North Carolina Increases Seed Piracy Fines 20X

Lewiston-Woodville, NC (May 18/TheState) North Carolina’s peanut belt got the kind of rain in 2013 that three decades ago could have wiped out the peanut crop.

The deluge of precipitation was ideal for nurturing devastating diseases for the harvests, but farmers had a defense: Most of them had planted protected peanut varieties that N.C. State University’s Tom Isleib and his staff developed to fight off the rain-fueled fungi, blights and viruses that can be the difference between a farmer making money and taking a loss.

A change in state law aims to make sure plant breeders such as Isleib and his fellow crop scientists get a return on their investment, too. This growing season, any purveyor of a protected variety caught selling unlabeled seed to avoid paying royalties to the plant breeder can be fined up to $10,000. That’s up from the $500 fine violators have risked since the 1940s.

The 20-fold increase reflects the rise of agricultural research as intellectual property, and it highlights the growing importance of royalties as a way to pay for innovations that guarantee a stable food supply.

Isleib — pronounced ISS-lub — believes patenting seeds tends to reduce the genetic diversity of crops by discouraging researchers from trading plant material. But he says it’s no longer feasible to place new varieties — known as cultivars in peanut research — into the public domain.

Without patents, there are no royalties, he said. “And without royalties, this kind of research would dry up.”

With only about 1.2 million acres across the country planted each year, peanuts are a relatively small crop. So private companies don’t have much incentive, Isleib says, to invest the years and the millions of dollars it takes to create new seed varieties, then test, purify and multiply them, and get them into the hands of farmers.

That leaves most of the work to publicly funded labs such as those of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and university programs like the one Isleib runs out of his office and half a greenhouse off Method Road in West Raleigh.

Isleib’s program performs traditional plant breeding. Plant breeders have intentionally crossed different plant lines to emphasize desirable traits since at least the 1800s.

While the state pays his salary, Isleib needs $350,000 to $400,000 a year to pay for his staff, materials, equipment and rental of sandy state-owned test fields like the one in Bertie County where he was planting last week. Grants and royalties paid to NCSU, which holds the rights to the seeds he develops, are his major sources of funding.

Researchers do similar work for every crop in North Carolina that’s grown from seed, including wheat, corn, and soybeans.

“There’s somebody like me for just about everything you eat, except for a few wild mushrooms you might gather up out of the woods, and fish you take out of the ocean,” Isleib said. “The general public doesn’t see the value of that. They rely on it, but they’re not aware of it.”

Peanut research star

In the world of peanut researchers, Isleib is a rock star, even if he’s a stocky, graying one whose voice sounds like a friendly cartoon character’s, the result of a severe stroke a few years ago.

Since 1990, Isleib has taken 17 new peanut seeds to market, including Bailey and Sugg, the ones that saved North Carolina growers last year. This year, Bailey is expected to account for 80 percent of the 85,000 acres of peanuts that will be planted across the state.

So far, N.C. State has received $4.5 million in royalties from Isleib’s work. The university’s Office of Technology Transfer disburses the money, as it does for hundreds of other commercially successful discoveries NCSU has fostered.

Farmers may need peanuts that are more drought-tolerant, or have a bigger, lighter-colored pod. In general, they’re moving toward peanuts with higher oleic-acid content, because it extends shelf life. They may want types with a sweeter flavor.

Once Isleib has the traits he wants in a variety, he raises many generations of it, taking careful measurements of how plants respond to field conditions, pests and pathogens, how they look and how the peanuts taste. He gives the seed a name, usually honoring someone who has worked in peanut research, and when it’s ready, he delivers several hundred pounds of the seed to NC Foundation Seed Producers Foundation, which grows additional generations and checks to make sure it performs as promised.

Finally, it’s packaged, labeled, sold to distributors and offered to farmers, who pay about 85 cents per pound, including a 3-cent-per-pound royalty. Farmers plant from 100 to 130 pounds of peanut seed per acre. North Carolina has about 1,500 peanut growers producing 85,000 acres of peanuts. That’s at least $255,000 a year in peanut seed royalties in this state if farmers buy new seed every year.

Some don’t; they save money by saving seed from one year’s crop to plant the following year, which is allowed under the seed law, although it can result in an uneven crop.

