Columns

To say the political divide in Salem is deep and wide would be the understatement of the new decade. Democrat leaders in Oregon share a common worldview with Sen. Bernie Sanders and his fellow…

The Letter to the Editor from Don Young dated Jan. 27 highlights the need for better understanding of ongoing efforts by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the counties …

I started out picking strawberries for our neighbors at 6 years old, and graduated to picking black caps at 10. From then, I moved to hauling hay and working on a dairy.

As my dad climbs into the tractor this spring, he’ll plug in his iPad, open an app and start planting. As the tractor rolls across the field, the screen on the iPad turns green with it.

It’s no secret that my Democratic colleagues in the State Senate want to pass a cap-and-trade bill this year (SB 1530). They tried last year with HB 2020, but were unsuccessful. They’ve been w…

Access to the internet is critical for life in the 21st century, not something that is simply nice to have. To ensure our rural communities have quality health care, college-level math classes…

America’s farmers and ranchers are at the heart of our real economy. Yet for the past six years, U.S. agricultural production has faced turbulence. From natural disasters to low commodity pric…

It is in the interests of all of Oregon’s citizens — and the world’s population — to live in a stable climate regime. There are many policies and solutions to reduce the concentrations of atmo…

The economy is humming and most people who want a job have one. This is great news.

Farmers enjoy one of the highest levels of public trust of any group or potential source of information, ranging from scientists to government experts, and certainly more than leaders in the r…

The start of a new decade holds a lot of promise for American farmers and ranchers. Much-anticipated progress in hemp regulation, sustainability, technology and a presidential election will be…

Newsman’s 45-year career spanned ‘sin and religion,’ courts, city, county and state government, education, hydropower and politics. He found his niche in agriculture.

A recent article in the Capital Press brought to light certain actions taken by the government and our elected officials that may not be in the best interest of our environment. The article wa…

When the topic of sustainability comes up in conversation in cattle circles, it’s common to see heads shaking. It’s not a topic we like to discuss in our industry — primarily because it’s so o…

How can you talk to consumers about gene editing when most have little understanding of how plants are bred?

Every Dec. 5, USDA joins partners around the globe to celebrate World Soil Day, an annual event to bring attention to the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for sustainable management …

I recently read the editorial entitled, “Grizzly bears pose danger to all around them,” and thought, “Holy cow, that’s pretty scary. Perhaps I’ve been wrong about bears all along? I’d better r…

America is fortunate to have a large and diverse agricultural economy. Our citizens — and millions of others across the world — have grown to depend on the high-quality food and goods we produce.

John Newton, chief economist of the American Farm Bureau recently wrote: “Agriculture will continue to play an important role in helping the world adapt to and mitigate climate change, but U.S…

Many of us can think of one-lane roads — paved, gravel, or dirt — that wiggle all around our state.

In his recent book, “On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey,” Paul Theroux writes on Mexico and the U.S., but accuses Americans — and their president — of not knowing Mexico.

“Hey, be neat, no meat,” said television talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres in a short video she posted to social media on Sept. 17.

After receiving many phone calls, along with the same concerns appearing in various news outlets, it is certainly time for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to apologize to the American family…

If you visited a gas station or convenience store in 2019, you likely noticed the sale of CBD or cannabidiol and other industrial hemp-derived products. Touted by marketers as having a range o…

In my last op-ed in the Capital Press I described the existing "predator pit" in the Kettle Range north of Highway 20 and wolves "prey-switching to livestock."

Laws are put in place to protect us. It is that simple. They ensure our rights as citizens are upheld and abuses by those around us are kept in check. Lawbreakers are typically punished for th…

A friend recently posted a meme on social media showing a large, nasty-looking snake coiled around a streamside tree, devouring a hapless fish that swam a bit too close to the water surface.

In 1990 the Northern Spotted Owl was listed as a “threatened” species under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), resulting in the steep decline in federal timber harvests and the economic…

When the question arises of how we are going to feed the world’s 9 billion people in a climate that seems increasingly volatile and extreme, all eyes turn to U.S. agriculture, and rightfully so.

If we are to lower atmospheric carbon levels, farmers will have a big part to play — written as Amazon fires burn.

When I assumed the helm of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance in 2018, I have to admit that I had yet to awaken my inner Fellini. Certainly, there was a time in my life during which I en…

As a native western Washingtonian, I have to say I am picking up what you were putting down in your editorial, “Local control for predators.”

During presidential election cycles, candidates running for the highest office in the land descend on Iowa to take part in the state fair to talk to voters. This is where I found myself for se…

Much has been written, discussed, opined, and debated about the denying of a quorum for 9 days, when the 11 Oregon Senate Republicans made the decision to leave.

It was 2015 when I had a serious wake-up call. Dairy farmers like me were facing lawsuits filed by Charlie Tebbutt. Several said if they were sued they’d just quit farming.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently began again issuing Employer Correction Request Notices (“Educational Correspondence” or “EDCOR”), also referred to as “no-match” or “mismatch…

Trends and changes in the food industry are more dynamic than ever. While trends always shift and others emerge over time, the convergence of rapidly developing technologies, shifts in consume…

The Washington Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments regarding farmworker overtime wages. If the Court rules that farm workers should receive overtime pay, it could mean fewer jobs and mo…

Anyone who has taken a recent drive in America’s western states can see first-hand what we at American Farmland Trust have been saying for years: our farmland is disappearing at an alarming rate.

How long could you afford to lose 20% of your annual income, while at the same time working longer hours trying to mitigate your losses? Not long.

In his 2011 State of the Union speech, President Obama caught the attention of many of us when he said, “The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they’re in fresh water, but the Co…

In 1900, roughly 60% of Americans lived in a rural setting. The results of the most recent U.S. Census, conducted in 2010, show that number has sunk to less than 20%. A recent study from the C…

“Ninety-seven percent of land in Custer County is state and federally owned and exempt from taxation,” explained Custer County commissioner and Idaho Association of Counties Public Lands Commi…

I was born in January 1997 and turned 22 this year. I will graduate from college just before I turn 23, entering into a moderately healthy job market. I was four years old when terrorists atta…