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Spreading the gospel of Oregon wine

IN THIS ISSUE

Spreading the gospel of Oregon wine—1

Director’s column: Alexis Taylor—2

Board of Ag profile: On the road—2

O Canada! Ag Minister visits Oregon—4

Oregon agriculture has a new leader—4

Japanese beetle: Planning for year two—5

New video series explains a day in the life of ODA—5

Oregon dairies display sustainability and innovation—6

Farm to School Month highlights local producers—7

Fertilizer Program polices safety claims—7

ODA recognizes outstanding team achievement—7

Ex-State Vet corrals national award—8

Announcements—8

US market about Oregon wine back in those early days. Today, daughter Maria Ponzi experiences the same need to “evangelize” as she travels to international markets, including the upcoming Governor’s Trade Mission to Japan as part of a delegation organized by the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

“Oregon consistently produces amazing wines which continually win awards around the world—it isn’t an issue of us producing them,” says ODA Director Alexis Taylor. “With Oregon producing such a small percentage of the wine in the US, the challenge continues to be making the rest of the country and world more familiar with these award-winning wines.”

And so goes the strong and determined effort to spread the gospel of Oregon wine. The number of true believers is growing just as the state’s wine industry expands. But there is much more work to be done to increase the audience and the number of channels by which Oregon wines can find their way to the discriminating palates of amateurs de vin (wine lovers) everywhere.

Coming a long way in a short time“In just 50+ years, Oregon has grown from discovery to a real global wine player on a par, at times, with wine regions that have 1,000 or more years of history,” says Steve Thomson, CEO of Cristom Vineyards in Salem and chair of the Oregon Wine Board (OWB). “Oregon is also growing fast in terms of volume and this growth requires a robust and large market to provide the demand to satisfy the supply.”

That, in turn, requires effective promotion of Oregon wine beyond the state’s borders.

It’s been said that California spills more wine each year than Oregon produces. But there has been dramatic acceleration of Oregon’s wine industry, numerically, qualitatively, and culturally. OWB Executive Director Tom Danowski stresses how imperative it is to tell the story.

“As top of mind as the wine business is for so many Oregonians and as large a source of pride it is when visitors come from around the world to see our wine regions, Oregon wine still represents just 1.2 percent of the American wine sold in this country. Our wine quality has given Oregon a vastly larger footprint and impact than that 1.2 percent would suggest.”

In 1970, Oregon had five wineries. At the start of this century, that number had grown to 139. Today, some 725 wineries are spread all over the state from Ashland north to Roseburg, through Eugene and Salem, Newberg, and the urban areas of Portland. Go east and you will find wine grapes produced in the Columbia Gorge all the way to Milton-Freewater and out to the Oregon-Idaho border. That wine production generates jobs and tourism.

Oregon wine: Continued on page 3

Clay Pigeon Winery of SE Portland provides an urban wine experience. Photo by John Valls.

By Bruce PokarneyNearly 60 years ago, the first efforts at seriously growing wine grapes in Oregon were met with a healthy dose of skepticism and perhaps an occasional drop of ridicule. California transplants like Richard Sommer and David Lett were told it was too damp to grow the grapes, the fruit would never get ripe, and, jokingly, that clothes would rot off their back. But they were convinced Oregon’s unique soil and climate would actually produce a quality Pinot noir grape. History has proven them correct.

The “pioneers” who followed also had faith. Dick and Nancy Ponzi were among the many success stories as Oregon wineries began to pop up and give local wine lovers something to rave about. However, it was a struggle to educate the

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Board of Ag profile: On the roadThe State Board of Agriculture meets four times a year. The location of these quarterly meetings varies. When the State Legislature is in session, Salem is the venue. When lawmakers are not in session, the board meetings go on the road to locations that range from Astoria to Ontario, and many points in between. The most recent meeting in September was held in Klamath Falls. Board members appreciate the value of holding meetings around the state whenever possible.

“Philosophically, I believe all state boards and commissions should meet around the state because they represent all Oregonians,” says Stephanie Hallock. “It is especially important for the Board of Ag to meet in rural and agricultural communities because of the work done by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. State government is too Salem-centric in general. The more we get out, the better.”

“Oregon is a very diverse state,” adds Tracey Liskey. “If you only have meetings in Salem, you only get the perspective of the people in that area

and the lobbyists that represent the different groups.”

Attendance by the locals at meetings varies depending on the location and the issues that come before the board. But each meeting “on the road” normally includes a panel of local folks representing agricultural and/or conservation interests. They typically hit the highlights of the area, including what is working well locally, not just the problems.

“The local panels are really important because the members of the board can hear the voice of local growers and members of the community,” says Luisa Santamaria. “We can learn from them how they would like to see the support from ODA and legislators to face their daily challenges of cultivating the land and using correctly the natural resources. We board members get information from all fronts that helps us provide a more precise feedback and better inform resolutions we might adopt.”

Meeting just four times a year makes for an ambitious agenda. But board members are sure to carve out time to hear local experts.

“The local panels are the best part of the meetings,” says Liskey. “They tell you what the community is doing and what their issues are at the present time.”

Another important feature of all board meetings—not just those

away from Salem—is the local tour of agriculture. A few afternoon hours are set aside to see first hand some of the good work taking place in production, conservation, and innovation.