Penalties for brown bagging

Across the state, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has nine inspectors in its Plant Industry Division whose duties include making sure seed conforms to the N.C. Seed Law, whether it’s sold on a shelf in the garden center at Walmart or moved by the truckload through a farm supply store. If inspectors find a violation, they can stop the sale of the seed and, if the situation warrants, invoke a fine.

Phil Farmer, past president of the N.C. Seedmen’s Association and a retired seed company employee, says distributors brown-bag seed with some frequency, though state officials can’t remember a recent prosecution.

By selling brown-bagged seed, and telling buyers it’s the brand-name product without paying the royalty, distributors gain an unfair price advantage over competitors. Sometimes, the competitors hear about the practice and report it.

If they were only fined $500 for a violation but could make thousands by selling uncertified seed, “They’d just keep on doing it,” Farmer said. “Even if they got caught and had to pay the fine, it was still worth doing.”

In 2012, when the Bailey peanut seed was in high demand and certified supplies of the still-new seed were not yet robust, Daryl Bowman, executive director of Foundation Seed, got a complaint that a distributor was brown-bagging Bailey. He went to the distributor, where he found several thousand pounds of uncertified seed for sale, but determined that the company official who had arranged it didn’t know it was illegal to sell saved seed from a protected cultivar crop.

“It was a matter of ignorance,” Bowman said. The company stopped the practice, paid the royalties it owed NCSU and, at Bowman’s urging, hired a consultant to train employees on the state and federal laws.

Bowman, the Seedman’s Association and state agriculture officials pressed for the change in the law the General Assembly passed last year. Besides the increased fine, it allows the state to revoke a distributor’s license to sell.

Without a meaningful penalty, Farmer said, there would be the temptation to cheat patent-holders out of their share.

“Then you end up killing the goose that laid the golden egg.”

The original article published in Seed Today on 5/20/14 can be found here.

Field trials may answer canola question

Eric Mortenson/Capital Press
–Farmer Dean Freeborn has been arguing for more than 10 years that canola is safe to grow and is a profitable rotation crop.

Field trials have begun that will determine whether canola can be safely grown in an Oregon restricted zone.


AMITY — It’s beautiful in bloom. You have to give canola that, if nothing else. The brilliant yellow glow coming from a 118-acre test plot at Scharf Farms looks like something out of Oz.

Opponents contend canola is more wicked than wonderful, but that’s what the field trials are intended to settle. As part of a three-year research project conducted by Oregon State University, a handful of growers are raising 490 acres of canola within a restricted zone that has long kept it separate from vegetable and specialty seed fields.

Farmers who raise the latter – a $32 million annual business in Oregon – believe aggressive canola will contaminate their valuable crops by cross-pollination. They say canola will be accompanied by pests and diseases that harm other plants.

“We argued against canola because we thought it was a risk,” said Greg Loberg, of West Coast Beet Seed Co.. “We hope that would become evident in the research.”

The risks to seed crops include pests, diseases and the proliferation of volunteers, said Loberg, who is public relations chair for the Willamette Valley Specialty Seed Association.

At the same time, association members recognize they have to let the research play out.

“We have to allow for the possibility that we are incorrect,” Loberg said.

Proponents have their points as well. Canola produces tiny, oil-rich seeds that can be crushed for food oil or bio-fuel, and the seed pulp is fed to dairy cows. Canola doesn’t require irrigation and can be planted and harvested with the same equipment used for grass seed and wheat. Farmers see canola as a valuable crop to grow in rotation with grass and grains.

“I’m not saying we’re going to plant the whole place to it,” said Jason Scharf, who is host to one of the test plots.

Dean Freeborn, a longtime proponent who also is raising one of the test plots, said he envisions a canola rotation of 100 to 150 acres per year among the 900 acres he farms.

The two sides have been arguing for more than a decade. Until now, Oregon managed the problem by establishing a 48- by 120-mile rectangle in the Willamette Valley — nearly 3.7 million acres — in which canola could not be grown without a permit. Some test plots were allowed in 2007-09, but no other permits were issued until the research began.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture tried to expand canola growing areas in 2012, but food safety activists and seed producers filed suit to block it. The state Court of Appeals sided with opponents, throwing the issue to the Legislature.

