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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 24, 2015)
A10 News Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, June 24, 2015 OCA: Meeting Ranchers urged to tell their story in JD a success By Scotta Callister Blue Mountain Eagle Blue Mountain Eagle JOHN DAY – Wolves, water and international trade were just a few of the topics at the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association’s 2015 Midyear event. Over 130 ranchers from across the state attended the con- ference earlier this month at the Grant County Fair- grounds. It featured more than 15 speakers and an array of vendors. The lineup impressed past association president and current water resourc- es chair Curtis Martin. He felt each session was packed full of information. This year, OCA was able to bring in National Cattlemen’s Beef Associ- ation’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Colin Woodall. “Colin is diligent in working for the cattle in- dustry in Washington, D.C.,” said Keith Nantz, chair for both NCBA Young Beef Leaders pro- gram and Oregon’s Young Cattlemen’s Committee. “It was our privilege to have him speak at Mid- year.” Woodall covered several topics the associa- tion is paying close atten- tion to in D.C. including TPA and TPP, the interna- tional trade bills. “Our attendance was great. We feel this was ODUJHO\ GXH WR &ROLQ¶V H[ cellent presentation at our Midyear event,” said Je- URPH5RVD2&$H[HFXWLYH director. The event wrapped up June 12 with a barbecue hosted by Prairie City FFA and meat donated by Country Natural Beef. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Dayville School District 16J tion forma For In ew, call i or to v 7-2412 8 9 (541) Sealed bids are being accepted by Dayville School District 16J for the following items: Commercial Cafeteria Appliances: • Pass Through Low Temp Dish Sanitizer, minimum bid: $200 • Silverking Mild Dispenser Cooler, minimum bid: $100 • Imperial Commercial Range, Minimum bid Dayville School District 16J $350 • Cooling Unit (condenser & fans) for Walk-in P.O. Box C Freezer, minimum bid $200. Buyer must Dayville, OR 97825 carefully dismantle and remove from old unit. (541) 987-2412 Sealed bids should be delivered or mailed on or before 6/30/2015 to: JOHN DAY – A Grant Coun- ty natural resources consul- tant says private landowners should tout their part in the -RKQ 'D\ 5LYHU %DVLQ ¿VK ery’s success. “If you don’t step up and take credit for what you’ve done, somebody else will,” Shaun Robertson warned in a talk at the Oregon Cattle- men’s Association confer- ence June 10-12. His ses- sion was one of several that packed the Sale Barn at the Grant County Fairgrounds during the three-day event. Robertson, founder of the John Day Resource Center, said the John Day River Ba- sin is a powerful draw for groups that want “to save us from ourselves.” He recounted how one group called it “the last best place,” but then described it as a place destroyed by log- ging, grazing, mining and other traditional activities. It was a pitch, he said, to get money “to save it.” He said the reality is that long-term landowners have been good stewards, and were so for a century without the involvement of federal and state regulators. He said to be wary when groups talk about “legacy ef- fects,” which he called code for “we need lots of money WR ¿[ ZKDW KDSSHQHG D ORQJ time ago.” In fact, he said, the John 'D\ 5LYHU¶V LPSURYLQJ ¿VK ery resource is a bright spot in the Columbia Basin, and he credits private landowners and local programs for the gains. “Elsewhere in the Colum- bia Basin, it’s all gloom and doom,” he said. +HVDLGVWURQJHU¿VKUXQV and habitat gains have come about because landowners and local agencies, such as Grant Soil and Water Conser- vation District, are working together on shared goals and commitments. At the same time, Robert- VRQVHHVDQLQÀX[RIQRQJRY ernment organizations ready WR WDNH FUHGLW IRU EHQH¿WV forged on the private lands. And he said there’s a need for honesty in the discussions about natural resources. )RU H[DPSOH KH VKRZHG a photo that had been used by one group as evidence of grazing mismanagement, noting that something was missing from the image: cowpies. Puzzled, he re- searched the source of the photo, and found it had been taken after a massive grass- hopper infestation – and the result shown in the picture had nothing to do with graz- ing. Robertson said some re- source damage blamed on landowner practices really reflects post-World War II changes on a national scale, when the focus of govern- ment shifted from the war effort to one of reforming the local landscape. What ensued was an era of land clearing, dam building and waterway control. Today, he said, govern- ment agencies are trying to IL[ WKH GDPDJH IURP WKRVH activities, but often with- out accepting responsibility for their role in creating the problem. Robertson got a chuckle from the audience when he said Oregon ranchers could take a lesson from French farmers. He showed a photo of a convoy of French farm equipment clogging a high- way in a parade to draw at- tention to the needs of agri- culture. “They get on their trac- tors and dump manure in the streets … and pretty soon, they’ve got an audience,” Robertson