Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Page 9
Top crops for export valuable to state
ILLINOIS VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL wrestlers (above)
Jesse Swift and Adam Miller contend for first place in
the 145-pound championship round at the state tour-
nament in Salem last weekend. Swift took first, senior
Miller took second place. Freshman Matt Duran (left)
earned a fifth-place award in the 112-pound class. Dus-
tin Culver ranked ninth in the 103-pound division, and
Chris Culver ranked 14th. In the 189-pound division,
Lanor Tausaga ranked sixth.
The Cougars, who captured the Skyline Conference
championship this year for the third consecutive time,
were hampered by illness at the state meet.
(Photos by Ward Winter for ’IVN’)
Cancer Institute provides answers to
many frequent queries about disease
From the National Can-
cer Institute’s Cancer Infor-
mation Service --
Q: A lot of people in
my family died from cancer.
What should I avoid so that
I don’t get cancer too?
A: You can’t change
your family history, but you
can protect yourself by stay-
ing away from known risk
factors whenever you can.
*Tobacco -- Don’t use
tobacco products and avoid
tobacco smoke.
*Sunlight -- Don’t
spend too much time in the
sun, don’t use sunlamps,
and don’t go to tanning
booths.
*Alcohol -- Don’t have
more than one or two drinks
per day.
*Cancer-causing sub-
stances -- Avoid contact
with substances like asbes-
tos and benzene.
*Ionizing radiation --
Avoid exposure to radiation
from unneeded X-rays.
If you think you may be
at risk for cancer, talk to
your doctor. Ask how you
can reduce your risk and
about tests and exams that
can detect cancer early.
For more information
about cancer, phone the
Cancer Information Service
at (800) 4-CANCER. If you
want help to quit smoking,
phone the NCI’s Smoking
Quitline at (877) 44U-
QUIT.
Q: My boyfriend says
that he can feel a lump in
one of his testicles. Is that a
sign of cancer?
A: Testicular cancer can
cause several symptoms.
Common symptoms in-
clude:
*A lump or swelling in
a testicle.
*Pain or discomfort in a
testicle or in the scrotum.
*Any growth of a testi-
cle or change in the way it
feels.
*A feeling of heaviness
in the scrotum.
*A dull pain in the
lower abdomen, back or
groin.
These symptoms can be
caused by cancer or other
health problems. It is impor-
tant to see a doctor to find
the cause of any symptom.
For more information
about testicular cancer,
phone the Cancer Informa-
tion Service at (800) 4-
CANCER.
Q: What are the symp-
toms of stomach cancer?
A: Early stomach can-
cer often does not cause
clear symptoms. As the can-
cer grows, the most com-
mon symptoms are:
*Discomfort in the
stomach area.
*Feeling full or bloated
after a small meal.
*Nausea or vomiting.
*Weight loss.
Most often, these symp-
toms are not caused by can-
cer. Other health problems,
such as an ulcer or infection,
can cause the same symp-
toms. If you have these
symptoms, you should see a
doctor so that problems can
be found and treated as early
as possible.
For more information
about stomach cancer symp-
toms, phone the Cancer In-
formation Service at (800)
4-CANCER.
Q: What is cancer?
A: Cancer is a group of
related diseases that begin in
cells, the building blocks
that form tissues. Tissues
make up the organs of the
body. Normally, calls grow
and divide to form new cells
as the body needs them.
When cells grow old,
they die. New cells take
their place. Sometimes, this
process goes wrong. New
cells form when the body
does not need them.
Old cells do not die
when they should. These
extra cells can form a mass
of tissue called a growth or
tumor. Tumors can be be-
nign or malignant.
Benign tumors are not
cancer:
*Benign tumors are
rarely life-threatening.
*Most benign tumors
can be removed. They usu-
ally do not grow back.
*Cells from benign tu-
mors do not invade the tis-
sues around them.
*Cells from benign tu-
mors do not spread to other
parts of the body.
Malignant tumors are
cancer:
*Malignant tumors are
generally more serious than
benign tumors. They may be
life-threatening.
*Malignant tumors of-
ten can be removed. But
sometimes they grow back.
*Cells from malignant
tumors can invade and dam-
age nearby tissues and or-
gans.
*Cells from malignant
tumors can spread to other
parts of the body. Cancer
cells spread by breaking
away from original tumor
and entering the blood-
stream or lymphatic system.
The cells can invade other
organs, forming new tumors
new tumors that damage
these organs. The spread of
cancer is called metastasis.
For more information
about cancer, phone the
Cancer Information Service
at (800) 4-CANCER.