In 2013, the Legislature allocated $679,000 to OSU to conduct the research and asked for a report by November 2017. Carol Mallory-Smith, a respected OSU weed scientist known for identifying GMO wheat found growing in Eastern Oregon, is in charge of the canola project.

At a canola field day event held at Scharf Farms earlier this month, Mallory-Smith said she and assistants are tracking weather conditions at the test fields and surveying for diseases and insects. They’re also monitoring adjacent turnip and radish fields, which are related to canola.

Also attending the field day was Tomas Endicott, vice president of business development for Willamette Biomass Processors. Endicott has long advocated a valley canola industry, with his plant doing the oil extraction.

The canola being grown for the test is non-GMO. Farmers didn’t want the project complicated by another layer of controversy.

“That was part of the deal,” Scharf said. “Let’s fight our battles one at a time.”

Scharf figures canola will bring him about the same gross revenue per acre as wheat, but at half the input costs. That makes it an attractive option.

His interest stems from years of hearing his father and other farmers predict that a new, profitable crop would eventually come along.

“What is it?” Scharf asked. He believes canola may be the answer.

Click here for the original article at Capital Press.

GMO task force meets for first time

Matuesz Perkowski/Capital Press
From left to right: Ivan Maluski , director of the Friends of Family Farmers; Greg Loberg, manager of the West Coast Beet Seed Co. and board member of the Oregon Seed Trade Association; Paulette Pyle , director of grassroots at Oregonians for Food and Shelter. The governor recently convened a task force to discuss issues related to genetic engineering.

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A new task force aimed at fleshing out the controversies over genetically
modified organisms in Oregon will include members with strongly contrasting
points of view. It meets for the first time today.

 

SALEM — A new task force aimed at fleshing out the controversies over genetically modified organisms in Oregon includes members with strongly contrasting points of view.

The goal will not be to develop policy recommendations for the state’s legislature, said Richard Whitman, natural resources policy director for Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber.

“It’s not a normal task force we set up to develop a consensus,” he said during its first meeting in Portland on April 10.

Because genetic engineering is fraught with deep philosophical divisions, the purpose of the task force is to frame the issue and inform lawmakers, Whitman said.

The forum will allow members to air different perspectives “without the final struggle of trying to convince everybody in the room to go in the same direction,” he said.

The 13 members of the task force, appointed by Kitzhaber, include advocates for and against genetically engineering, as well as non-profit groups, business interests, university professors and a state government official.

The governor promised to convene the task force last year, after the state legislature approved a bill to preempt local governments from regulating GMOs.

The bill was part of a broader legislative packaged of pension and school reforms backed by Kitzhaber.

The task force is expected to draft a report to advise lawmakers about potential conflicts between GMOs and conventional and organic crops.

The first meeting was co-convened by Dan Arp, dean of OSU’s School of Agriculture, and Jennifer Allen, director of Portland State University’s Institute for Sustainable Solutions.

It’s rare to have people on different sides of the issue in the same room together, said Steve Strauss, an Oregon State University professor who studies biotechnology in forestry.

However, it remains to be seen how much they can illuminate the GMO controversy, given the large amount of attention the topic has received, he said.

“I’m concerned we may not develop new things that are tangible,” Strauss said. “I’m worried whether we’ll be able to do something consequential. I hope so.”

Frank Morton, who farms near Philomath, Ore., said he wants the task force to better define some of the language that gets thrown around in the debate.

A leading example is how cross-pollination is characterized. Organic growers view it as “contamination” while GMO proponents call it “adventitious presence,” Morton said.

“My question for people in this room is, when does one turn into the other?” he said.

The Northwest Food Processors Association wants to ensure the task force doesn’t lose sight of broader issues beyond Oregon’s borders, said Connie Kirby, vice president of scientific and technical affairs for the group.

Labeling of foods with GMO ingredients would force companies to use different packages than in other states, for example, she said.

“We don’t want to constrain interstate commerce or intrastate commerce as well ,” Kirby said.

Members of the task force are:

Barry Bushue — A farmer from Boring, Ore., and president of the Oregon Farm Bureau.

Katy Coba — Director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

Connie Kirby — Vice president of scientific and technical affairs at the Northwest Food Processors Association.

Greg Loberg — Manager of the West Coast Beet Seed Co. and board member of the Oregon Seed Trade Association.

