — Large Square, Fair 1,600 100.00-100.00 100.00 Meadow Grass — Small Square, Premium 8 260.00-260.00 260.00 Last week: Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Large Square, Good 700 150.00-150.00 150.00 Wheat / Barley Straw — Small Square, Utility 400 45.00-45.00 45.00 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 1,113 Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press The economic development committee met last week to discuss the Haggen situation among other topics. (USFS), and the County Commissioners, held on Wednesday, October 21, 2015. “It went pretty well. Intense sometimes. I’m getting used to that… Mr. Tomac and I’ve had a good day…We’re get- ting the (salvage timber) assessments put together. I’m meeting with them again in two weeks, with Mr. Tomac, and fi nalizing some plans, and kind of knowing the direction and the volume of what we’re cutting,” Harvey said. He also mentioned a sim- ilar type of coordination meeting, with representa- tives from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), held on Thursday, October 29, also in the Commis- sion Chambers. Harvey said there will be ongoing meetings to discuss the coordination process not only with the aforemen- tioned agencies, but also the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and both the State and U.S. Fish and Wildlife services. Ward asked Harvey about the timber market, to which Harvey replied that private sales are show- ing an average gross of $100 per 1,000 board feet, “…which is better than I thought,” Harvey said. He said the USFS’s volume will possibly be higher than private volume, and private timber owners are being encouraged to get their product out of the woods as soon as possible, and to the market. As part of a BMCC SBDC update, Nelson in- troduced Orcutt, and then said, “We had a wonder- ful Public Talk, out at the prison,” speaking about the recent business event held on Wednesday, October 14, 2015, at the Powder River Correctional Facility on 13th Street. Savage, at the request of Nelson, spoke more about the event, stating that over 40 people were present. “It was well attended. Really, everyone there, I think, had a great time,” Savage said. The event showcased the partnership between BMCC SBDC and inmates at the facil- ity, in order to broaden employment and business opportunities upon the inmates’ release. SEE ECON DEV PAGE 8 Working to keep your public lands open. WWW.FORESTACCESSFORALL.ORG Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk 250.00 - 290.00 Top 300.00 400-500# Bulk 220.00 - 260.00 Top 270.00 500-600# Bulk 185.00 - 215.00 Top 219.00 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk 210.00 - 228.00 Top 231.00 400-500# Bulk 180.00 - 205.00 Top 212.00 500-600# Bulk 170.00 - 184.00 Top 188.00 600-700# 700-800# 800-900# 900-1,000# Yearling Steers Bulk 175.00 - 195.00 Top 204.00 Bulk 173.00 - 180.00 Top 189.50 Bulk 161.00 - 172.00 Top 175.00 Bulk 150.00 - 162.00 Top 167.50 Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 150.00 - 172.00 Top 181.00 700-800# Bulk 149.00 - 175.00 Top 180.00 800-900# Bulk 135.00 - 168.00 Top 170.50 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Thin Shelly Cows 50.00 - 65.00 Butcher Cows 70.00 - 78.00 Butcher Bulls 72.00 - 86.00 Stock Cows Yng. 1350.00 -1500.00 Younger Hfrts. N/A Stock Cows Yng. - 1350.00 -1500.00 ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 — Log Price Report — Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon Doug Fir is $415.00/mbf White fi r is $365.00/mbf Ponderosa Pine is brought sold on diameter splits 6 to 11 inch dib $300 to $310/MBF 12 to 17 inch dib $350 to $375/MBF 18 to 23 inch dib $400 to $430/MBF 24 inch plus dib $450 to $500/MBF ATTENTI ON! Monday, November 2, 6-9 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at the La Grande Armory 404 12th Ave. in La Grande Monday, November 9, 6-9 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at the National Guard Armory 1640 Campbell Street in Baker City The U.S. Forest Service will hold meetings Monday, Nov. 2nd at the armory in La Grande to discuss access (motorized and non-motorized) and increased wilderness designation in Eastern Oregon, and Monday, Nov. 9 at the armory in Baker City. Forest Access For All is asking all interested residents in Eastern Oregon and around the region to attend these meetings and speak out against further motorized use restrictions in our area. Again, the meetings will be at the La Grande Armory, November 2 and the National Guard Armory in Baker City on November 9. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. For the sake of your children’s and grandchildren’s future access, we ask that you attend the meetings and tell the Forest Service that any plan that restricts open motorized in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon is unacceptable and is not a plan any of us can live with. DON’T MI SS THESE MEETI NGS. DIB is diameter inside bark at small end of log. MBF is thousand board feet lumber, net scale. People interested in selling logs should call and get specifi c quotes from saw mills. Courtesy of Arvid Andersen, Andersen Forestry Consulting — Precious Metals Report — Price per ounce, USD Gold: $1166.90 Silver: $15.93 Platinum: $991.05 Palladium: $681.28 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $381.75/bu/USD Wheat: $512.50/bu/USD Soybeans: $892.50/bu/USD Oats: $228.00 bu/USD Rough Rice: $11.82/cwt/USD Canola: $477.70 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $140.50/lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $180.18/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $62.08//lb./USD Bloomberg.com