Some moments lend themselves to hyperbole. That amazing fishing trip from seven years ago; the winning free throw at a high school basketball game; the marriage proposal when time stood still.
With the holidays now far behind us, few people are giving thought to the cozy evening they likely spent watching “It’s a Wonderful Life."
Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson floated a $33 billion “concept” a few weeks ago to breach the four lower Snake River dams and compensate the businesses, governments and other organizations and …
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, I released for discussion a concept that could end the Northwest salmon wars. It would lock in a more certain future for agriculture, energy, transportation and c…
Klamath Project irrigators have long been stewards of the land and care deeply about the fisheries and migratory bird populations that call the Klamath Basin home.
I generally read your Editorial Opinion piece and find you to be fairly on target. However, I think your conclusion in your editorial in the Jan. 15 issue missed the mark when you closed with …
When it comes to relationships, people can be fickle.
My fellow Idahoans, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as your governor I have worked hard to protect lives and critical health care capacity for the entire state while keeping families safe an…
With the United States bringing in a new administration, one of a different political party, some changes in trade policy and strategy could be expected. As the Biden administration takes shap…
What if there was a simple and powerful solution to climate change that would benefit the economy, avoid government growth, and preserve personal freedom? What if that solution would also gran…
COVID-19 has brought difficult challenges for food producers. It has also brought a heightened realization by the public of how essential food production is and how important farmers and farmw…
With the concerns we all have about bringing COVID-19 under control, it is not surprising that outbreaks on several U.S. mink farms have become news, a story fanned by those who already oppose…
As we head into the Christmas holiday season and the watch 2020 come to a close, I must admit that I’m feeling a bit of sadness — and a little bit of joy — contemplating the departure of two v…
Last week, the Oregon Department of Agriculture released its final rule on chlorpyrifos, phasing out most uses by December 2023.
As a new year begins, we want to share the good news that U.S. wheat exports to Asian markets are increasing, and the outlook for those markets remains positive, notwithstanding the unique tra…
A recent opinion editorial in the Capital Press invites readers “to come with us on a virtual road trip.” The road trip purports to illustrate that the tragic fires that damaged towns througho…
Farmers, ranchers and foresters know very well the value of soil carbon for the health and water holding capacity of their soil. But economic barriers limit adoption of practices that build so…
The pandemic has presented great challenges for everyone across our state, country, and the world.
As 2020 comes to a thankful close, so does my 22 years of public service in this incredible crucible of democracy: the U.S. House.
When President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office on Jan. 20, he will usher in a new administration with decidedly different objectives than those of his predecessor. The newly appointed…
On Dec. 2, the Environmental Protection Agency celebrated its 50th anniversary. Created by President Nixon in 1970, EPA consolidated the environmental responsibilities of the federal governmen…
To watch the nightly news showing long lines of drivers accepting food handouts because their families are hungry is depressing. To know the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is spending $50 mil…
Despite a seemingly endless era of upheaval — a surging pandemic, contentious election cycle and racial strife — we still have the responsibility to address pressing issues that cannot wait fo…
Thanksgiving is one of the most patriotic holidays we celebrate as Americans.
Each Thanksgiving my family reads the First Thanksgiving Proclamation. It is a reminder of the greatness of the blessings of living in America.
Thanksgiving is all about making time to reflect on the many things in life for which we are grateful. In conversations around the dinner table, Oregon Farm Bureau urges readers to remember th…
As I watch the snow falling outside my basement window — COVID-19 has driven me from my university office to my basement — I find myself not only reflecting back on the 2020 crop season but ba…
Up and down the Columbia and Snake rivers, salmon-dependent businesses are hurting. Tribes are suffering as many of the salmon runs they depend on for sustenance and culture are on the brink o…
Some weeks ago, the Capital Press gave space to two “environmentalists,” with credentials, who wished to work with farmers east of the mountains.
Many veterans return home feeling lost, without purpose.
REDMOND, Wash. — During my years as director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), I had the privilege of working with and supporting the efforts of phenomenally innovative…
Growing up in Idaho and then the Methow Valley, I thought milk was a white powder and peanut butter came in gallon cans. It also gave me a deep appreciation for the fabric of communities and n…
The Endangered Species Act was signed into law to help protect and recover animals and wildlife facing critical threats or risk of extinction. As Americans, we share the common goal of protect…
While Oct. 12 is officially National Farmers Day, we at Oregon Farm Bureau consider every day an opportunity to recognize farmers and ranchers for their invaluable contributions to society.
top story
California rancher laments the loss of this family's legacy and outlines policy failures he says has led to wildfire destruction.
Most would agree forest management is essential to reducing heavy fuel loads that contribute to unnaturally severe wildfires. Yet anti-forestry obstruction and litigation are keeping federal l…
Agricultural businesses work in one of the most environmentally exposed industries, and therefore have a lot to gain from efforts to preserve the climate in which our civilization has flourished.
We are in the heart of wildfire season and daily news reports summarize destructive wildfires throughout the western states.
I once heard a story of a man who saw a horse dead in a field. The horse’s owner explained, “I was teaching my horse not to eat. Each day I fed it a little less. I had just about reached the p…
I’ve heard a lot from constituents about the U.S. Postal Service. Many are scared and nervous that President Trump and Republicans were trying to sabotage the USPS in order to win this electio…
Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association representatives are quick to affirm the central point of your Aug. 14 editorial, “Breaching Snake Dams Still Not a Good Option:” the court-ordered, …
As an Oregon dairy farmer, I’ve seen struggles from the pandemic and stress on food supply firsthand. When the pandemic hit, consumers and farmers were anxious about food security, especially …
It happens every year: Come August, the University of Idaho springs to life as students and faculty return for fall classes in Moscow and at our centers around the state.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us to work, communicate and connect in completely new ways, it has also laid bare many of the pre-existing inequities in our society — chief among t…
I can say with certainty, there is no food industry relationship in the world that goes back farther than the relationship between U.S. wheat producers and the Japanese flour milling industry.
Fire is the rapid oxidation of burnable materials in a chemical process requiring oxygen, heat, and fuel, and a source of ignition.
The Washington State Grange is concerned that students are able to access the most nutritious food available as part of the school meal program — access free from misconception, but based on science.
As a parent I recently stared at a screen with a survey. The survey had two little check box options:
Those of us who live in the West have become all-too-familiar with catastrophic wildfires. Each summer, too many of our communities are susceptible to the devastating impacts of these threats.…
As members of the communities we serve, Farm Credit has seen first-hand the powerful role that entrepreneurship can play in transforming communities. Just like their urban counterparts, rural …
Farmers have long been good stewards of their land. They can also be good stewards of the Earth.
On July 1, the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement was officially implemented. The USMCA offers a fair free trade agreement that focuses on modernization and impartiality.
It was heartening to see Capital Press’ feature — “Oregon Women for Ag.” Women have always been a part of agriculture and critical members of the farming enterprise, and we are pleased to see …
The Oregon Family Farm Association requested two bills be introduced into the 2017 Oregon Legislative session that could have saved NORPAC farmers tens of millions of dollars. Unfortunately, S…
One more time, dairy farmers thought their pay price would really rebound when they were told the Class III price (used to make cheese) for June was going to be $21.04 per hundred pounds.
