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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2018)
NORTHWEST East Oregonian Page 2A Tuesday, November 13, 2018 Hazelnut yields fall short of expectations in Oregon USDA had predicted record 2018 crop By GEORGE PLAVEN Capital Press Oregon hazelnut growers were anticipating a record- high crop in 2018, though it appears the harvest is com- ing in short of expectations. The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Ser- vice predicted 52,000 tons of hazelnuts in August, which would have beaten the pre- vious record of 49,500 tons in 2001. Instead, local pro- cessors say they are looking at between 46,000 to 48,000 tons, which is higher than last year’s total of 32,000 tons but still not on par with increases in handling capacity. Larry George, president and CEO of George Packing Company in Newberg, said he does not know exactly why hazelnut yields did not meet record forecasts. He said it looks like one of the primary new nut vari- eties, named Jefferson, did not perform as well as pre- viously thought when the orchards were planted in 2007. “I think the new variet- ies, for whatever reason, Eric Mortenson/Capital Press Though the USDA predicted a record hazelnut crop in 2018, yields are coming in short of expectations, according to Oregon processors. we just overestimated what their production would be,” George said. George said it is also possible growers harvested fewer early season orchards due to low prices caused by economic turmoil overseas, including Chinese tariffs and currency devaluation in Turkey, the world’s leading producer of hazelnuts. “We’ll know in a few weeks,” he said. Whatever the reason, a less-than-expected hazelnut crop does not bode well for processors such as George Packing Company, which has invested millions of dollars to increase capac- ity. Hazelnut acreage has roughly doubled in Oregon over the past decade, up to 72,353 acres, spurred by new varieties such as Jeffer- son, Yamhill and McDonald that are resistant to Eastern Filbert Blight. With the growth in acre- age, George said there was a rush to expand along- side the orchards. Nearly all U.S. commercial hazelnuts are grown in Oregon, and George Packing Company is the industry’s largest proces- sor and marketer. But the volume simply has not arrived yet, George said, creating an overcapac- ity on production lines. “You have this massive excess capacity and no huge volume to run,” he said. “We were excited about a record crop. We’re not the only ones who made significant investments, but it just never materialized.” Patrick Gabrish, vice president of sales and mar- keting for Hazelnut Growers of Oregon, a member-owned Forecast for Pendleton Area TODAY WEDNESDAY Fog, then some sun Cloudy and milder 46° 30° 55° 42° FRIDAY Clouds and sun SATURDAY Sun and clouds Partly sunny 58° 40° 53° 34° 45° 27° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 58° 39° 60° 39° 55° 35° OREGON FORECAST 49° 30° ALMANAC Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Seattle Olympia 56/49 47/31 45/23 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 45/32 Lewiston 54/44 43/28 Astoria 59/50 Pullman Yakima 43/29 55/44 49/31 Portland Hermiston 56/42 The Dalles 44/28 Salem Corvallis 56/38 Yesterday Normals Records La Grande 48/29 PRECIPITATION John Day Eugene Bend 59/37 56/31 52/32 Ontario 46/20 Caldwell Burns 35° 31° 52° 34° 74° (1999) 8° (2014) 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Albany 57/39 0.00" 0.01" 0.45" 6.46" 8.12" 7.73" Today Medford 62/32 SUN AND MOON Klamath Falls Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2018 OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Senate Demo- crats in Washington state on Monday elected Sen. Andy Billig of Spokane to be their new leader. Billig takes over immediately, replacing Sen. Sharon Nelson, who announced earlier this year she wasn’t seeking re-election to her seat. “I am humbled to lead this diverse and tal- ented group of senators,” Billig said in a writ- ten statement. “This caucus recognizes that bipartisanship and viewpoints from every cor- ner of Washington are crucial in moving our state forward.” He takes over a majority that has already increased its numbers to a 27-22 margin fol- lowing last week’s election. Two other races for Republican-held seats are currently in recount territory. Billig, who was first elected to the state House in 2011, has served in the Senate since 2013. He’s the only Democrat in the Senate from eastern Washington. Nelson, a former banker and environmen- tal activist, was first elected to the Senate