“Local tours are great,” says Santamaria. “We are exposed to agricultural activities and processes that are unfamiliar to most of us, and seeing them helps us understand the good work of Oregon’s agriculture sector.”

Determining where to go and what to see can be a challenge, only because there is probably more interesting places in these local communities than time on the agenda.

“Local tours are extremely important, although I think we need to think outside the box more in deciding what to tour,” says Hallock. “Perhaps us board members can give ideas about what we would like to see, where we would like to go, and what is timely. For example, when weather permits in 2018, we could go to Malheur County and see first hand how their economic recovery [from the winter storms] is going, and/or Curry County after the fire

this summer. We give these small communities an economic shot in the arm by spending money there, and we show them we care.”

Each board member has a favorite location for past meetings or, in some cases, there is a tie for first.

“The Enterprise trip in eastern Oregon was one of my favorite trips,” says Liskey. “Wallowa County is so beautiful and it was interesting to hear some of the issues that they deal with that are just coming to other parts of Oregon.”

“I have enjoyed each and every one because I became even more acquainted with the diversity of the agriculture community in the State of Oregon,” says Sharon Livingston. “Each area has innovations that are worth seeing. Serving on the Board of Agriculture has been a truly rewarding experience for me. I have more appreciation for the diversity of our agriculture.”

The next Board of Agriculture quarterly meeting is scheduled for November 28-30 in Portland. •

Director’s column: Alexis Taylor

Agriculture may be different from state to state, but many key issues facing farmers, ranchers, fishers, and food processors are the same from coast to coast. NASDA, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, provides a platform for consensus and a unified voice for states that accomplishes more collectively than what any individual state can do alone. Deputy Director Lisa Hanson and I recently returned from New Orleans, the site of this year’s NASDA annual meeting. It was four busy days of listening, learning, and relationship building with our counterparts from across the country as well

as our federal partners. To add Oregon’s voice to the other 49 state departments of agriculture allows all of us to advocate for federal policy needs or to effectively work with our cooperative federal regulators. All this helps us carry our mission forward and continue serving the needs of Oregon’s agricultural sector and, in fact, all Oregonians.

One area of focus among the states is the Farm Bill, which is up for reauthorization next year. We spent a lot of time at the meeting discussing this critical legislation. NASDA and its member states passed a resolution stressing the importance of a comprehensive Farm Bill that includes commodity programs and support programs– crop insurance and risk management tools– conservation programs, specialty crop block grants, and the various trade programs that help us in Oregon export our food and ag products. But the states also support a Farm Bill that includes the nutrition title and making sure that some of our most vulnerable populations are able to access food.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) continues to be a key issue and is consistently a major focus area of NASDA. FSMA is very important to us in Oregon and will affect many of our farmers, food

processors, and feed producers. Being able to amplify our voice via NASDA has been key to making sure the Food and Drug Administration rules achieve FSMA’s goal to proactively protect public health, but also something our growers will be able to comply with. The new FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, spoke to us with a collaborative approach. He announced there would be an immediate emphasis on outreach and education, which provides some additional time to comply with some of the FSMA rules. FSMA will continue to be a big focus area over the next few years and NASDA will continue to help us leverage our voice to make progress for the benefit of our growers and Oregon consumers.

Trade was also a big topic at the meeting. Almost across the board, US agriculture is dependent on export markets. Particularly for Oregon, roughly 80 percent of what we grow leaves the state, with a large portion going internationally. The Farm Bill has some key market development programs that help our farmers, ranchers, and small businesses tap into those international markets. These programs are constantly on the chopping block. There are people in Congress who want to eliminate them. But with states across the country using these programs to help their producers, NASDA is advocating for an increase in funding these programs partly because they are so highly leveraged and vital to

continued economic growth. USDA reports that for every $1 spent in market development– matched funds from federal government and private sector– it creates $24 of economic activity. That’s great bang for your buck and a smart and responsible use of taxpayer money combined with private sector money.

NASDA also passed a policy resolution underlying the importance of NAFTA, which is in the process of being renegotiated. From an Oregon ag perspective and that of the US, NAFTA has been vital to the continued growth of ag exports over the past two decades. There are certainly improvements we can make in NAFTA– there can be improvements to any trade agreement– but we need to make sure that the improvements we can make don’t come at the expense of what we’ve been able to build the past 20 years.

Not to be overlooked is the value NASDA provides to Oregon agriculture through the relationships established among the state departments of agriculture. We are not alone with many of the difficult issues we deal. Many times, other states are in the same boat. We share good ideas and partner when it’s needed. The collective voice of NASDA will continue to wield power and attention in Washington DC while helping each of our individual states. •

Board members look at a fish farm operation as part of an afternoon tour of Klamath County.

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“We think wine is one of the top two or three sectors driving agriculture as it matures into a piston in our state’s economic engine,” says Danowski. “It has tourism implications, has important reputational value to our state, and has the raw economic impact of being an industry that employs more than 17,000 people in Oregon and generates a $3.3 billion economic footprint each year.”

On the national and global scale, Oregon remains modest when it comes to market share. But word is spreading about Oregon’s distinctive high quality wines. Oregon receives a tremendous boost when wine editors—and there are hundreds of them around the world—sit down each year and put together their top wines list. Oregon gravitates upward. The industry’s number one American wine magazine, Wine Spectator, produced a “best of” list for 2016, and two of the top three wines in its global top 100 are Oregon wines. Also, 20 percent of the most highly rated American wines are from Oregon.