Ivan Maluski — Director of the Friends of Family Farmers, a group that opposed GMOs.

Frank Morton — An organic seed grower from Philomath, Ore.

Jim Myers — Vegetable breeding and genetics professor at Oregon State University.

Marty Myers — General manager of Threemile Canyon Farms.

Paulette Pyle — Director of grassroots at Oregonians for Food and Shelter, a group that supports genetic engineering.

Chris Schreiner — Executive director of Oregon Tilth, an organic certifying agency.

Lisa Sedlar — CEO of Green Zebra Grocery.

Steve Strauss — A professor of forestry at Oregon State University who ran its biotechnology outreach program.

Sam Tannahill — Director of viticulture and winemaking at A to Z Wineworks.

Click here for the original article at Capital Press.

Oregon task force to take on GMOs

LifeSource in South Salem supports the NON GMO Project. Photographed Wednesday, March 5, 2014.
LifeSource in South Salem supports the NON GMO Project. Photographed Wednesday, March 5, 2014. / DANIELLE PETERSON / Statesman Journal
Written by Tracy Loew
Six months after Oregon banned cities and counties from regulating genetically modified crops and seeds, a governor-appointed task force will take a statewide look at the issue.

The Genetically Engineered Agriculture Task Force isn’t expected to reach consensus or recommend legislation.

Instead, it will “identify and frame the major issues between growers of genetically engineered agricultural products and other producers, including organic growers,” Gov. John Kitzhaber’s office said Wednesday.

It also will direct a state Department of Agriculture report, due by the end of June, that will set out a plan for mapping where and when genetically engineered crops are grown and for providing buffers and exclusion zones.

“Oregon farmers and consumers are grappling with major issues associated with genetically modified crops and food,” Kitzhaber said. “This task force will bring people with diverse perspectives together to help improve understanding of the range of issues and move forward on solutions that fit Oregonians’ values and needs.”

Kitzhaber promised the task force in a letter to legislative leaders following last fall’s special session, when a bill barring local governments from regulating genetically engineered crops and seeds was added to his “grand bargain” tax and school funding package as a condition of its passage.

The move infuriated many organic farmers and environmentalists.

Kitzhaber announced the names of the task force members Wednesday afternoon. The group will hold its first meeting today.

The task force http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014303310022“>co-conveners, named in February, are Dan Arp, dean of Oregon State University’s School of Agriculture, and Jennifer Allen, director of Portland State University’s Institute for Sustainable Solutions.

Task force committee members, announced Wednesday, are:

• Barry Bushue, longtime Oregon Farm Bureau president.

• Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

• Connie Kirby, vice president at the Northwest Food Processors Association.

• Greg Loberg, secretary/treasurer of the Oregon Seed Association and manager at West Coast Beet Seed Company.

• Ivan Maluski, director of Friends of Family Farmers.

• Frank Morton, of the organic Shoulder to Shoulder Farm.

• Jim Myers, vegetable breeding and genetics professor at Oregon State University.

• Marty Myers, of Threemile Canyon Farms, a sustainable farm in Boardman.

• Paulette Pyle, of Oregonians for Food and Shelter, a nonprofit supporting the use of pesticides, fertilizers and biotechnology.

• Chris Schreiner, executive director of the nonprofit Oregon Tilth, which promotes sustainable agriculture.

• Lisa Sedlar, founder and chief executive officer of Green Zebra Grocery and former New Seasons CEO.

• Steve Strauss, Oregon State University professor and creator and director of the Tree Biosafety and Genomics Research Cooperative.

• Sam Tannahill, director of viticulture and winemaking at A to Z Wineworks.

In February, the Legislature allocated $125,000 toward running the task force. It will go to Portland State University’s Oregon Consensus Program.

The task force is expected to continue meeting through this fall.

tloew@statesmanjournal.com, (503) 399-6779 or follow at Twitter.com/SJWatchdog

Click here for the original article at Statesman Journal.

Augusta Masters likely play on Oregon ryegrass

Eric Mortenson/Capital Press; Published April 9, 2014
Student Travis Heiple rolls a putting green at Oregon State University’s turf grass research site.

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If you watch The Masters golf tournament this week, you might be seeing a little green slice of Oregon.

