A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Trump right
on tariffs for
Canadian lumber
I
t isn’t often that an
international argument has
a direct impact on a local
industry, but such may be the
case with President Donald
Trump’s move to impose a
tariff of between 3 and 24.1
percent on softwood lumber
imported from Canada.
In effect a tax, tariffs
are intended to provide a
competitive advantage for
U.S. goods or to counteract
an unfair disadvantage such
as might result from a foreign
government subsidizing its
own industries. Efforts to level
the playing fi eld in this way
are common but hazardous, in
the sense that they can incite
foreign governments to retaliate
against U.S. products.
Canada currently controls
about one-third of the U.S.
market share for softwood
lumber, which is used for
framing houses and some other
purposes, such as building
mattress box springs.
This particular fi ght has
gone on since at least the early
1980s, and even farther back
in other forms. U.S. Sen. Ron
Wyden, the Oregon Democrat,
recently called it the “longest-
running battle since the Trojan
War.”
As explained by the business
journal BloombergPolitics,
“Most of the softwood in
Canada is owned by provincial
governments, which set prices
to cut trees on their land,
while in the U.S. it’s generally
harvested from private
property. The fees charged by
Canadian governments are
below market rates, creating
an unfair advantage, U.S.
producers say. Canada disputes
that.” The U.S. Department
of Commerce alleges the
Canadian government provides
up to 32 additional types of
subsidies to keep its lumber
artifi cially cheap.
Logging and lumber
production represent a
signifi cant economic sector in
our region . Though nowhere
near as dominant as they were
a century ago, forestry-related
fi rms remain key to rural
economies such as ours, and
most in the industry will be
grateful for federal help in this
fi ght, so long as it is effective
and long-lasting.
Andrew Miller, CEO for
Oregon-based Stimson Lumber
Co., told National Public
Radio that particularly when
homebuilding is on a down
cycle, the Canadian subsidies
in effect act like a grocer
holding his thumb on the scale
as produce is being weighed.
Over time, this inequity
has discouraged investment
and made it harder for U.S.
companies to compete.
“People are less inclined
to hire, and meanwhile the
Canadian mills are humming
away at full employment,”
Miller said. He and others
in the U.S. industry say that
increasing their share of the
domestic market will directly
translate into more American
jobs at mills .
The Trump tariffs were
actually a good deal less than
some expected — not wildly
out of line with those the two
governments have agreed
to in the past. Miller said he
estimates they would only add
about $200 to the cost of a new
$250,000 house, though U.S.
homebuilders — who oppose
the tariff — have a higher
fi gure.
Long experience with tariffs
suggests they are usually not
the best way to achieve goals
that instead require careful
and rational negotiations.
However, in this case the
Trump administration may have
chosen the right tool for the
right job.
G UEST C OMMENT
Rural Oregon wants health care solutions
By Ron Wyden
U.S. senator, (D-Oregon)
Quality rural healthcare always
has been and always will be a funda-
mental foundation to sustain robust
rural life in Oregon.
Maintaining quality rural health-
care poses special challenges when
hospitals and doctors may be a long
drive or even a helicopter fl ight away,
challenges made even harder by in-
clement winter weather.
We must meet the challenge to
protect the health and well-being
of rural seniors, children and fam-
ilies. At the same time, healthcare
generates good jobs at good wag-
es, providing signifi cant fi nancial
resources for smaller communities
statewide.
Because rural healthcare is so
key, I’m holding a statewide rural
healthcare listening tour this year.
I’ve heard so far from doctors, nurs-
es, patients, advocates and many
others about what’s working and
what needs improving to stay on the
path toward quality care for all.
Two of my seven roundtables
were in Pendleton and John Day. I
plan additional Oregon rural health-
care meetings this year but so far can
report these fi ve takeaways from my
meetings in Pendleton, John Day and
the other fi ve roundtables:
1) The Affordable Care Act
(ACA) has produced real benefi ts for
rural Oregonians
Rural healthcare providers over-
whelmingly said many Oregonians
have benefi ted from the ACA.
I heard powerful personal stories
of Oregonians whose lack of insur-
ance pre-ACA had forced them to
put off essential medical treatment
because the mammoth healthcare ex-
penses would have bankrupted them.
Thanks to coverage under the
ACA, those same people can now re-
ceive vital care that helps keep them
healthy and providing for their fam-
ilies.
I also heard how the ACA gener-
ated more cost-saving and life-saving
preventive care, as well as access to
caseworkers and behavioral health
providers to help patients improve
their quality of life.
Healthcare providers also talked
about the important connections they
can make in coordinating services to
link crucial mental health treatment,
community resources and good phys-
ical health care.
2) Expansion of Medicaid in rural
Oregon has been especially helpful
More than 1 in 4 Oregonians are
enrolled in Medicaid — and that
share exceeds one in three in some
rural counties.
I heard repeatedly how repeal-
ing the ACA’s Medicaid expansion
would signifi cantly decrease rural
coverage and increase uncompensat-
ed care. That could force shutdowns
of rural hospitals and clinics, many
of which already have slim fi nancial
margins.
