State fair bill goes to governor for signature

SALEM -- The Oregon House has given its unanimous support to a bill that creates a public corporation to run the Oregon State Fair and Expo Center. Senate Bill 7 is the state's latest effort to create a framework for managing the fairgrounds in a profitable manner. The Senate approved it June 6 ...

House passes ODA budget

SALEM -- The House has sent the Oregon Department of Agriculture's proposed 2013-15 budget to the desk of Gov. John Kitzhaber. The House on June 19 passed the budget, contained in Senate Bill 5502, by a vote of 49-9. Previously, on June 13, the ODA budget passed the Senate with only 1 "no" vo ...

Senate panel OKs renewal of timber county funding

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) -- A U. S. Senate committee on Tuesday endorsed legislation to extend federal subsidies for timber counties one more year, and to protect more wilderness and wild rivers in Oregon. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the two bills are part of his effort to solve the funding cris ...

Oregon field day to cover water efficiency, sweet potato trials

ONTARIO, Ore. -- A tight water year in the region could turn a presentation on water efficiency into the highlight of the Malheur County experiment station's annual Summer Farm Festival and Field Day. The July 10 field day will be held at the Oregon State University research station near Ontario ...

House OKs budget for statewide services

SALEM -- The Oregon House has passed a 2013-15 budget for the Oregon University System that will allow Oregon State University's statewide public services to continue operating at their existing service levels. After two injections of funds -- one from the Ways and Means Committee co-chairs and ...

House OKs hike in water transaction fees

SALEM -- The Oregon House, by the narrowest of margins, has voted to increase water transaction fees. The House on June 19 voted 31-29 in favor of House Bill 2259. The bill allows the Oregon Water Resources Commission to increase fees 13 percent in 2013 and 2 percent annually beginning in 2014. ...

Search is on for disease resistant hop varieties

Farmers in Oregon are trying to develop new disease-resistant hop varieties with a novel "pot-in-pot" system that allows for easier replacement and segregation of plants. "This is the first time hops have been done this way, so we're still learning," said Fred Geschwill, grower who has the "pot-i ...