The legendary course at Augusta National Golf Club is so lush, it’s no wonder they give the Masters Tournament winner a green jacket.

The Georgia club is an exclusive place, with membership limited to the high and mighty — not to mention wealthy — of American business, political and celebrity circles. But as the Masters unfolds on television this week, Oregon grass seed growers and turf management students can feel a connection to the proceedings.

The incredible green of Augusta’s fairways comes from being overseeded each fall with perennial ryegrass grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

At least, that’s what everyone says. Augusta National is private with a capital P, even secretive, and its media handlers didn’t respond to emails asking about its groundskeeping practices. The Augusta Chronicle newspaper reported as recently as 2012 that Augusta overseeds with perennial ryegrass, however, and it’s a matter of faith in Oregon that the seed comes from the state that leads the world in production.

Augusta’s Bermuda grass is a warm-season grass, and goes dormant during the winter, explains Alec Kowalewski, director of the turfgrass program at Oregon State University. Perennial ryegrass, on the other hand, is a cool-season variety that does just fine in winter.

“They seed it over the top of the dormant grass,” Kowalewski said. “It’s one of the big overseeding grasses they use in the south.”

The result is a lush green appearance when other courses, athletic fields and lawns might look patchy or brown. Perennial ryegrass is favored on golf courses in particular because it’s deep green, germinates relatively quickly, grows upright to give golfers the fluffy lies they prefer to hit balls from and tolerates low mowing heights. Fairways typically are cut to a half-inch height, and greens to a tenth of an inch.

The conditions at Augusta, site of professional golf’s first major of the season, draw studied looks from Kowalewski and the students in the turfgrass program. It’s a niche area of study within OSU’s horticulture department, with only about 20 students, but it counts more than 300 graduates working as golf course superintendents or at athletic complexes, parks and lawn care companies, according to a program website. About 90 percent of graduates find work at golf courses, Kowalewski said.

The program’s research site is off campus at OSU’s Lewis-Brown Farm. There, students tend and do research projects on three over-sized putting greens. Groups of students are put in charge of sections of the greens for a term, and must roll it, mow it and manage the “speed” of the putting surfaces — how quickly a golf ball will roll.

“The idea is to get them into the mindset of a superintendent,” Kowalewski said.

On-going experiments include a “wear” test, in which Kowalewski and students put on spiked golf shoes and tromp around on the greens to see how they hold up. A more sophisticated project involves testing alternative treatments for a common winter pathogen called microdocium patch, which leaves dead spots on greens.

Kowalewski and Clint Mattox, a graduate research assistant, are testing combinations of a crop oil, sulfur and potassium phosphite. The work is noteworthy because regulatory agencies take a dim view of heavy fungicide applications — the current method of controlling microdocium patch. Some course superintendents believe fungicides may eventually be banned for ornamental use such as golf courses, and want to find an alternative treatment.

Such intensive management is par for the course. “When you take it down to mowing heights, it becomes more susceptible to disease,” Kowalewski said.

Even at Augusta National, considered a showcase — maybe an unrealistically expensive and time-consuming one — of golf course management.

“It’s an anomaly,” said Dave Phipps, Northwest regional representative for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Course superintendents everywhere else take their lumps when Augusta National goes on display during the Masters.

“That’s what people want,” Phipps said. “Every year at this time of year we get pounded on: ‘Why can’t we have fairways like at Augusta?’”

Click here for the original article at Capital Press.

Pennington Seed Becomes the Official Lawn Care Company of The New York Yankees

The iconic team will utilize the portfolio of Pennington grass seed products to maintain the field at Yankee Stadium starting in the 2014 season.

MADISON, Ga., April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — To mark the beginning of the 2014 baseball season and to kickoff the spring growing season, Pennington Seed, Inc., today announced it has finalized an agreement to become the official lawn care company of the New York Yankees. As part of the multi-year partnership, Pennington will develop and provide a portfolio of grass seed products to support the unique aesthetic, functional and maintenance needs of the iconic field at Yankee Stadium.

The New York Yankees sought Pennington to address the rigorous demands and continuous wear placed on their field. The Yankees grounds crew selected Pennington grass seed for its best-in-class aesthetic appeal and durability, as well as for its ease of maintenance. In addition, the partnership includes field days for professionals and local in-store promotions.