“So many restaurant decision makers, fine wine editors, and bloggers know Oregon,” says Danowski. “Even if they don’t know we produce only 1.2 percent of the country’s wine, they see Oregon at the top of lists over and over.”

Wine Spectator will host an October event in New York City, putting the best wines in the world on display in a consumer and trade showcase event that costs $2,400 to attend. Oregon’s best wines will again be front and center. The notion of evangelizing for Oregon wine around the country and around the world is made easier when the state’s quality reputation is being cemented in such events.

With a variety of audiences to target—ranging from those who are tasting Oregon wine for the first time to those considered to be wine insiders and likely to attend upscale events, it’s important for the state’s 725 wineries to know how to effectively speak to all.

Tools of the tradeNot that long ago, a 5,000 case winery—which describes a majority of Oregon’s wineries—used to be able to confine sales to its tasting room, wine club, and maybe a few restaurant accounts. With an increasing supply of Oregon wine on the market, even the smallest wineries now need to seek more channels and audiences.

“We have so many more of these touchpoints—whether they are consumers, buyers, or distributors—that it’s really important we have a shared story to tell,” says OWB’s Marketing Director Jess Willey. “We can help the industry by providing a common language and common tools they can use to share the Oregon wine story that provides context for their own brand story.”

That’s the essence of the Oregon Wine Resource Studio, a web-based toolbox that provides a one-stop shop of extensive information

ranging from geology and climatology to imagery and historical resources. Wineries download materials to create their own presentations to distributors. There are images and information that can be used to educate consumers visiting a tasting room. There are powerful and positive quotes from wine press available to be used that offer a third-party endorsement. Ultimately, the Oregon Wine Resource Studio empowers folks in Oregon’s wine industry to have good content and be persuasive storytellers.

“Every Oregon farmer has a good story to tell,” says Willey. “But there is no agricultural industry I know of that has gone to this extent to turn their growers into effective storytellers, which helps sell Oregon wine.”

Sommeliers are trained and knowledgeable wine professionals normally working in top of the line restaurants. You can also find them at high-end retail grocery stores. They specialize in wine and food pairings. Somms, as they are often referred to in the industry, thrive on a good story. Once again, the Oregon Wine Resource Studio gives them the nuggets they need to answer consumer questions from the simple to the sophisticated.

Wineries can sing the general chorus of Oregon, but the song also allows for solo passages.

“We spread the gospel of Oregon wine every day in presenting our own wines within the context of the much larger macro-vision of Oregon with all of its unique and diverse growing regions,” says Michael Donovan of Irvine & Roberts Vineyards in Ashland. “We then bring the focus down to the regional story of our appellation and finally sharpen the focus on our own winery brand and how we fit into the Oregon story.”

A Specialty Crop Block Grant project funded by the Oregon Department of Agriculture gave life to the resource studio. Leveraging grant resources has turbo charged the ability of the wine industry to spread the word. Another funded project brought perhaps the wine world’s most influential group to Oregon this spring, the Institute of Masters of Wine.

“In furthering their education about Oregon wine through this tour, we opened opportunities to enhance the esteem of Oregon as a premium wine producing region, influence the way Oregon wine is described in educational curriculum, and ultimately push the reach of our wineries for sales opportunities,” says OWB’s Marie Chambers. “Inviting the Masters of Wine to Oregon was the best way to reach a diverse group of influencers.”

In May, the group of 40 wine masters visited and tasted the wines of the Walla Walla Valley through the Columbia Gorge to the Willamette Valley and southern Oregon. Chambers says Oregon’s reputation as a premium Pinot noir producer was solidified, but the masters were amazed at the other great varieties produced in Oregon.

“One of our main strategic objectives is to create Oregon wine evangelists, and the best way to do that is to bring them to Oregon and

put them together with the winemakers and winegrowers who make our industry so special.”

A new Specialty Crop Block Grant awaiting final approval will take the Oregon wine show on the road to four key domestic markets over the next two years. Other gospel spreading is taking place closer to home. Each May, an Oregon Wine Month Campaign partners various wineries with

distributors around the state. Local wines and special promotions find their way to New Seasons, Safeway, Fred Meyer, and more. Oregon restaurants actively promote the Oregon selections on their wine lists. The combined effort, along with the fast growing international market, is reaching consumers near and far.

“We have great wines and have won some amazing international awards,” says ODA Trade Manager Theresa Yoshioka. “But there are a lot of great wines in the world. We need to stand out from the noise and continue to build awareness

of Oregon wines. I always say if you don’t know what wine to buy, why not buy an award winning Oregon wine?”

Fruits of the LaborOregon wines are almost always a little more expensive than what can be purchased from other states. So it’s important to get winemakers and wines in front of key decision makers in the wine chain and tell the story, deliver the quality message, and reinforce the special elements of Oregon wineries.

“If we can get people to Oregon, that’s great,” says OWB’s Danowski. “But our emphasis in the US and around the world is creating events and forums where wine can be poured by winemakers for the people who influence buying decisions, whether it’s the consumer, a restaurant, or the media. It sounds old school because it is. But there is absolutely no replacement for having the winemaker on hand.”