Although not the defini-
tive word on where Oregon
agricultural commodities are
being exported, phytosani-
tary certificates give a good
view of the state’s top ex-
port markets.
The certificates are writ-
ten by Oregon Dept. of Ag-
riculture (ODA) inspectors.
Data from 2006 con-
firms that Asia remains a
major destination for Oregon
agricultural products. But
U.S. neighbors Canada and
Mexico remain key export
markets.
During 2006, ODA in-
spectors with the Commod-
ity Inspection Division and
Plant Division issued
phytosanitary certificates
enabling more than 1.8 bil-
lion pounds of fresh product
to be shipped to other coun-
tries. The value exceeded
$151 million last year.
Last year, Oregon’s top
export commodity requiring
a phytosanitary certificate
from ODA was grass straw
and hay at $62.2 million.
What was once a waste
product in the field after the
grass was harvested is now
providing value to growers.
Three Asian markets --
Japan, Korea, and Taiwan --
use the compacted straw and
hay as cattle feed. More
than 1.5 billion pounds were
shipped from Oregon to
those three countries in
2006, a slight increase from
the year before.
The second-ranked
commodity certified for ex-
port by ODA last year was
hazelnuts, with an export
value of $49.4 million.
Nearly half those hazelnuts
went to Hong Kong.
Surprisingly, more than
$10 million worth of hazel-
nuts were exported to Viet-
nam, ODA said. Germany,
Canada, and France were
other top export destinations
for Oregon hazelnuts, based
on ODA’s certification data.
The number three ex-
port commodity last year
was Christmas trees at ap-
proximately $16.2 million.
Mexico was once again the
major buyer at about $14
million, with Canada a dis-
tant second at $2 million.
Without ODA’s phyto-
sanitary certificates, the
trees would never cross the
U.S. border.
Pears and grass seed are
next on the list of ODA in-
spected export commodities
for 2006 at some $11.7 mil-
lion each. There is a much
higher amount of grass seed
exported from Oregon than
accounted for by ODA, but
some countries, such as the
United Kingdom, do not
require a phytosanitary cer-
tificate for grass seed.
Fresh Oregon pears
were shipped last year to
Mexico -- more than half
went to the U.S.’s southern
neighbor -- with Venezuela,
Canada, Sweden, and Brazil
also receiving a significant
supply of pears.
China remains the top
export customer for grass
seed, at least for those
countries requiring a phyto-
sanitary certificate. Japan,
Australia, Argentina, and
Korea also purchased high
amounts of Oregon grass
seed last year.
Filling out the top 10 of
Oregon agricultural exports
last year, according to
ODA’s database, are cher-
ries ($7.5 million), onions
($4.8 million), apples ($4.8
million), potatoes ($4.0 mil-
lion), and blueberries
($889,000).
ODA inspectors exam-
ine a variety of field crops
before issuing phytosanitary
certificates that assure the
commodity is clean of pests
and diseases. Without the
piece of paper with ODA’s
stamp of approval, there is
no guarantee the commodity
meets the export country’s
standards. Therefore, the
product can’t be shipped
without the phytosanitary
certificate.
It is important to em-
phasize, said ODA, that
many Oregon-grown crops
do not require phytosanitary
certificates in order to be
exported. Some commodi-
ties may need one for cer-
tain countries of destination,
but not others.
30 years experience in water, sewer & pipeline
construction, brush clearing, septic installation
& utility line trenching
Specializing in
alternative
septic systems
READY TO DIG & AIMING TO PLEASE 24 HOURS A DAY
1-(541) 597-4486
CCB#159580
Fine Dining
Steaks - Chicken - Fish - Large Hamburgers
Restaurant separate from lounge
Now Available Every Day!
Prime Rib & Prime Rib Sandwiches
Bring in this ad for a 10% discount
Open 4 to 9 p.m. (winter hours) 7 days
592-2892 or 592-4222
H.D. PATTON JR
C O
N
S T
541
•
R U
C
T
476-2127
I O
Lic #39671
Outstanding New Subdivision
“Too Far South” Cave Junction
(some restrictions apply - building may vary
from illustration)
R EACH - U p , S TAND - UP , F LY - UP !
The Kerby
Transfer Station
is open to help you...
Fedoras, Domes, Coasters, Doll Hats & More
Check out our new Pillows!
at the S. Oregon Guild Gallery in
the RCC Belt Building in Kerby 10 -- 3 Wed.-Sat.
Or, Call 592-6078
Email llamuz@forestedgefarm.com
and come by the ranch at
5489 Takilma Road
N
Hours: Mondays -
Saturdays
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information
phone (800) 922-1025