“We’re proud that the dedicated turf professionals of Yankee Stadium and the New York Yankees turned to Pennington to deliver the highest quality seed for their field,” said Jeff Crow, vice president of marketing at Central Garden & Pet Company, the parent company of Pennington Seed. “Whether being used to maintain the field at Yankee Stadium or to repair or establish your own yard, Pennington products are designed to establish thicker, fuller grass that can withstand the rigors of regular use, while using up to 30 percent less water versus ordinary seed.”

From 81 home games to concerts and other events, the multi-function field at Yankee Stadium is continuously used throughout the year.

“We are very excited to begin a relationship with Pennington. We hope that utilizing Pennington grass seed products at Yankee Stadium, along with the in-Stadium signage, expands its brand awareness,” said Michael J. Tusiani, New York Yankees Senior Vice President of Corporate Sales and Sponsorships.

Pennington offers a variety of grass seed mixes and blends to suit the needs of every homeowner. Pennington grass seed is available at home improvement stores and select independent retailers nationwide, including throughout the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. For additional information about Pennington Seed, please visit www.penningtonseed.com or go to www.facebook.com/PenningtonSeed .

About Pennington Seed

Founded in 1945 by Brooks Pennington, Sr., Pennington Seed, Inc. had humble beginnings as a small feed and seed store located in Madison, Ga., where the company is still headquartered today. Since the company’s founding, Pennington Seed has grown into one of the largest manufacturers, producers and distributors of lawn & garden and turf care products in the world, with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, observation nurseries and quality control labs located across the country.

Pennington Seed is owned by the Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Central Garden & Pet Company CENT +1.07% CENTA +0.83% , a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the lawn & garden and pet supply markets. To learn more about Pennington Seed, visit www.penningtonseed.com . For additional information on Central Garden & Pet Company, including access to the Company’s SEC filings, visitwww.central.com .

SOURCE Pennington Seed, Inc.

Copyright (C) 2014 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Click here for the original article at Market Watch.

Oregon grass, legume seed production bounced back in 2012-13

The recession knocked down Oregon’s grass seed industry, but the 2012-13 harvest report shows it is recovering and finding economic balance.   

Oregon’s grass and legume seed industry continued its recovery in 2012-13, reaching a value of nearly $462 million, according to a report from Oregon State University.

The 13.6 percent increase in production value over the previous year came despite only a 2 percent increase in grass seed acreage, which accounts for 90 percent of the combined crop value. That indicates strong seed prices, said William C. Young III, professor emeritus at OSU’s Department of Crop and Soil Science.

The value increase is good news for growers, but still falls well short of the record $550 million recorded in the pre-recession years of 2007-08, Young said.

In addition, Oregon’s grass seed acreage last year, 415,916 acres, was 21 percent less than was harvested in the peak years of 2004-05.

“Perhaps, however, this two-year plateau of between 408,000 and 415,916 acres presents a better balance in supply and demand economics,” Young wrote in his annual report.

Legume seed crop acreage actually declined slightly from 2011-12, but the $44 million production value was a new record, Young reported.

Click here for the original article at Capital Press.

Pure Seed Hires New Director of Forage Development

Pure Seed is happy to announce Sam Cable as the new Director of Forage Development.  Sam’s experience and knowledge will aid in the further development of Pure Seed’s forage program.

Pure Seed has been in the forage business for decades, and has been looking to grow and expand that sector of the business. We are excited to welcome Sam as the newest member of our team, and look forward to all the expertise he will bring.

Please feel free to contact Sam directly with any questions at sam@pureseed.com. A copy of the full press release is here.

NASS: Oregon Grass Seed Acreage Increases

By Eric Mortenson
Capital Press–

In a contiinued modest recovery, Oregon grass seed plantings increase slightly from 2013.

A survey of Oregon grass seed growers shows they’ve planted more perennial and annual ryegrass than in 2013, according to the National Agriculture Statistics Service.

Tall fescue plantings for turf also are up slightly from last year, NASS reported. Forage and K-31 lawn type tall fescue plantings are the same as 2013.

Roger Beyer, executive director of the Oregon Seed Council, said the increased acreage available for harvest in 2014 is evidence of a continued modest recovery of the grass seed industry, which like nursery plant production is linked to development and fell hard when the housing market collapsed five years ago.