Winemakers in Oregon recorded a 12 percent increase in sales last year at $529 million. All the story telling, tasting, and evangelizing has no doubt helped boost that number. Beyond the statistics, there appears to be a buzz among people in the wine business who are not from Oregon, but want to invest or perhaps relocate. They want a piece of the action because they know some of the best wines in the world are coming from Oregon.

They also know that making wine is great, but selling wine is absolutely critical. Telling the story helps sell the wine. So says Cristom Vineyards’ Thomson.

“We have a very broadly diversified industry in terms of wine varietals so we can play to a lot of different markets and we have such a great food culture and climate that drives interest, allure, and tourism. In a very short period our wine industry has jumped on to the world stage in a big way. The context of our story, the food, climate, and people make the story resonate. A good story makes discovery and reinforcement easier.”

Getting out the crystal ball, Danowski sees Oregon continuing to be at or near the top of the world’s fine wine lists in terms of quality and ratings 10 years from now. In terms of spreading the gospel of Oregon wine?

“We will certainly have won over more converts, the quality of the wine will result in nothing less. There’s no way to keep that kind of quality a secret.”

And that will result in more Oregon wine evangelists. •

Oregon wine: Continued from page 1

The Oregon Wine Resource Studio is a web-based toolbox that helps wineries and others tell their story.

Van Duzer Vineyards near Dallas, Oregon. Photo by Carolyn Wells Kramer.

Ying Tan, Master of Wine, is a wine journalist, speaker and educator based in Singapore. Photo by Carolyn Wells Kramer.

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O Canada! Ag Minister visits OregonCanada’s Minister of Agriculture, visiting Oregon for the first time, had words of hope and caution as his country, the US, and Mexico embark on a discussion of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). During his July visit as keynote speaker at the Pacific Northwest Economic Region summit in Portland, Lawrence MacAulay joined Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor in stressing the importance of keeping intact the positive trade relationship between Canada and the US for the benefit of farmers on both sides of the border.

How important is agricultural trade between the two countries?

“Today, it’s approaching $50 billion worth, a lot of money,” said MacAulay. “It’s also important to know that since NAFTA has come into play 23 years ago, that number has quadrupled. We want to make sure it continues to grow.”

As part of any NAFTA renegotiation, both Minister MacAulay and Director Taylor agree that some positive changes can be made to mutually benefit the three countries who signed the agreement in 1994. But Canada’s top agricultural official urges caution moving forward.

“I listen to farmers on both sides of the border and they are quite concerned that we don’t do anything that will cause difficulty in the agricultural sector,” said MacAulay. “We want to make sure that the trade flows freely and continues to expand like it has over the past quarter of a century. We need to make sure that what’s fixed doesn’t get broken.”

Statistics underscore the importance of agricultural trade, not

only between the US and Canada, but Oregon and the neighbor to the north. Canada is the state’s second leading export market for agriculture, trailing only Japan. In 2015, Oregon exported $358 million of ag products to Canada, which accounts for 16 percent of all ag exports from the state. Leading the way is $62 million in fruits and nuts—including $27 million in hazelnuts. Seeds, live plants, and processed potatoes are other major exports.

Trade flows south from Canada into Oregon as well. In 2015, the state imported $51 million in live animals—mostly cattle—and another $41 million in fresh or frozen meat. Other major imports from Canada include canola oil, baked goods, and malt extract.

ODA Director Taylor recognizes the tremendous importance of a healthy trade relationship between the US, specifically Oregon, and Canada.

“The North American market has been vital for the prosperity of Oregon farmers, fishers, ranchers, and food processors,” said Taylor. “The increase in agricultural trade between our two countries has helped to keep many of Oregon’s rural communities, whose economy is based in agriculture, strong over the past 20 years.”

Reasons for the strong bond between Oregon and Canada are logical. Proximity, common culture, language, similar lifestyle pursuits, and the ease of travel for business or pleasure benefit both Oregonians and Canadians. Specifically, British Columbia has similar trends to Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. It’s no coincidence that Oregon and BC are among the 10 states and provinces forming PNWER, the non-profit organization that brought the Canadian Ag Minister to Portland.

“Many companies new to export have initial success in BC before expanding into other markets,” said Taylor. “And many first time exporters from the US begin in the Canadian market because of the similarities.”

ODA’s Agricultural Development and Marketing Program has paid close attention to the Canadian export market, hosting teams of buyers in Canada as part of inbound trade missions. Earlier this year, ODA took Oregon companies to the Canadian Health Food Association

Trade Show in Vancouver, BC. What they found was a large interest in consumer packaged goods that feature healthy foods.

“Western Canada, in particular, truly is an extension of the Pacific Northwest,” said ODA Trade Manager Erick Garman. “We have similar tastes in food. Oregon is known for its food entrepreneurs, and there are several new and exciting products coming out of our state that are very attractive to the Canadian market.”

Canadian consumers are increasingly interested in health and nutrition as well as food safety. Some of the same trends found in Oregon

are showing up north of the US border—foods that are gluten free, low sodium, low sugar, low calorie, organic, and no trans fats.

Meanwhile, NAFTA’s presence is also credited for a strong regulatory cooperation between the US and Canada—something that also ultimately benefits consumers in both countries.

