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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 2016)
A4 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016 HeraldBusiness Follow us on Twitter @HermistonHerald Stripe rust found in irriJDted ZKeDt ¿ eOd &21T5,%8T(D 3H2T2 The interior of Novus Energy’s mobile demonstration plant, housed in a 53-foot semi-trailer. The full-size Boardman plant is expected to generate 987,000 mmBTU of renewable natural gas per year. USDA backs Boardman biorefi nery Stripe rust was recent- ly spotted in an irrigated ZKHDW ¿HOG QHDU +HUPLV ton, according to scien- tists with Oregon State University. ,W LV WKH ¿UVW UHSRUW RI the fungal disease in East- ern Oregon in 2016. Stripe rust grows on the leaves of wheat plants and can re- duce yield in severe cases. Larry Lutcher, soil sci- entist with OSU Exten- sion Service in Morrow County, said the disease is thus far limited to just RQH ¿HOG ,W KDV QRW \HW been found in any dryland wheat. Stripe rust tends to thrive in cool, moist con- ditions when farmers would otherwise expect a promising harvest, Lutch- er said. The last year with substantial rust damage came in 2012. “There’s more rain, more humidity, more leaf tissue and more oppor- tunity for the fungus to grow,” Lutcher said. The early start to rust season suggests farm- ers should take extra FDUH VFRXWLQJ WKHLU ¿HOGV Lutcher said. Fungicides can help if the infection is found and treated early. 'U\ODQG ¿HOGV HPHUJH much later than irrigated wheat. However, growers should be aware of the po- tential for rust later in the season. Untreated stripe rust, which is also known as yellow rust, can reduce wheat yields by 40 per- cent or more, according to the U.S. Department of agriculture. The disease is caused by spores and the spores can be spread by wind. Fields infected by stripe rust are commonly treated with a fungicide spray. Company to process farm waste to fuel By GEORGE PLAVEN Staff Writer :LWK¿QDQFLQJLQSODFH a Minnesota-based energy company plans to build its ¿UVW FRPPHUFLDO UH¿QHU\ that will transform farm waste into natural gas and liquid fertilizer at the Port of Morrow. Novus Energy has re- ceived an $11 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Ag- ULFXOWXUH¶V ELRUH¿QHU\ assistance program. Or- egon Sen. Jeff Merkley and USDA Rural Devel- opment Undersecretary Lisa Mensah made the announcement Friday in Portland. ³7KLV ELRUH¿QHU\ ZLOO spur economic develop- ment, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities in rural Oregon,” Mensah said. Novus plans to take 750 tons of food waste every day — things like pota- to peels, onion skins and dairy manure — and con- vert it into renewable gas at the facility. By allow- ing the scraps to ferment in tanks, organic material breaks down and releases methane that can be cap- tured and stored. Joe Burke, Novus pres- ident and CEO, said the company has found a way to make that process 40 SHUFHQWPRUHHI¿FLHQWDQG is now ready for commer- &21T5,%8T(D 3H2T2 A rendering of Novus Energy’s proposed renewable natural gas facility at the Port of Morrow. the East Oregonian. “We are pleased to see this in- novation happening in ru- ral America.” Novus will break ground on its facility at the port later this summer, Burke said, which will be located near Boardman Foods. The total cost is — Lisa Mensah $25 million, and the plant will provide 5-10 perma- USDA Rural Development Undersecretary nent, full-time jobs. At full operation, Novus cial-scale production. The The issue ultimately will produce 3.8 million USDA loan was critical to FDPH GRZQ WR ¿QDQFLQJ cubic feet of renewable gas making the project a reali- Despite successful tests, each day. That’s more than ty, Burke said. Burke said banks wouldn’t 28 million gallons, which “We just can’t wait to lend them money. How- will be pumped directly go to the next step,” he ever, the 2014 Farm Bill into the Cascade pipeline said. expanded the USDA’s on their property. A subsid- Novus has spent sev- ELRUH¿QHU\SURJUDPWRDO iary of BP is signed on to eral years in Eastern Or- low the agency to invest buy the fuel. egon, conducting small- in advanced biofuels and The plant will also gen- scale tests using local food renewable chemicals. erate 350 gallons of liquid ZDVWH LQVLGH D UHWUR¿WWHG Mensah said Novus is fertilizer daily. semi-trailer. Burke said he RQHRIWKH¿UVWFRPSDQLHV “We’re taking waste has been working on and to receive a loan under and turning it into valu- off for three years toward that expansion. able resources. We’re very D FRPPHUFLDO UH¿QHU\ DW “It’s a very competitive excited about that,” Burke the Port of Morrow. program,” Mensah told said. “This biorei nery will spur economic development, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities in rural Oregon.” 