“I’m pleased it’s up, I’m also pleased it’s up only slightly,” Beyer said. “In the past we’ve had a habit of over-production.”

As things now stand, growers are looking at a “pretty positive market” and are cautiously optimistic, Beyer said.

Grass seed production of all types was Oregon’s sixth most valuable crop in 2012, worth $411 million.

Annual ryegrass plantings total 129,000 acres this year, up from 128,000 harvested in 2013. Perennial ryegrass plantings are at 112,000 acres, up from 99,000 last year. Tall fescue turf plantings are at 118,000 acres this year, compared to 110,000 in 2013. Forage fescue and K-31 and other fescue types remain stable at 15,000 acres and 13,000 acres, respectively.

Beyer said annual ryegrass plantings have held steady at about 120,000 acres a year, but in peak years growers planted 180,000 to 190,000 acres of perennial ryegrass.

Growers reported overall crop conditions to be “fairly good,” according to NASS, although some stands have browning due to freeze damage. Some growers reported having trouble establishing new plantings due to slugs, cutworms and voles.

Click here to read the original article from the Capital Press 

Ag bills move through Oregon Legislature

By Mateusz Perkowski
Capital Press — 

Update on bills in the Oregon legislature.

Legislation that would give Oregon farmers a tax credit for crop donations has unanimously passed the state Senate.

It is one of a host of agriculture and natural resource bills making their way through the legislature.

The bill, SB 1541, would allow growers to claim a tax credit of 15 percent of the crop donation’s value until 2020, up from 10 percent under a previous statute that expired in 2011.

Supporters said the higher tax credit rate will entice more farmers to donate crops to food banks, gleaning cooperatives and other non-profit groups.

The bill would cause the State of Oregon to forego nearly $2.5 million in tax revenue while the credit is in place, according to the state’s Legislative Revenue Office.

After passing the Senate with 30 “aye” votes on Feb. 14, the bill is now being considered by the House.

It has been referred to the Revenue Committee, which was scheduled to hold a public hearing and work session on Feb. 19.

Pollinator health bill

A bill that would create a task force on pesticides and pollinator health has passed the House.

The legislation, HB 4139, initially proposed restrictions on neonicotinoid pesticides that have been blamed for pollinator die-offs, but that language was stripped from the bill.

The task force would consist of eight members appointed by Gov. John Kitzhaber from academia, agriculture and the environmental community.

It would issue a report on best practices for neonicotinoid use, pollinator health and related issues, with possible recommendations for legislation.

The bill passed the House 54-4 on Feb. 14 and is now being considered by the Senate, where it has been referred to the Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

A public hearing and possible work session on the bill was scheduled for Feb. 19.

Reforestation assistance

Legislation that would help forestland owners pay for replanting trees after wildfires has been approved by the Senate Committee on Rural Communities and Economic Development.

The cost assistance and tax credit programs would apply to catastrophic fires that occurred after August 2012.

The bill has now been referred to the Oregon legislature’s Joint Committee on Ways and Means for further consideration of its financial impacts.
Well water regulation

Legislation that would affect the authority of Oregon water regulators to restrict the use of irrigation wells has failed to advance in the House and Senate.

The bills would have prohibited the Oregon Water Resources Department from shutting down an irrigation well unless it is individually proven to interfere with surface water.

The legislation was prompted by fears that the agency would shut down more than 100 wells in the Upper Klamath Basin this year due to drought.

However, the bills proved divisive in the agricultural industry.

They drew support from the Oregon Farm Bureau and Oregon Cattlemen’s Association but the Oregon Water Resources Congress and Oregon Association of Nurseries opposed them.

Proponents claimed the legislation would prevent water regulators from overstepping their authority and regulating wells based on regional models.

Opponents were concerned the bills would diminish the agency’s ability to enforce senior water rights.

Rep. Gail Whitsett, R-Klamath Falls, supported the legislation and said many irrigators in the region could be economically devastated by water shut offs this year.

The legislation didn’t win favor with the Oregon Water Resources Department, which estimated the testing would have cost $80,000 per well, she said.

Two identical House bills dealing with the issue — HB 4044 and HB 4064 — received a public hearing but died in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

An identical Senate bill — SB 1572 — was referred to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee but never received a public hearing.

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