“Trading partners being able to have an open, fair, predictable regulatory environment is key for businesses on both sides of the border,” said ODA’s Taylor.

“We need to make sure the regulatory process in our countries is the same,” said Canadian Ag Minister MacAulay. “We want to make sure that the regulatory process continues to be science-based.”

The Canadian minister is fond of using a food example to illustrate how the borders between the three NAFTA countries are invisible in some aspects.

“Take a hamburger,” he said. “The meat could be produced on the Western Canada prairie. The bun could be made from wheat grown in Oregon. The tomatoes on the hamburger could come from Mexico. That, simply, is what NAFTA is all about.”

MacAulay and Taylor believe the ultimate success of an improved trade agreement will be the ability to put more money in the pockets of farmers, ranchers, fishers, and food companies. •

MacAulay urges caution in renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Oregon agriculture has a new leaderAfter falling from the top perch of Oregon agriculture for the past two

years, greenhouse and nursery products have recaptured the number one position among Oregon’s diverse agricultural commodities in terms of production value. Cattle and calves are back to runner-up status after a couple of strong years while the rest of Oregon ag’s top twenty list contains primarily the same names as last year with a slightly altered order. The most

significant addition to the top 20 club is hops, which had an outstanding year in crop production and price in 2016.

Newly released statistics from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) provides a preliminary picture of 2016’s crop, livestock, and fisheries value of production. See more at: http://bit.do/FactsFigures •

Canadian Minister of Agriculture Lawrence MacAulay joined ODA Director Alexis Taylor as part of a regional economic summit in Portland.

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Japanese beetle: Planning for year twoIt may not be apparent, according to the numbers, but a battle has been won, even though the war on Japanese beetles in Oregon continues.

A high density of traps placed throughout the Cedar Mill-Bonny Slope area of Washington County have captured more than 16,000 Japanese beetles this summer, a number that strengthens the resolve of the Oregon Department of Agriculture to successfully complete eradication of the plant and turf-eating invasive insect. ODA officials fully expected to see a major increase in beetle detections this summer after 372 were caught last year. However, the final tally is a bit of a surprise.

“After Japanese beetles were first detected in the area last year, more traps were put out late in the season and after the peak flight season for adult beetles, so there were probably many more out there than we thought,” says Clint Burfitt, manager of ODA’s Insect Pest Prevention and Management Program. “The population this year is more than we expected. The good news is that the bulk of the catches are centered in the middle of our treatment zone, so there is a well defined epicenter for this infestation. The traps are doing their job of providing good data. Once all the traps are taken down this fall, we will begin the analysis and have a better idea of what next year’s eradication project will look like.”

Earlier this spring, more than 2,400 residential properties were treated with a granular insecticide that targets the larval stage of Japanese beetle. The application was

not designed to impact the current generation of beetles but will affect their offspring for next year. Adult beetles have been laying eggs this summer in the 1,000 acres treated by ODA with Acelelpryn. Grubs hatching deep in the treated turf will ingest the insecticide and won’t survive to complete another generational cycle. ODA is planning for five years of annual treatments in order to eradicate the insect pest entirely from the area.

Residents in the treatment zone were told that this spring’s efforts would not impact the generation of Japanese beetles that emerged this summer.

“We specifically chose a non-hazardous insecticide that’s effective because it targets the beetle’s most vulnerable life stage,” says Burfitt. “So our treatment started prior to this generation of beetles emerging and before the females could lay eggs. When those eggs hatch, they will be impacted as the grubs are feeding. We won’t be able to measure the impact or effect of this year’s insecticide treatments until late next year.”

Based on research and the experience of successful Japanese beetle eradication projects in other states, Burfitt expects about a 90 percent reduction in the insect’s population each year of the project.

“With 16,000 beetles, we anticipate next year’s catches to still be over a thousand. The year after, the catches will be in the hundreds, the next year in the tens, and then single digits in the fifth year.”

Increasing the number of traps tenfold in Cedar Mill this year has

also revealed another important development—some of the Japanese beetle detections are taking place beyond the borders of the treated area.

“Because of the beetle’s mobility and the size of its population, we are catching some out of the area that most likely hitchhiked on people’s vehicles or perhaps through the movement of yard debris,” says Burfitt. “Only 2 percent of the detections have come from outside the treatment area and a bulk of those catches are contiguous to the area we treated.”

Adult beetles feast on a wide variety of plants including trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Japanese beetle can be destructive in yards and gardens, but also subject to agricultural quarantine regulations, which could cost the state millions of dollars.

This summer’s trapping results to date should not discourage the residents who have had to live with the insect temporarily.

“I think we have really achieved quite a bit this year,” says Burfitt. “We were able to treat the highest risk area where the population of Japanese beetle is centered. We were able to put out high densities of traps to inform the project moving forward. And we are in a lot better position now than we were a year ago.”

An updated response plan is being developed, but the original five-year plan should not change even if the treatment boundaries need to expand in the next year or two. Another thing that won’t change is the community engagement element of the project.

