IIKPPM'K (ORK.) fiAZKTTF'TIMKS, Thursday, Dei-ember H, IS72
Heppner-Gazette-Titnes
Fewer Farmers Feed & Clothe More People
Fewer Oregon farms are producing more and more of the state's
total food and fiber. Fewer people are living on farms and even less
claim "farmer" as their occupation.
These are just two of the facts that emerged in a review of Oregon
agriculture during National Farm-City Week
Oregon, as elsewhere in the I'.S., is experiencing a trend toward
larger and larger farms producing more and more of the total
agricultural output.
In fact, farms with sales of $100,000 or more sell 40 percent of all
agricultural production in Oregon even though they are only three
percent of the total farms in the state, reports Rotert Coppedge,
Oregon State University extension agricultural economist.
Known as Class la farms, these large-scale operations numbered
862 in the 19 Census of Agriculture, up trom the 512 reported in the
1964 census. Their average size was 5.483 acres in comparison w ith
an average of 620 acres for all farms in Oregon.
The value of land buildings on these farms was $481 million and
averaged $558,000 per farm, in comparison with an average
investment of $93,000 for all farms. Coppedge notes.
Of the large scale farming operations. 3.5 percent are cash grain
farms, 13.2 percent are in other field crops. 9.4 percent in
vegetables, 10.7 percent in fruits and nuts, 10.4 percent in poultry,
6.6 percent in dairy, 13.6 percent in livestock ranches, and 13.7
percent in other livestock other than poultry and dairy.
Most of the operators are part owners, with 514 of the M2
operators m this category Full time owners numbered 279 and the
remaining were tenant-farmers
Some 471 of the large scale farms are individual or family
farms, with 200 operated by partnerships and 187 run as
corporation farms, Of the corporation farms. 178 have ten or fewer
shareholders Other forms of ownership account for four farms
However. Copcdge points out. even these large scale oH'ratrs
share one fact in common with the smaller farmers: many also
report working off the farm during the year.
Nearh too reported working less than days off the farm
during the year, while "ti worked more than too days off the farm.
This reflects another trend in Oregon Agriculture, Coppedge
points out. which has seen increasing numbers of farmers working
off the farm and many others, who live m town, claiming "farmer"
as their principal occupation
Farming is listed as the principal occupation of 15.493 people in
Oregon, according to the 1970 I'.S Census of Population, with alxuit
two-thirds classified as part of the rural farm population. The rest
claiming farming as their occupation listi-d rural non-farm or city
addresses.
Just barely one-fifth of employed people living on Oregon farms
reported their principal occupation as farmer or farm operators.
The percentage was higher in Eastern Oregon, but Western
Oregon's farm population was engaged to a very large degree in
non-farm occupations, the economist finds.
area was resxnsille for a 5.000
gallon wilier loss Wed. when a
check valve in the Otv of
Irngon well pump station froze
and broke. The station was
cheeked, early in the dav and
additional heat turned on'. The
valve had evidently frozen dur
ing the night and when thawed it
caused the water loss.
stun hi not manliest))' unrea
sonable, it will he sustained
Such determination would not
lie considered unreasonable as
long as ( I ) there is a reasonable
relationship between the
amount of land which is
purchased by the Game Com
mission as a fishing access Rite
and the fishing areu which is
oiened up to anglers, and (2)
none of the prniierty being used
by the (lamp Commission and
classified by it as a fishing
access site, is being used for
any other game management
purposes.
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Sitton and
Mrs. Com Hurnside of Spray
were in The Dalles Saturday for
shopping.
visit with Mr. and Mrs. Hon
Cecil and daughter Jackie.
They also Hent some time in
llermiston visiting relatives
and friends.
Mr. and Mrs. John Nelson
went to The Dalles Saturday for
shopping.
Kinzua
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Rollis
were here from Heppner to visit
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Sargent
Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Hubbell
were in Portland over the
weekend visiting relatives and
to do some shopping.
Mr. and Mrs. Farl Norris
spent the weekend in Bend
attending the Central Oregon
District Council. On Sunday
they visited in Prineville with
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ferrcl and
with Mr. and Mrs. Fred Norris.
Senators Ask Anti Erosion Wheat Strain
4IINF.WS
The Two Trackers 4-11 horse
club held a meeting on Tuesday
Dec. 5 with 14 members
present. We had two new
members They are Honnie
Schwarz and Urian Huschke.
We worked on our records and
plan to do this at each meeting.
We also discussed plans for
the coming year. It was decided
to make a scraplMiok of the
club's activities.
Refreshments were served by
Mary Abrams and Gladys
Alderman.
Our next meeting will be on
the first Tuesday in January.
iancy Miller,
Reporter
Also going to Rend for the
weekend to attend the Central
Oregon District Council meet
were Mr. and Mrs. Delbert
Rarzee and Mr. and Mrs. Lige
Ijong of Fossil.
