Important update from ISDA

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Please see the attached materials about the wheat issue in Oregon. Director Gould will be on the phone this afternoon reaching out to you. Our office is monitoring this issue very closely, and we are cooperating with our partners on the state and federal side.

USDA news release GE wheat 5-28-13
BRS_QA_Biotech_and_USDA
FAQ_BRS_GE_Wheat_Detection

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thank you,

Chanel Tewalt │Assistant to the Director
Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture
Office: 208.332.8503
Mobile: 208.830.7689
chanel.tewalt@agri.idaho.gov

 

State board of ag to meet

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The Oregon State Board of Agriculture will meet in Salem June 5-6.

On day one, the board will hold a round-table discussion with industry representatives on legislative developments. Also, the Oregon Farm Bureau will provide an overview of congressional efforts to reform U.S. immigration policy.

On day two, the board will hear from a panel on strategic efforts to implement Oregon’s agriculture water quality program. A second panel will present an update on the Food Safety Modernization Act.

A public comment period is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. June 5.

The meeting will be in the hearings room of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, 635 Capitol St. N.E.

It begins at 8:30 a.m. both days.

The meeting is open to the public.

Published 5/28/13 in the Capital Press.

Ergot warning issued in Eastern Oregon

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The Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center is warning grass seed growers to be alert for ergot.

The alert notes that ergot spore production is coinciding with flowering in perennial ryegrass in the Columbia Basin.

Spores typically are produced ahead of flowering.

“When they coincide, then we have big ergot years,” said Phil Hamm, director of the center and a plant pathologist.

“Chemical protection of flowers during anthesis will be important this year,” the alert states.

Ergot spores replace seeds in infected ryegrass and bluegrass plants, create a honeydew that attracts insects, adds to cleaning costs and can increase disease pressure in subsequent years.

Growers can obtain partial control through use of fungicides, Hamm said.

Hamm said the station is researching additional management techniques, including a method to delay spore production in ergot until after ryegrass fields flower.

Published 5/21/13 by Capital Press.

Summer Convention Early Bird Sign Up Ends May 24th

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We are just six weeks away from the OSA Summer Convention at Salishan, and we hope you can all attend. If you have not already registered, we encourage you to do so now. Early bird pricing ends May 24. Sign up now to avoid paying an additional 10% for registration fees. Convention registration forms and online registration are located at http://oregonseed2.pacwestweb.com/events/summer-convention/.

ROOMS
You will also want to call soon to reserve a room with Salishan. The block of rooms will be held only through May 26, and after that the unclaimed rooms will be released for general sale. Salishan will still honor the contracted rate for guests reserving a room after this date, but only if available. Call 1-800-452-2300, and make sure to mention Oregon Seed Association.

SPONSORS
If you are interested in contributing as a convention sponsor, or hosting an exhibit table, please contact us soon. Exhibit tables are filling up quickly and sponsors get priority.

GOLF
We still have some tee times available for golf on Saturday morning after the convention. Please contact John Cochran (john@turfmerchants.com) or Angie Blacker (blacker@pacwestcom.com) to sign up. Tee times start at 8:10 am, and the cost is $89 per person, which includes the cart. Please pay Salishan directly.

Please feel free to contact OSA at 503-685-7555 or blacker@pacwestcom.com if you have any questions. We’ll see all of you in June!

 

Sprague Pest Solutions Expands Its Portland Service Center

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TACOMA, Wash., April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — To meet the needs and demands of a growing market Sprague Pest Solutions has expanded and moved its Portland, Oregon service center.

The new service center features a 40-seat training center, 4,500 sq. ft. warehouse, 1,280 cubic ft. heat treatment and fumigation chamber, and a secured lot for onsite fumigation of equipment and trailers up to 53 ft. in length.

“The additional space allows us to expand our heating and fumigation service capabilities and provide a valuable service to our clients, especially those involved in food processing, distribution and agriculture,” says Brian Kalbfleisch, Sprague district manager for Oregon and Southwest Washington. “We can service small lot shipments, bins and equipment used in food processing, farm equipment as well as furniture that is infested with bed bugs.”