“This isn’t just an Oregon Department of Agriculture project, this is truly a community-based project,” says Burfitt. “We will continue to bring in stakeholders and have them talk about the next steps, including our successes and challenges. We will keep adapting the project based on the current information.” •

While Japanese beetle activity remains high in Oregon, annual trapping has detected 10 gypsy moths in three counties. Three separate detections were made in the Portland area of Multnomah County, five moths were caught in Benton County—four of them in Corvallis, and two moths were trapped in Lane County south of Eugene. There is no indication that any of the detections will require treatment next spring, but ODA’s Insect Pest Prevention and Management Program continues to review the data.

For the second consecutive season, no gypsy moths were trapped in the St. Johns-Forest Park area of north Portland following a large eradication project completed in the spring of 2016—further evidence that the treatment has been successful. •

Keeping an eye on gypsy mothNew video series explains a day in the

life of ODAA picture is worth a thousand words. A video is worth a thousand pictures. The Oregon Department of Agriculture

announces a new video series focusing on its many and diverse programs and people. “A Day in the Life of ODA” debuts with its first four videos, each roughly 3 minutes in length, featuring food safety inspectors, insect survey technicians, trade managers, and the Noxious Weed Control Program. More videos will be added in the coming months and will help inform Oregonians about the many ways ODA provides a valuable service.

To watch “A Day in the Life of ODA” videos online, go to http://bit.do/DayInLifeODA •

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Oregon dairies display sustainability and innovationOregon’s $470 million dairy industry proudly points to a national award given this summer to a local producer as strong evidence that the state’s 228 dairy farmers, on the whole, practice good stewardship and display innovation as they operate their businesses. With Polk County’s Rickreall Dairy being one of three operations in the US to receive this year’s Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award, officials with the Oregon Department of Agriculture generally feel the industry continues to reflect the state’s values of being responsible members of the community.

“Oregon’s dairy farmers have often found creative but sound ways to run their operation in a manner that not only protects our natural resources, but provides economic sustainability,” says ODA Director Alexis Taylor. “Every state has dairies, but it’s exciting to see one in Oregon held up as a national model for others to emulate.”

Rickreall Dairy, owned by Louie Kazemier, is the only dairy west of the Mississippi River to receive the national award issued annually by the Innovation Center for US Dairy. During a June ceremony in Chicago, the award winners were recognized for their voluntary efforts toward continuous improvement in sustainability. Judges evaluated the nominations for economic, environmental, and community impact with an emphasis on innovative problem solving. The news release announcing the award winners noted: “Rickreall, Oregon residents know Louie Kazemier as a good neighbor. In fact, his relationships are the force behind his farm’s frequent improvements. When solids were building up in the manure lagoon, Louie initiated trade with a seed farmer to provide fertilizer in exchange for feed. He also collaborated with a local food processor to use their wastewater for irrigation.”

Dairy cows produce more than just milk. They produce manure that can lead to water quality problems if not managed properly. If managed appropriately, that same manure can be valuable. Many Oregon families have been dairy farming for as many as five generations, but dairies have adapted to environmental standards and regulations by embracing sustainable practices. Some Oregon dairy farms have voluntarily installed methane digesters and solar panels. Many have embraced precision agriculture and automation in an effort to boost efficiency. The result is

a smaller environmental footprint.The award given to Rickreall Dairy

highlights some of the great work other Oregon dairies are doing to meet today’s challenges.

“Our operators make sure they are good community members, they have quality employees, and they are meeting environmental requirements and rules,” says Wym Matthews, manager of ODA’s Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Program. “Compliance with environmental rules often help dairies achieve sustainability goals and contribute to profitable operations”

The CAFO Program issues permits for dairy operations, and provides inspection and oversight to ensure that manure does not pollute ground or surface water. For decades, Oregon has had an environmental permit requirement for all dairies.

“Our industry, for the most part, has been complying with that permit

across a wide range of dairy shapes and sizes—conventional, organic, large, medium, and small—and they’ve all had to comply with the same requirement of no animal waste discharge to the state’s surface and ground waters. Oregon is a unique state in that those in the dairy industry have figured out their own unique ways that ensure environmental compliance.”

Nearly all Oregon dairies also grow crops that require nutrients. Those cropping systems benefit from the nutrients found in cow manure. Using the manure instead of commercial fertilizers saves money and also recycles nutrients stored in lagoons and manure storage structures. The end result is a crop that can be used to feed the animals—a closed loop that fits the definition of efficiency.

“Most factory production systems produce waste that ends up going to a landfill, but almost everything on a dairy farm seems to have another purpose,” says Matthews.

When cow manure goes into a digester, methane is generated which, in turn, can generate electricity. The solids can be used for compost or other fertilizer products either used on the dairy farm itself or sold to other farms with cropping systems.

“For us, it means that dairies maintain 100 percent of their storage capacity because they are able to remove the accumulated manure and solids every year and move

it to other fields,” says Matthews. “That protects water quality. We aren’t having a nutrient buildup on the dairy. It also allows the dairy to have the full capacity of its storage facilities every year.”

Matthews has been with ODA for 15 years and has seen a lot of positive changes in Oregon’s dairy industry. One success story is the improved water quality in the Tillamook area, home of about 100 permitted facilities. Thanks to a combination of technical and financial resources provided by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and regulatory resources provided by ODA, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and other partnering agencies and entities, manure storage volume in Tillamook has increased dramatically. The additional volume provided by above-ground storage tanks has given dairy operators the tools to properly manage animal waste.