Pastor and Mrs. Mai went to
Hoardman Monday to partici
pate in a day of Friendship and
Prayer at the Hoardman
Community Church.
Also attending the Central
Oregon District were Mr. and
Mrs. Omar Stubblefield. They
were accompanied by Mrs.
John weaser and daughter Lisa
who stayed to visit her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Rrwin Carpenter.
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Todd and
sons spent Saturday in The
Dalles on business.
The snowfall Saturday and
colder weather brought out
devotees of the sport of Snow
mobilmg. The many hills
around made this ideal, with the
younger fry out on sleds and
inner tutes.
Mr. and Mrs. Orville Deadly
went to The Dalles Saturday to
do some shopping.
In The Dalles Saturday for
shopping were Mr. and Mrs.
Howard Rice.
Mr. and Mrs. I.ee Bailey went
to The Dalles Monday evening
for I.ec to enter The Dalles
General Hospital for Tuesday
morning surgery.
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Samples
of Heppner brought Mrs. Jerry
Samples home Friday from the
Heppner Hospital where she has
been receiving treatment for
the past week.
Mrs. Stanley Renson went to
Rend last week to take her
grandchildren to meet their
parents, .Mr. and Mrs. Pat
Mayherry of Roise, Idaho. The
Senkbiehl children had spent
several days of their Thank
giving vacation here.
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Cecil and
son Kevin and Mr. and Mrs.
Vernon Cecil and daughter
Ruby went to Pendleton Friday
w here they visited Mr. and Mrs.
Ron Cecil and daughter Jackie.
Mr. and Mrs. Rick Renson
and Mrs. Clarence Renson went
to Prineville Saturday to do
some shopping.
Mr. and Mrs Vernon Cecil
went to the Tri-Cities area over
the weekend and to Pendleton to
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Cecil
and Julie Zinter of Heppner
visited Saturday with Mr. and
Mrs. Vernon Cecil.
Increased research to combat soil and water erosion in Eastern
Oregon and Washington was urged today by the two Northwest
members of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senators Warren Magnuson iD-Washi and Mark Hatfield
(R-Ore) asked Prsident Nixon to increase funding for soil erosion
research in the next Department of Agriculture budget proposal.
The two Senators urged in a letter to the President that $882,000
be appropriated for a joint research project at the Pendleton and
Pullman Agriculture Research Centers. The project would help
develop a new strain of wheat that could better combat severe
winter erosion.
"Over 30 million tons of soil are lost annually due to wind and
wa. r erosion in this wheat-growing region," Hatfield said. "This is
nearly one third of the total national loss."
"Development of a new wheat strain would enrich the
productivity of the wheatlands, enhance the environment, and
contribute to economic growth in the region." Hatfield said.
He said environmental damage now occurs through siltation of
streams due to erosion and from increasing fertilizer usage.
The two Senators added $300,000 to begin the research in an
appropriations bill in the closing days of the last Congress, but the
funds were dropped in Conference.
The Magnuson-Hatfield proposal has the support of all Northw est
Senators and of the Wheat Growers Associations of the Northwest
states.
Irrigon Couple to Celebrate
25th Anniversary
R FRANCES ROSE WILSON
there will be a Silver. 25th
Wedding Anniversary Open
House, honoring .Mac and Hazel
McRae. on Dec. 23. from 2 to 6
p.m. at the Lion's Hall in
Irrigon. They were married in
Irrigon on Dec. 24. 1947 and
have resided here since tnat
time.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Noble
and other members of their
family cordially invite all their
friends and families to join
them at their reception.
ranged.
"THE OTHER FELLOW"
. ."When the other fellow takes a long time, he's slow. But when
I take a long time, I'm thorough. When the other fellow doesn't
send in his reports, he's lazy. But when I don't do it, I'm too
busy. When the other fellow does something without being told,
he's overstepping his bounds. When I do, that's initiative!
"When the other fellow sells with a hard-sell pitch, he's using
high pressure. But when I do it, I'm being firm. When the other
fellow pleases the boss, he's polishing the brass. But when I
please the boss, that's cooperation. When the other fellow
overlooks the rules of etiquette, hes rude. But when I skip a few
rules, I'm original. When the other fellow gets ahead, he's
getting breaks. But when I manage to get ahead, it's hard
Mayor Chester Wilson re
ported the City of Irngon's
portion of the Federal Revenue
share was received this week in
the amount of S437. The
payment covers the first half of
the 1972 period and will be
recommended for needed
capital improvements, accord
ing to Wilson.
.Ministers Honored
The Rev. ami Mrs. James
Sebastion. pastors of the
llermiston First Baptist Church
and the The Rev. and Mrs
Chas Ashby, pastors of the
Irrigon Community' Baptist
Church, were honored at the
potluck dinner for the Umatilla
Baptist Association, as new
ministers in the area. The Rev.
Sebastion comes from Chey
enne and the Rev. Ashby lives in
Pendleton and drives to Irrigon.