said. He said he’s not advo- cating anarchy, but he urged ranchers to stop complaining in the coffee shops and take their cases instead to the centers of power, where de- cisions get made. He said agriculture’s slogans from recent years – “We feed the world” or “Ev- ery day is Earth Day for the American cattleman” – no longer cut it. He said ranch- ers instead need to tell the whole story of rural Oregon, and the strong schools, fam- ilies and communities that agriculture has fostered and built. G RANT C OUNTY M EETINGS ONGOING Grant County Library is open 1-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-noon and 1-7 p.m. Tuesday; and 7-9 p.m. Thursday. The library is located at 507 S. Canyon Blvd., John Day. Canyon Mountain Cen- ter offers meditation sittings from 5:30 to 6:10 p.m., Mon- day, Wednesday and Friday, 511 Hillcrest, John Day. Call ahead, 541-932-2725. Burns-Hines VA Clinic – Services for Grant Coun- ty veterans. Immunizations, minor surgical procedures, blood pressure and diabetes monitoring, group therapy for combat PTSD, sobriety and other issues. Lab draws on Wednesdays. Nursing staff and therapy Monday through Friday. 541-573-3339. Grant County Genea- logical Society Research Center – Open 1-4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Parsonage building behind Historic Advent Church, West Main Street in John Day. 541- 932-4718 or 541-575-2757. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), weigh-in, meeting. United Methodist Church library, 126 N.W. Canton St., John Day. 541-575-3812, 541-932- 4592. 12 p.m. – Seniors Meal Program at the Strawberry Grange Hall, Prairie City. 12 p.m. – Women’s Sup- port, by Heart of Grant Coun- ty, for domestic violence survivors. Free lunch. 541- 575-4335. 12-1:30 p.m. – Commu- nity Advisory Council, Grant County Regional Airport, John Day. Open to the public, call 541-620-0444. 6 p.m. – Long Creek Vol- unteer Fire Department, City Hall. 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Family History Center open, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John Day. Also open by appointment. 541-656- 8069. 7:30 p.m. – Let Go Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, St. Elizabeth Catholic Par- ish Hall, John Day. 541-575- 0114. THURSDAY, JUNE 25 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Family History Center open, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John Day. Also open by appointment. 541-656- 8069. Noon – Seniors Meal Program and bingo, John Day Senior Center, 142 N.E. Dayton St. 541-575-1825. 5:30-7:15 p.m. – Youth Connection, Living Word Christian Center, Mt. Vernon. Kid-friendly dinner and Bible activities. Van rides available. 541-932-4910. 6 p.m. – “The Girlfriends” Women’s 12-step Recovery, 2830 10th St., Baker City, OR 541-524-0122 EVERY OTHER TUESDAY Jerry “ Jerry goes above and beyond what is expected of him. ” – Travis, manager, Wildhorse Resort & Casino, Pendleton Promoting community jobs for people with developmental disabilities Read more about Jerry’s success story: John Day Church of the Naz- arene. 541-620-0065. FRIDAY, JUNE 26 4 p.m. – Long Creek His- torical Society, Long Creek City Hall, 541-421-3621. 7 p.m. – Whiskey Gulch Gang, Sels Brewery, Canyon City. 541-575-0329. SATURDAY, JUNE 27 8:30 a.m.-noon – John Day Farmers Market, SW Brent St., John Day. Crafts, baked goods, produce, kids activities, entertainment, in- formation booths. 541-932- 2725. 7 p.m. – Bingo, Monu- ment Senior Center. Potluck dinner at halftime. SUNDAY, JUNE 28 Fun Jam, musicians and listeners welcome for blue- grass, gospel and traditional country western music, Call for time and location, 541- 575-1927. MONDAY, JUNE 29 Noon – Seniors Meal Program, John Day Senior Center, 142 N.E. Dayton St. 541-575-1825. 6 p.m. – Mt. Vernon Vol- unteer Fire Department, 541-932-4688. 7 p.m. – John Day Valley Bass Club, Outpost Restau- rant. All are welcome. Wil- liam Gibbs, 541-575-2050. 7:30 p.m. – Outlaw Group of Alcoholics Anon- ymous, Presbyterian Church in Mt. Vernon. 541-932-4844. TUESDAY, JUNE 30 10-11 a.m. – Story Hour and craft project, Grant County Library, for pre- schoolers 0-6 years old. 541- 575-1992. 12 p.m. – Seniors Meal Program at the Monument Senior Center. 12 p.m. – Transient Room Tax Committee, Grant Coun- ty Chamber of Commerce, 301 W. Main St., John Day. 6:30 p.m. – New Begin- nings Recovery Group, Liv- ing Word Christian Center, Mt. Vernon. 541-932-4910. 7:15 p.m. – Boy Scout Troop 898, John Day Elks Lodge, John Day. 541-575- 2531. 7 p.m. – Grant County Genealogical Society, old parsonage building behind the Historic Advent Church, John Day. 541-575-2757, 541-932- 4718. WEDNESDAY, JULY 1 7 a.m. – Ministerial As- sociation of Grant County, Outpost Restaurant, John Day. 9 a.m. – Grant County Court, courthouse, Canyon City. 9 a.m. – Shepherd’s Clos- et, open, with free clothing for all ages and coffee, at Prairie City Assembly of God. 541- 820-3682. 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. – Veter- ans/families services, John Day Elks Lodge. Topics in- clude PTSD services and in- dividual needs. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), weigh-in, meeting. United Methodist Church library, 126 N.W. Canton St., John Day. 541-575-3812, 541-932- 4592.