Ultimately, it’s the dairy farmers themselves who have to make the decisions and operate the facilities.

That’s where the water quality improvement takes place.

“The state has always felt that stewardship was the responsibility of a farmer,” says Matthews. “Our dairies have lived with that expectation for a long time. Many of them have been innovative in how they achieve that compliance.”

Rickreall Dairy is but one example of innovation that leads to sustainability. •

Louie and Lori Kazemier of Rickreall Dairy, which received a national sustainability award earlier this year.

Louie Kazemier’s Rickreall Dairy is one of many Oregon operations recognized as practicing good stewardship.

Methane digesters have proven to be an effective way to turn cow manure into something positive.

Oregon dairies, in general, have shown to be responsible members of the community.

7

Fertilizer Program polices safety claimsBy Andy Zimmerman

Fall is here, so you might be considering fertilizing your lawn or plants. Looking at your local home-improvement store, there are many options for fertilizers. If you’re comparing products, you might choose a product that claims to be “pet friendly” or “kid safe,” but is it?

One task of the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s (ODA) Fertilizer Program is to review claims on fertilizer products to make sure they are accurate and can be substantiated. When a company uses terms such as “friendly” or “safe” to describe a product, the consumer expects it won’t harm children or pets. That generally isn’t the case.

“We find it’s interesting when a label says ‘people and pet safe’ and then says ‘caution: keep out of the reach of children.’ It seems a little odd,” says Don Wolf, a fertilizer specialist at ODA. “Most fertilizer materials aren’t exceedingly dangerous to be around or handled. There are some exceptions, some of them are a little bit caustic; some of the salts would certainly dry out your

skin, or sting if you had any open cuts. Ingestion can be a big problem. We also have a lot of microbial products—and some of them do contain species that can cause some damage to humans or animals.”

Specialists with the Fertilizer Program review label claims. If a term such as “friendly” or “safe” appears, it’s up to the company to substantiate the claim with scientific documentation. If the company is unable to prove the claim or is unwilling to modify the label, the application is denied.

Have any companies been able to back up claims its fertilizer is “kid friendly” or “pet safe”? The answer is no.

“We’ve had few companies send us toxicology reports but those reports weren’t specific for kids or pets,” Wolf says. “They send in the same toxicology reports they’d have to send to EPA, which doesn’t address all the population groups. That kid-friendly claim is one that we’ve worried about quite a bit, simply because at different stages of life different levels are toxic. If you’re going to tell us it’s kid safe, is it kid safe for a 1-year-old who’s learning to walk and found the open bag in the garage?”

Some companies tried to skirt the law, claiming a product is safe after it

has been applied.“We do have companies that try

to push really hard,” Wolf says. “We do have some companies that directly try to mislead consumers. Some of them aren’t directly trying to mislead but they’re trying to come up with a new term or a new claim.”

Because Oregon and other states have taken a stand with “kid friendly” and “pet safe” claims, many companies have changed their labels for all states, which benefits consumers throughout the country.

And what about the term “natural”? Just because a product is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe, Wolf says. Oregon Administrative Rules provide a definition of “natural” the program uses for product labeling.

“We also try and remind people that just because a product is otherwise allowed for organic production, it doesn’t mean either the material itself is either organic or natural,” Wolf says. “For example, a lot of the zinc sulfate we get as a registered product is a byproduct from steel mills. Because plants need zinc, zinc sulfate is allowed for use under the National Organic Program. It’s not natural. It’s not organic. And zinc is another one of those materials that can be very toxic to animals and to kids. It’s definitely something that can be an issue.”

Next time you’re in the market for a bag of fertilizer, and you’re concerned about what you’re buying, what should you do?

“You should think about what’s in the bag and not just look at the marketing claim. Read the label. See what’s in it,” Wolf says.

“Do a little homework. Get on the Internet, check out those materials, and find out a little more background information before purchasing the bag of fertilizer for your lawn. Become an informed consumer. You’ll also be a safer consumer for yourself, your pets and your family.” •

Farm to School Month highlights local producersAs part of National Farm to School Month in October, the Oregon Department of Agriculture is recognizing six producers statewide who are dedicated to providing nutritious food to schools and engaging kids as part of the process. ODA’s Farm to School Producer Awards honors the commitment of producers and schools to work together.

The following producers are the 2017 winners:

• Zoe Bradbury, representing Valley Flora Farms of Floras Creek (south coast). Last year, Valley Flora welcomed to the farm more than 220 local students from Port Orford, Bandon, and Gold Beach in addition to providing fresh vegetables and potatoes to the breakfast and lunch menu.

• Rickreall Dairy and its farm tour manager, Stacy Foster. The dairy provides opportunities for kids to bottle feed baby calves, see the milking parlor in action, and watch as the milk leaves the cow and into storage or transport. As a Darigold producer, some of the milk from Rickreall Dairy ends up on the lunch tray.

• Dona Coon of Oak Park Farms in Shedd. Coon has dedicated more than 30 years to helping Oregon students and teachers learn more about agriculture. Visiting hundreds of Oregon classrooms and hosting kids on the farm for hands-on experiences, Coon receives the award for exemplifying the education component of farm to school.

• Gordon Key of Key Family Fruit Farm in Milton-Freewater. The orchard operation is meeting the needs of the Hermiston School District. This past school year, the district purchased more than 36,000 pounds of plums, pluots, and apples from Key Farms.