6T$)) 3H2T2 %< *$5< /. W(6T 6WULSHUXVWLVVKRZQLQD8PDWLOOD&RXQW\ZKHDWÀHOGLQ WKLVÀOHSKRWRIURP-XQH$FDVHRIVWULSHUXVWKDV EHHQIRXQGLQDQLUULJDWHGZKHDWÀHOGQHDU+HUPLVWRQWKLV year. 3rinted on recycled newsprint VOLUME 110 ɿ NUMBER 9 Gary L. West | Editor gwest@hermistonherald.com Tammy Malgesini | Community Editor Sam Barbee | Sports Reporter Jade McDowell | Reporter sbarbee@hermistonherald.com jmcdowell@eastoregonian.com Jeanne Jewett | Multi-Media consultant Smith appointed to second smaOO Eusiness committee Chamber lunch features agri-tourism consultant Rep. Greg Smith, R-Hep- pner, is representing small businesses on another state committee. Smith was appointed by House Speak- er Tina Kotek, D-Portland, as co-chair of the newly cre- ated Special Greg Committee on Smith Small Business Growth. Earlier in February Gov. Kate Brown also appointed him to the Governor’s Small Business Advisory Cabinet. Smith is the only Eastern Oregon representative on ei- ther committee. The House committee’s primary goals are to gather LQGXVWU\VSHFL¿F LQIRUPDWLRQ on small business needs, iden- tify solutions to maintain and grow small businesses in those Janet Dodson, a consultant for the EOVA (Eastern Or- egon Visitor Associ- ation) Agri-Tourism Committee, is the guest speaker at the upcoming Boardman Chamber of Com- merce luncheon. The no-host gath- ering is Wednesday, March 16, at noon at the Port of Morrow, 2 Rachel Dagley Business Health Farm Life Rachel Dagley 541/276-2302 • 800/225-2521 The Stratton Agency Pendleton / Hermiston • stratton-insurance.com Commercial & Farm Agent Marine Drive, Boardman. The meal is $12 per per- son. Those who plan to at- tend need to RSVP by Fri- day, March 11, by calling 541-481-3014. GIFT WITH PURCHASE * © 2016 Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc. MERLENORMAN.COM industries and develop recom- mendations and draft legisla- tion for the 2017 session. In addition to his legisla- tive duties, Smith is also a small business owner spe- cializing in economic de- velopment and commercial DQG LQGXVWULDO ¿QDQFLQJ +H said in a news release that his hope is to bring “private sector experience and rural perspective” to the commit- tee’s work. Jennifer Colton | Reporter 541-564-4532 tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com 541-564-4542 541-564-4536 jjewett@hermistonherald.com jcolton@hermistonherald.com 541-564-4539 541-564-4531 541-564-4534 Shannon Paxton | 2f¿ ce coordinator spa[ton@hermistonherald.com 541-564-453 Audra Workman | Multi-Media consultant aworNman@eastoregonian.com 541-564-453 To contact the Hermiston Herald for news, advertising or subscription information: call 541-567-6457 e-mail info@hermistonherald.com stop b\ our of¿ ces at 333 (. 0ain 6t. visit us online at: hermistonherald.com The Hermiston Herald 8636 24222, ,661 75-472 is published weeNl\ at Hermiston Herald, 333 (. 0ain 6t., Hermiston, 25 973, 541 567-6457, )$; 541 567-1764. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES Delivered by carrier and mail Wednesdays ,nside 8matilla0orrow counties .......... $42.65 2utside 8matilla0orrow counties ....... $53.9 3eriodical postage paid at Hermiston, 25. 3ostmaster, send address changes to Hermiston Herald, 333 (. 0ain 6t., Hermiston, 25 973. 0ember of (2 0edia *roup &opyright 216 Receive the gift of gorgeous, glowing skin with these trial-sizes. *FREE with the purchase of two or more Merle Norman cosmetic products. Cosmetic accessories not included. Offer valid while supplies last at participating Merle Norman Cosmetic Studios beginning March 1, 2016. Limit one per customer. We reserve the right to substitute individual components of gift. Veronica Zapata a valued member of our team for 4 years! 1915 Washington St. Baker City 541-523-3288 www.merlenormanstudio .com/mn-9053 CONKLIN INSURANCE AGENCY, INC. www.nateconklin.com 395 E. Highland Ave., Hermiston, OR 541-567-1551