Cuts to Medicaid would worsen
the often-tough job of recruiting pro-
viders to rural Oregon, with the ul-
timate victims being rural residents
needing healthcare.
3) Some of the heaviest impacts
from repealing the ACA and slash-
ing Medicaid funding would land on
rural seniors and children; and peo-
ple battling opioid addiction
Rural seniors would be threat-
ened because those older Orego-
nians tend to have chronic condi-
tions and disabilities, and are more
likely to enter nursing homes.
I also heard how rural children
could suffer because youngsters are
disproportionately served through
the Oregon Health Plan.
And providers also spoke of how
the fi ght to combat opioid addiction
would become tougher if the ex-
panded addiction treatment cover-
age under the ACA is lost.
4) Soaring prescription drug
prices continue to undermine lasting
healthcare solutions
There were harrowing tales about
Oregonians facing prescription drug
costs that place the treatment they
need far out of fi nancial reach.
Providers and patients alike
highlighted about the need to lift
the veil of secrecy covering the
opaque system of pricing prescrip-
tion drugs.
We discussed my bill that would
require pharmacy benefi t managers
in Medicare to disclose their total
rebates provided by drug manufac-
turers.
The legislation also would dis-
close how much those rebates are
passed on to health plans so prices
are lowered for people needing pre-
scription drugs.
5) Rural Oregon is hungry for
solutions
Oregonians prefer proven inno-
vations pioneered in rural Oregon
over partisan standoffs that could
reverse those gains.
They say ideas are most likely
to succeed when they emerge from
the “Oregon Way” prioritizing what
works over partisan politics.
I wholeheartedly agree.
Ron Wyden is Oregon’s senior
U.S. senator.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
Will there be a
next generation of
ranchers in Oregon?
W HERE TO W RITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-
575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax:
541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu-
rylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-
575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
541-421-3075. Email: info@cityofl ong-
creek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument
97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025.
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt. Ver-
non 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688.
Fax: 541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.
net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
• Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca
97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161.
Email: senecaoregon@gmail.com.
SALEM
• Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State
Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-
3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www.
governor.state.or.us/governor.html.
• Oregon Legislature — State Capitol,
Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180.
Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes
Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised
Statutes).
To the Editor:
As third-generation stewards of
our ranch in Eastern Oregon, we are
concerned about the slow, steady de-
cline of Oregon’s agricultural land
base, and the aging of the farmer and
rancher population, now nearly 60
years old on average.
For rural counties in Eastern Or-
egon, agriculture is the primary eco-
nomic driver. As aging farmers and
ranchers transition their operations to
the next generation, they face many
obstacles, including estate tax, in-
creasing prices of agricultural lands
and mounting pressure from regula-
tory agencies.
These obstacles create reluctance
in young people to “follow the family
footsteps” and take over the family
farm or ranch. Those children who
do not want to continue the family
business need to pay off Oregon’s re-
pressive estate tax, which sometimes
forces them to sell parcels of land.
The resulting reduction in size com-
promises the economic viability and
integrity of the whole, often resulting
in the eventual sale of the remaining
land for developmental uses.
It is urgent and imperative to
facilitate the positive transition
of ag lands to the next generation.
The Oregon Agricultural Heritage
Program (House Bill 3249) is a
good start. It highlights permanent
working lands easements and tem-
porary covenants as “tools” for
farmers and ranchers to preserve
their working lands within mutually
agreed upon parameters. Easements
and covenants prevent fragmenta-
tion and development of the land,
while allowing ag production and
compensating the landowner for the
forgone rights. These agreements
do not affect property tax rates.
In short, conservation easements
provide an avenue to transition
working ag lands to the next gen-
eration at an affordable value while
allowing for the continuation of a
productive lifestyle vital to our ru-
ral economy and our state.
For the future of Oregon’s work-
ing landscapes, future generations
and our wildlife habitat and open
space, we urge Oregon’s Legislature
to support the Oregon Agricultural
Heritage Program (HB 3249). If we
do not act now to protect working
agricultural lands, they will contin-
ue to decline until we have none.
The loss of working lands means
loss of the attributes that brought all
of our families to this beautiful state
in the fi rst place.
Roger O. and Meredith L.
Ediger
Mt. Vernon
Donations for
athletic fees
appreciated
To the Editor:
In my 20 years as an educator,
I have known some very generous
boosters for specifi c athletic events
or teams. These donations are ap-
preciated but usually only benefi t a
select group of individuals. In my
experience, Russ Young’s donation
of paying the athletic fees since
March of 2016 is unprecedented.
Reducing the fi nancial barrier for
student athletes for over a year has
benefi ted any and all families that
chose to take advantage of our ath-
letic programs. With over $40,000
donated to our community in one
year, his generosity is unparalleled.
You do great things for our com-
munity and more specifi c from my
perspective, our school.
Jason Miller, athletic director
Grant Union Jr./Sr. High
School
See LETTERS, Page A5
L
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