in 2010 after serving in the House for three years. She became leader of the Senate Democratic caucus five years ago, and became majority leader after Democrats regained a one-seat majority following the 2017 election. Nelson said that she is “leaving the Senate in good hands with a majority leader who will truly put people first.” State issues new opioid guidelines aimed at curbing abuse EUGENE (AP) — The Oregon Health Authority has released new guidelines for prescribing opioids to patients with short- term acute pain. The Register-Guard reports that it’s part of a larger strategy to curb opioid abuse. The guidelines include advising doctors not to consider opioids for mild to moderate pain in patients who haven’t had past expo- sure to opioids. Doctors should also check on the patient’s history of substance abuse problems, educate them about safe storage and disposal and prescribe the lowest effec- tive dose. State Health Officer Dr. Katrina Hedberg says most people who end up using opioids in the long term are those who started with a prescription to treat mild to moderate acute pain, such as a broken arm. BOOK & LYRICS BY WSW 6-12 WSW 6-12 Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today First ERIC IDLE Wed. ENE 3-6 N 4-8 Boardman Pendleton 55/19 Sen. Andy Billig of Spokane is new Senate majority leader WINDS (in mph) 48/21 47/7 0.00" 0.10" 0.50" 8.25" 14.12" 10.49" through 3 p.m. yest. HIGH LOW TEMP. Pendleton 47/26 57/42 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date HERMISTON Enterprise 46/30 48/35 28° 25° 51° 34° 80° (1999) 7° (1955) PRECIPITATION Moses Lake 56/44 Aberdeen 42/30 40/29 Tacoma Yesterday Normals Records Spokane Wenatchee 55/47 vars,” Wiman said. “We’ve been doing everything we can to update the nutrient requirements for the new trees.” This year was already challenging for the hazelnut industry as a perfect storm of global factors combined to drive down prices for grow- ers. First, China slapped a 15 percent and 25 percent retal- iatory tariffs on the product from the U.S. in response to the Trump administration’s escalating trade war. Then, the Turkish lira plummeted in value, allowing the coun- try to flood the market with cheap hazelnuts. For the first time, growers accepted a three-tier price system at 62 cents per pound for in-shell hazelnut variet- ies, and between 81 and 91 cents per pound for “shell- out” varieties, which com- mand more value for larger kernels. That is lower than last year’s price of 96.5 cents per pound for all hazelnuts, and $1.18 per pound in 2016. Terry Ross, executive director of the Hazelnut Growers Bargaining Associ- ation, said they system was meant to encourage growers to plant more shell-out vari- eties to tap into newer and potentially more lucrative markets. BRIEFLY THURSDAY PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 44° 28° co-op representing 150 local hazelnut farmers, said he is not overly concerned about lower yields. He is quick to point out that 33,000 acres of orchards still have not reached nut-bearing age. When they do, he said the spike in volume may help to stabilize prices and develop new markets. “There’s going to be plenty of crop to work with over the next few years,” Gabrish said. Both Gabrish and George raved about this year’s crop quality, aided by a dry har- vest season that minimized mud and mold. Months of drought, however, also emphasized the need for growers to adopt irriga- tion and nutrient programs to maximize yields through difficult summers. Nik Wiman, orchard spe- cialist for Oregon State Uni- versity, said growers with dryland hazelnut orchards should consider adding drip irrigation if they can. Mean- while, the university con- tinues to research nutrient requirements for new trees, as well as how best to defend against emerging pests and diseases, such as bacterial blight and the Pacific flat- headed borer. “Everything we have is based on the old (nut) culti- MUSIC BY JOHN DU PREZ & ERIC IDLE 6:52 a.m. 4:27 p.m. 12:09 p.m. 9:35 p.m. Full Last FROM THE ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY BY New NATIONAL EXTREMES GRAHAM CHAPMAN, JOHN CLEESE, TERRY GILLIAM, ERIC IDLE, TERRY JONES, & MICHAEL PALIN Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 90° in Immokalee, Fla. Low -18° in West Yellowstone, Mont. Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY A MUSICAL COMEDY DIRECTED BY BRIAN HATLEY ASSISTED BY STACIE TREGO PRODUCED BY BARB M C KINNEY Nov. 2, 3, 9, 10, 11,* 16, 17, 18,* 23, 24 Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. 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