The ministers were given
boutonnieres while their wives
received a corsage. The "Good
News Singers" sang for the
gathering.
work,"
Published by The Dartnell Sales Service
Chili Feed
The Assembly of God Church
sponsored a chili feed Sunday,
with the proceeds from the
dinner going toward the ex
penses of the Sunday School
bus.
The dinner was held in the
basement of the parsonage,
which has recently been reno
vated. Wall paneling and
carpeting was installed and
linoleum was laid in the kitchen
area, which had been rear-
(iMd ews Singers
The (iood News Singers, who
are either members or former
members of the Irrigon Com
munity Baptist Church, have
been much in demand in
churches of this area. They
have had singing engagements
in the following churches in the
past 2 weeks; Basin City.
Wash., Heppner, Assembly of
God. Kennewiek Baptist,
Trinity Baptist Church in La
Grande. Umatilla Baptist As
sociation dinner, and Finlev,
Wash.
WATER LOST
Cold weather in the Irrigon
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IF
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Li M
676-5811
HEPPNER
PROPERTY TAX FAX
If you have a question
concerning real or personal
property please state all th
facts as briefly as possible nd
mail it to ' your COUNTY
ASSESSOR Jovce Ik'rgstrom
under the name "PROPERTY
TAX FAX". Please ask only one
question per sheet Then watch
this column for the answer.
QUESTION':
Oregon law grants a veteran's
exemption of $7,500 of assessed
value to "the widow remaining
unmarried of a w ar veteran, but
her exemption shall apply only
to the period preceding the date
of her first remarriage." This
provision has been construed to
mean that when a war veteran's
widow remarries, and the
second husband dies or the
widow is divorced from the
second husband, her right to the
veteran's exemption is not
reinstated A inewi federal law
provides that the remarriage
shall not bar a widow's benefits
if the remarriage has been
terminated by death or has been
dissolved by a court. Does this
tederai taw change the prior
opinions of the Department?
ANSWER:
No. From the legislative
history of the federal law, it is
clearly apparent that the law
was dealing only with Veteran's
Administration benefits, and
did not concern itself with
benefits from other sources.
QUESTION:
lama veteran with 4o percent
disability. I received the in
terest in my home as the
beneficiary of an (equitable)
life estate derived from a
testamentary trust. My interest
is on record and is for my life
subject to prior termination at
my option. If I qualify as a
disabled veteran could I get a
homestead exemption?
ANSWER:
Yes. Under the definition of a
homestead your interest is
clearly sufficient. Your interest
would also be sufficient to meet
ownership requirements of the
property tax relief law.
QUESTION:
Our church owns a building
which it is using in the welfare
program of the church to
reclaim and repair donated
clothing which is then distrib
uted free of charge to the needy.
Can we apply for a property tax
exemption on this building?
ANSWER:
Yes. The 1971 legislature
added a subsection to ORS
307.130 which grants exemption
to retail stores dealing exclus
ively in donated inventory
where the proceeds of the sale
of goods sold to general public
support a welfare program. In
view of several court decisions
and Attorney General opinions,
it appears that the general rule
is that a corporation which is
chartered to engage in charit
able and benevolent activities in
addition to its religious pur
poses, can qualify under 307.130,
if it otherwise meets the
standards of that statute.
QUESTION:
In 1971 the legislature
amended ORS 496.340 to exempt
from taxation real property of
the State Game Commission
used for " fishing access
sites or impoundments ."
What is the meaning of the
above statement.
ANSWER:
No definitions are provided in
the law either for fishing access
sites or for impoundments;
'however it appears clear that
the word impoundments"
applies to water which is
impounded behind a dam. The
State Game Commission has
found it necessary to purchase
sizeable tracts of land to obtain
fishing access to various bodies
of water. They were purchased
to provide angler access and
are not used for any other game
management purposes. The
Game Commission has wide
discretion in determining what
lands qualify for "fishing
access sites" and so long as the
determination of the Commis-
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Hampton
went to Eugene Saturday to
take Butch Carey to have
medical care.
Going to Portland for a day of
shopping on Saturday were
Mrs. Chuck Mitchell, Mrs. Uirri
Hire, Mrs. Vic Wallace, and
Mrs. Ravmond Reid.
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING HOURS
The Merchants plan to be open evening hours to allow shoppers
more time for gift selection. They will stay open until 8:30 on
Fridays Dec. 15 and 22 as well as Dec. 20 and 21 for last minute
shoppers.
HOLD HI HEAT, KEEP OUT COLD I
(T.c Windows . . DoorsN. .
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Mattison
and daughters went to The
Dalles Saturday for shopping.
Mr. and Mrs. Grady Rogers
and daughter Pam went to Hood
River and The Dalles on
Saturday for shopping.
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Mr and Mrs. Trop Carey and
family went to The Dalles
Saturday for a day of shopping.
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