• Thomas Orchards of Monument. The operation has been supplying Bend LaPine Schools for the past 12 years. Jeff and Laura Thomas drive their big 18-wheeler through bad weather, at times, to make sure kids don’t miss out on their delicious fruit. Efforts include the occasional classroom visit.

• Will Homer of Fossil. For the past nine years, Homer and the ranchers of Painted Hills Beef have been supplying Bend Lapine Schools with ground beef and hamburger patties. Whether it’s taco meat, meat balls, or hamburgers, kids are eating a steady supply of quality beef. •

ODA recognizes outstanding team achievementTeamwork is central to the success of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. At this summer’s all-staff meeting, Director Alexis Taylor presented

commendations to two teams of ODA staff for outstanding service. The financial services

budget team (left) was recognized for putting in long hours on a short deadline to complete the

agency’s budget documents in a detailed yet easily understood presentation. The Japanese

beetle eradication team (right) also received an outstanding service award for successfully treating

the largest outbreak of Japanese beetle in state history—an effort that included widespread support from the affected neighborhoods. •

AnnouncementsConfined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) Advisory Committee meeting

Date/Time October 12, 2017/ 1:30–3:30 pmLocation Oregon Department of Agriculture, 635 Capitol St NE, Salem

Third Floor Conference Room, Room 331Contact Wym Matthews, (503) 986-4792Website www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/NaturalResources/Pages/

CAFO.aspx

Soil and Water Conservation Commission (SWCC) meetingDate/Time November 14, 2017/8:00 am–4:00 pmLocation Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, SalemContact Manette Simpson, (503) 986-4715Website www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/NaturalResources/SWCD/

Pages/SWCC.aspx

Pesticide Analytical and Response Center (PARC) Board meetingDate/Time November 15, 2017/9:00 am–12:00 pmLocation Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

3150 NW 229th Ave., Suite 150, HillsboroContact Theodore Bunch Jr., (503) 986-4562Website www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/Pesticides/Pages/PARC.

aspx

Oregon State Board of AgricultureDate November 28–30, 2017Location Portland, OR (TBD)Contact Kathryn Walker, (503) 986-4558Website www.oregon.gov/ODA/AboutUs/Pages/BoardAgriculture.

aspx

The Agriculture Quarterly Fall 2017, Issue 407

The Agriculture Quarterly (ISSN 08978-7143) is published quarterly and distributed free of charge by: Oregon Department of Agriculture 635 Capitol St NE Salem, OR 97301-2532Periodical postage is paid at Salem, OR.

PostmasterSend address changes to the address listed above, attention Information Office.

Department DirectorAlexis Taylor

Director of Communications Bruce Pokarney503-986-4559

Publications and Web CoordinatorLiz Beeles503-986-4560

Distribution or reproduction of stories from this publication is encouraged. Please give credit to the publication as the source. Check with the Publications and Web Coordinator if you have questions. The use of product or company names in this publication does not imply an endorsement of any sort. In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, this publication will be made available in alternate formats upon request.

State Board of Agriculture• Barbara Boyer, chair

• Pete Brentano

• Stephanie Hallock

• Bryan Harper

• Tracey Liskey

• Sharon Livingston

• Laura Masterson

• Marty Myers

• Tyson Raymond, vice chair

• Luisa Santamaria

• Dan Arp (ex-officio) Dean of Agriculture Oregon State University

• Alexis Taylor (ex-officio) Director Oregon Department of Agriculture

Board members may be contacted through the Oregon Department of Agriculture Director’s Office at: 503-986-4558

Find the Ag Quarterly onlinewww.oregon.gov/ODA/AboutUs/Pages/Publications.aspx

Find Board of Ag info onlinewww.oregon.gov/ODA/AboutUs/Pages/BoardAgriculture.aspx

Find all ODA public meetings online www.oregon.gov/ODA/AboutUs/Pages/Calendar.aspx

Ex-State Vet corrals national awardFormer State Veterinarian Dr. Andrew Clark has received the 2017 XIIth

International Veterinary Congress Prize issued by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). This award is given annually in recognition of outstanding service and contribution to international understanding of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Clark, who began working for the Oregon Department of Agriculture in 1973 and served as State Veterinarian from 1996 to 2003, is recognized for his significant achievements in the development of animal health programs and procedures in Africa and the Middle East. After leaving ODA, he spent nearly 10 more years working on animal health issues in Kenya, Tanzania and Egypt.

“Dr. Clark has been absolutely instrumental in improving the safety of animals and humans in developing African countries,” said Dr. Tom Meyer, AVMA president. “For decades, he has worked alongside local communities and U.S. and foreign government agencies to initiate programs that are both practical and easy to implement.”

One of Dr. Clark’s most significant achievements has been the development of unified standard methods and procedures for disease control and cross boundary trade of live animals and products in the Horn of Africa. These guidelines have been adopted by nine countries in the region and are now moving to incorporate countries in western and southern Africa as well. He is also responsible for breaking the cycle of exposure to avian influenza in Egypt through his conception and implementation of innovative container slaughter protocols.

Dr. Clark currently resides in Pendleton and serves as a veterinary disease control specialist for a variety of national and international programs. •