To read more, visit the Wall Street Journal.

Fire destroys Canby grass seed company building

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A Canby-based grass seed company’s building was destroyed in a fire Thursday morning that required about 40 firefighters from several different agencies to put it out.

The two-alarm fire broke out around 11:30 a.m. at the Rose Agri-Seed building located at 29975 S Barlow Road, said Todd Gary, deputy fire marshal at the Canby Fire Department. Gary, also the lead investigator on the blaze, said it started after a machine that dries grass seeds caught fire. No one was injured.

Several factors complicated firefighters’ efforts to put the fire out, Gary said. Visibility was low from heavy smoke and the 2400-square-foot building had no windows. Four propane tanks inside the building also caught fire, and the building’s roof collapsed shortly after crews arrived.

To read more, visit The Oregonian

More than Marketing…

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Oregon Seed Association is more than just a group that markets seed to the world, we provide not only a foundation that is solid for today, but will bring lasting benefits for generations to come. Why in the United States alone, turf grass covers 46.5 million acres, from homes and recreation parks, to golf courses and sports fields. The benefits derived from the grasses we market include the cleansing of air—converting CO2 to oxygen. A 50 foot by 50 foot area of healthy turf grass will supply enough oxygen for a family of four. Another amazing attribute is its cooling capabilities. Eight front yards will have the same cooling effect as 70 tons of air conditioning!

Turf grass is hard on pollution as well, from cutting noise pollution, trapping dust and dirt that run off hard surfaces and also filtering the water and putting it back into the ecosystem. A good looking, healthy lawn can increase the value of your home by as much as $1,400. As for the return on investment of turf, almost half a million people are employed in the turf grass industry, with the turf grass industry being worth an estimated value of $45 billion dollars. So the next time you mow your lawn, go to the park or watch your next sporting event, remember these facts.

OSA is pleased to be part of the one of the original green industries, bringing enjoyment, beauty, and, of course, recreation to everyone. The Oregon Seed Association does more than just sell seed; we are part of the solution that makes life better and truly gives back to the environment.

The Finest Bentgrasses in the World

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Tee-2-Green is the exclusive marketer of the finest bentgrasses available for golf course greens, fairways and tees.

The Penncross Bentgrass Growers Association owns Tee-2-Green and the growers take pride in the legendary bentgrass seed varieties they provide to golf courses. “Tee-2-Green is a unique company in the seed industry because it is owned by the farmers who grow the bentgrass,” says Terry Plagmann, president of Tee-2-Green. “It’s very satisfying knowing a lot of people are benefiting from the turf for which we provide the seed.”

From charcoal growing to hand weeding, the growers and their families strive to meet and exceed the rigorous Oregon State testing standards. That’s why the Tee-2-Green bents are known and trusted by superintendents who demand the highest quality of seed.
Penncross: The first of its kind

Professors Burton Musser and Joe Duich of Penn State University developed the first Penn bent, Penncross. When introduced, Penncross provided golf with a giant leap in bentgrass quality, and today it remains one of the most popular bentgrasses in the world.

But that was just the start. Newer, ground-breaking bentgrasses like the Penn A’s and G’s, Seaside II, Penneagle II and PennLinks II continue setting even higher standards for playability and easy management that others still try to match. And today, there is a brilliant new generation of super-star bentgrasses, Crystal BlueLinks, Pure Distinction and Pure Select that are leading golf toward the ultimate bentgrasses of the future.

Contact information:
Lee Habrich
Tee-2-Green Corp.
PO Box 250
Hubbard, OR 97032
800-547-0255
bentinfo@tee-2-green.com

Budget softens cuts to services

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SALEM — Democrat and Republican budgets released March 4 include 10 percent increases in natural resource agency funding, marking the first time in more than a decade they could receive boosts in general funds.

The Democrats’ budget also includes $5.7 million more for Oregon State University’s statewide public services than what Gov. John Kitzhaber recommended in his budget.
The Republican budget did not address the statewide services.

To read more, visit Capital Press.