Immigrant farm workers push for guest worker IDs

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -- A group of Mexican farm workers and several dairy farmers have testified in support of a guest worker program for the estimated 1,500 to 2,000 immigrants who work on Vermont's dairy farms. The bill before the Senate Agriculture Committee would create state IDs for the wo ...

Climate change group gets annual checkup

Researchers working to determine the impacts of climate change on the region's agriculture will meet next week. Participants in the $20 million Regional Approaches to Climate Change in Pacific Northwest Agriculture (REACCH) project hold their annual meeting beginning Feb. 29 at the Red Lion Hot ...

Exports, dairy woes a balance for hay prices

YREKA, Calif. - Hay prices should remain lower this year than at their peak in 2011, but they'll still be strong by historical standards, a market expert says. First cuttings of supreme alfalfa are expected to sell for between $230 and $255 per ton, and as much as $270 a ton in Central Californ ...

Oregon dairy convention kicks off in Salem

SALEM -- The Oregon Dairy Farmers annual convention appears to have "struck a chord" with dairy farmers and exhibitors, according to Pete Kent, administrator of the Oregon Dairy Products Commission.

"We have 315 attendees," he said, "including a lot of new producers we haven't seen and younger pr ...

Truitt Bros. bids for Snokist

SALEM -- Truitt Brothers Inc., a fruit and vegetable processor in Salem, is offering $42.25 million for Snokist Growers, a pear and apple processor in Yakima, Wash., that filed for bankruptcy in December.

Del Monte of San Francisco and National Fruit Product Co., Winchester, Va., also are likely ...

Candidate Paul says he opposes farm subsidies

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul says he opposes farm subsidies.

"The support programs and the subsidies, that's just a distortion of the markets," he said during a press conference following his appearance. "They're always intended to help the little farmer, but end u ...

Gov. Otter appoints Environmental Quality director

BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has named a replacement for the outgoing environmental quality director. Otter has announced that Curt Fransen will take over for Toni Hardesty, who recently resigned as director of the Idaho Department of Environment Quality. Fransen ...

Analysts: Too much milk everywhere

Dairy analysts say the latest USDA production report shows U.S. milk supplies are growing, which could lead to lower prices for dairymen. Not only was January's milk production up 3.7 percent from January 2011, but there were 93,000 more cows in the herd. Milk per cow also increased 46 poun ...

Recruiter hired for IDWR director search

To expedite the search for an Idaho Department of Water Resources director's position that's been open since July 2009, the state has hired a recruiter to find qualified applicants. Upon completion of her task, Donna Svei, of Sun Valley, will be paid 20 percent of the new director's starting sa ...

Exports, dairy woes a balance for hay prices

YREKA, Calif. - Hay prices should remain lower this year than at their peak in 2011, but they'll still be strong by historical standards, a market expert says. First cuttings of supreme alfalfa are expected to sell for between $230 and $255 per ton, and as much as $270 a ton in Central Californ ...

Expert: Transgenic alfalfa can coexist with neighbors

YREKA, Calif. - Can genetically modified alfalfa coexist near conventional and organic fields? Yes, with certain caveats, an expert says. The most likely scenario in which genes could be transferred is from hay contacting other hay, and hay is usually cut before flowering occurs and makes gene ...

Analysts: Too much milk everywhere

Dairy analysts say the latest USDA production report shows U.S. milk supplies are growing, which could lead to lower prices for dairymen. Not only was January's milk production up 3.7 percent from January 2011, but there were 93,000 more cows in the herd. Milk per cow also increased 46 poun ...

Salazar visits Oregon's Rogue Valley

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) -- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's appearance at a town hall meeting in Medford, Ore., drew about a dozen protesters who oppose any plan to remove Klamath River dams. KDRV reports (http://is.gd/yG7QaT ) that the dams were brought up several times during Tuesday's town hall b ...

Dog training bill passes committee

SALEM -- A House committee has passed a bill allowing dog training and dog kennels on farmland in Oregon. House Bill 4170 was approved by the House Rules Committee Feb. 21. The bill allows commercial dog boarding kennels and dog training on land zoned for exclusive farm use, providing certain li ...

Attorney fees awarded in overtime settlement

An Oregon farm and processing company must pay nearly $140,000 in attorney fees and other costs as part of a lawsuit about overtime wages. Stahlbush Island Farms, which grows fruits and vegetables near Corvallis, Ore., has been ordered to pay the award on top of the $500,000 settlement the comp ...

EEOC targets agriculture, attorney says

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has targeted the agricultural industry under the Obama administration, says a leading labor attorney from Portland. Education rather than enforcement was the agency's focus during the Bush administration, with enforcement usually reserved for bi ...

Egg bill battle heats up in D.C.

A bill setting federal standards for the care of egg-laying hens is gaining support from groups and members of Congress, an aide to the bill's sponsor says. But opponents of HR3798 say opposition is growing and that "big player members (of Congress) from serious farm country are against it." ...

Fish and Wildlife land acquisition draws questions

When Nate Hair sees land being bought by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, he's concerned. As a cattleman and as president of the Cattle Producers of Washington, the prospect of losing land for grazing does not go down well. "It especially impacts cow-calf producers," he said. Jennif ...

Paul against subsidies, estate tax; favors H-2A reform

submitted a questionnaire to the GOP presidential candidates seeking their views on issues important to farmers and ranchers. What follows are the answers given by Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. Q: What farm programs and policies do you support? A: My long-term goal is to eliminate all farm progr ...

Help lacking for this species

Editorial An Oregon farmer made more sense in her recent address to a local food gathering than we've heard in any one speech in a long time. Karla Chambers, who with her husband owns Stahlbush Island Farms in the Willamette Valley, gave an enthusiastic discourse on entrepreneurship, job creation ...

Food stamp flap hits on truth

Editorial We found ourselves in the unusual position last week of not knowing which side to cheer for in a debate over a welfare bill introduced in the Florida Legislature. State Sen. Ronda Storms, a Republican, said food stamps should be used to buy milk, vegetables, fruit, meat and other staples ...