Past issues of AQ Fall 2001 In This Issue Director's column: meeting the challenges of post September 11 ODA ready to respond to potential of bioterrorism ODA laboratory analysis expected to keep Japan open for Oregon potatoes Farm ownership by non-farmers notable in Oregon ODA, ag industry agree on framework for dispersal of $3.2 million in "specialty crop" funds Fast growing trees becoming a "Poplar" commodity in Oregon Then and now: cranberries Ag Progress Awards Dinner 2001 Sudden oak death gains attention, cooperation in SW Oregon Spotlight on the Oregon Hop Commission Pesticide Use Reporting System (PURS) frequently asked questions Ag water quality management plans and rules now total fifteen Announcements	Fast growing trees becoming a "Poplar" commodity in Oregon From space, you can pick it out as you look earthward. A large green square surrounded by several smaller green circles in the Columbia Basin. The green circles represent traditional center-pivot irrigated field crops. From the ground — in fact driving next to the green square along I-84 — you notice a non-traditional agricultural commodity. A seemingly endless forest of trees between Boardman and Hermiston in an area where you wouldn't expect to see trees. These are hybrid poplars, nearly 18,000 acres that go roughly seven miles long, seven miles deep. The plantation belongs to the Potlatch Corporation, one of a handful of companies in the hybrid poplar business. This is an agricultural operation, not a forestry one. Much like the Christmas tree industry, these trees are planted and harvested well within 12 years — much sooner than the usual timber harvest. Production of hybrid poplars has a statewide value of $11.6 million, making it Oregon's 30th ranked commodity. When first hand planted, Potlatch placed 545 trees per acre — a tight fit for poplars that would be harvested every six or seven years. New plantings are fewer and farther between with about 293 trees per acre. The new thinking is to allow the trees to grow longer and larger. When fully harvested now at ten years, these poplars will reach more than 90 feet high with a twelve inch diameter. The marketplace is dictating the change. "We started growing the trees in 1994 for the pulp and paper industry, but no large market has really emerged," says Greg Uhlorn of Potlatch. Still, the Potlatch Plantation in the Columbia Basin provides wood chips for pulping to two Washington mills: Boise Cascade at Wallula and Georgia Pacific at Camas. In addition, chips are used at Jeld-Wen in White Swan, Washington, for the manufacture of door skins. Now Potlatch believes it can help timber-starved mills continue operating. Reductions in federal timber supplies are causing shortages. The bigger poplar can provide lumber. Already, Kinzua Resources, a Umatilla County lumber mill, has installed a small log line. "No one will be using hybrid poplars for structural wood products," says Potlatch's John Finley. "You are not going to see a house built of hybrid poplars. But the wood could be used for moldings, cabinets, etc." These are fast growing trees — increasing in height up to 12 feet each year. High humidity in the area protects against potential fire danger. Access to water via the nearby Columbia River makes this stretch of territory ideal for growing poplars. The water use is a model in efficiency. All told, there are nearly 15,000 miles of drip line irrigation pipe parceling out the right amount of water through computerized emitters. "If you took five seconds to check each emitter, it would take three years to go through the entire farm," says Finley. What used to be land dedicated to the usual local crops of corn and potatoes is now offering Morrow County a bit of agricultural diversity. In this case, you can see the forest for the trees whether on the ground by car or in space by satellite. Then and now: cranberries No longer popular only during Thanksgiving, the healthy desire for juices and dried fruit has enabled cranberries to become a year around delight. Consumer demand in recent years has prompted expansion of an industry important to the economy of Oregon's southern coast. After hitting record high prices in the mid-90s, factors including weather and overproduction nationally dropped the price per pound. The result has been challenging times for cranberry growers, although the industry has shown signs of bouncing back. 1984 1100 acres $5.5 million 1989 1400 acres $7.5 million 1994 1700 acres $15.3 million 1997 2000 acres $19.5 million 1998 2000 acres $14.1 million 1999 2300 acres $3.3 million 2000 2400 acres $5.7 million Then Cranberry production in Oregon began in 1885 when settlers from the East Coast noticed the sandy soils similar to Cape Cod in Massachusetts, where cranberries were produced at that time. In 1947, Ocean Spray — a national cranberry growers' cooperative — opened its first Oregon facility in Bandon. Prior to the 1970s, the major product utilizing cranberries was cranberry sauce. Since that time, consumers have been showing more interest in juices made from cranberries. In the mid 1970s, insect pest and disease problems greatly impacted cranberry yields in Oregon, causing production to fluctuate wildly from year to year. Growers used to prune cranberry plants annually in the belief that it produced better crop yields. Research in the 1990s proved just the opposite: that light pruning in alternate years produces better results. Now Oregon is the fourth largest producer of cranberries in the US, growing 5% of the nation's supply, behind Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Although wet harvesting (where the bog is flooded and berries float to the top and are corralled) is often used, new methods of dry harvesting have been developed. Instead of using hand "scoopers," dry harvesting now usually involves the use of a lawnmower-type machine known as the Western Picker. Integrated pest management techniques are being used in lieu of chemical pesticides to battle cranberry insect pests. As an example, flooding the fields immediately after harvest will drown most of the larvae of the black vine weevil. The popularity of cranberry juice has exploded now that it is often combined with other fruit juices and bottled to meet changing consumer tastes. Other new cranberry products include craisins — dried cranberries that are packaged and eaten just like grape raisins. Research has proven the high nutritional and health benefits of cranberries, including its anti-oxidant properties. Oregon's largest export market, Japan, has shown a sudden interest in cranberry products because of the recognized health and nutrition benefits.
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