News Alert from Natural Resource Report.com

8/28/09

Oregon Agriculture rallies behind Oregon tax referendum

-- The Oregon Farm Bureau Federation has joined a broad-based coalition of business, natural resource and community groups and formed Oregonians Against Job-Killing Taxes to circulate petitions and collect signatures needed to place two tax measures on the ballot in a January special election.  Joining the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation are several agriculture based groups including:  American Forest and Paper Association, Associated Oregon Loggers, Northwest Food Processors Association, Oregon Forestry Industries Council, and the Oregon Seed Council.   Continue reading...

Green power collides with Endangered Species Act

-- Green power, green jobs, renewable energy collide with the Endangered Species Act in a proposed wind farm in Southwest Washington. The project calling for between 48-60 megawatts of power is proposed for 3,359 acres of Washington Department of Natural Resources land northwest of Naselle, Washington. Enter the Marbled Murrelet.  The proposed wind farm is in the path Murrelets could use between its feeding grounds in the ocean and nesting areas inland.   Continue reading...

Environmentalists fret over Obama salmon plan delay

-- For a second time the Obama Administration has asked for more time to review the 2008 Salmon plan prepared by the Bush Administration covering the Columbia and Snake rivers.  A number of environmental groups are concerned that in asking for the delay the Obama administration may end up supporting the Bush Plan.  Continue reading...

Historic low for Oregon timber harvests

-- Oregon’s timber harvests continued to decline in 2008, with a total harvest of 3.44 billion board feet. The total cut decreased nine percent from the 2007 harvest volume of 3.80 billion board feet. “These are the lowest harvest levels we have seen in Oregon since the recession-based lows of 2001,” said Gary Lettman, Oregon Department of Forestry forest economist.  “  Continue reading...

Survey show Oregon farmers near top in usage

-- Oregon ranks fifth in the percentage of farm operations with access to a computer (79 percent) trailing New Hampshire (83 percent), Washington (81 percent), Wyoming (81 percent), and Idaho (80 percent). The numbers are similar in the percentage of farmers owning or leasing a computer. Oregon ranks fourth at 75 percent, trailing Wyoming, Idaho, and New Hampshire respectively. Oregon is number five in the percentage of farms with Internet access at 69 percent. Wyoming is first at 80 percent and neighboring Washington is second at 77 percent. Continue reading...

Bonus articles:

- Cash for Clunkers: Bad for the environment?

- Weyerhaeuser sells Oregon timberland

- Animal tracking system could become mandatory

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