Spring 2001
In This Issue
Governor Kitzhaber Talks Agriculture
Director's Corner
ODA Names New Assistant Director
Industry Development Manager
Agriculture Plays Big Role in Oregon's 36 Counties
Commodity Commission Spotlight
Big Agricultural Operators Step Up to the SB 1010 Plate
Keeping Ag Viable Project
ODA & Governor Look to South of the Border
Then & Now:
The Egg Industry
"Right-to-farm" law in Oregon
Thirsty Oregon Agriculture Braces for Dry Year
Invasive Species Catch ODA's Attention
Big
Agricultural Operators Step Up to the SB 1010 Plate
The fastball may be coming in a little harder, the curve ball may have more of a break. But larger agricultural operators in Oregon are having to step up to the plate just as much as the little guys when it comes to improving water quality in various locations around the state.
There are some prime examples of prominent producers dealing positively with water quality issues even though their operations could potentially have major impacts on nearby waterways. Bear Creek Orchards of Jackson County—which grows the fruit for famed catalog food retailer Harry and David—is one of those leading the way. The corporation is responsible for 3,300 acres of tree fruit production, making it perhaps the largest agricultural player in the greater Medford area.
"Bear Creek Orchards has certainly been an innovator and has taken this water quality issue very seriously," says Tim Stevenson, water quality planner with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. The tree fruit company is complying with the Bear Creek Agricultural Water Quality Management Plan—commonly known as a Senate Bill 1010 Plan. The Bear Creek Subbasin was only the second watershed in Oregon to establish an SB 1010 plan, in 1998.
Stevenson says Bear Creek Orchards can serve as a model for other, smaller operators in the fruit-growing Rogue Valley.
"It's not necessary to sink a whole bunch of money into a particular technology, even though technology can be useful," he says. "But by working with the resources you have and managing more efficiently, you can increase the quality of your product as well as protect water quality."
For Bear Creek Orchards, one of the biggest challenges has been dealing with erosion and general runoff from the often steep slopes of the orchards. Irrigation is necessary. So is the use of heavy machinery that can often create havoc with mud during the wet months. Simple changes in management techniques have helped.
"Sediment runoff has been a big factor," says Keith Emerson, manager of orchard development for Bear Creek and a member of the local watershed council as well as the local advisory committee dealing with the subbasin's 1010 plan. "We try to mitigate that runoff by planting the middle of the tree rows with grass and keeping our equipment off the mud. We have built improved roads that can be used throughout the year. We try to minimize our machine activity when it is wet. We have maintained buffer strips along those areas directly impacting the creek."
It is the efficient use of water that may be making the biggest difference to the local watershed. Bear Creek Orchards has designed new orchards with drainage systems that allow surface water to go underground to avoid carrying sediment all the way down to the creek. Flood irrigation on the flat lands has been replaced by drip irrigation—also the choice for the sloping orchards. But even that technology has been refined thanks to a grant from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) for a demonstration project that may pave the way for other orchardists.
Paul Kay is the manager of the nearly $28,000 OWEB grant that has made use of subsurface drip irrigation—something put into action by Bear Creek Orchards.
"We are saving water," says Kay. "From the test plot, we've eliminated return flow and runoff. It's a good demonstration for other orchardists and can also be a demonstration for municipalities and even homeowners in the area."
Subsurface drip irrigation is described as the slow and frequent application of water to the soil through emitters placed beneath the soil surface. In the orchards, it truly is a model of precision agriculture—giving the root systems of the fruit trees just the right amount of water while reducing and virtually eliminating runoff that may put sediment, nutrients, pesticides, and herbicides into the nearby creek.
Trenches have been dug, tubing has been laid in part of a 40-acre test site that includes new plantings of peach trees owned by Bear Creek Orchards. While the fruit is a year away from commercial production, the results have been positive.
"On the whole 40 acres, an average of 13 inches of water per acre was used this past year, but the subsurface drip rows used only six inches of water per acre," says Kay. "That water was concentrated in the berm, so we didn't water all of the ground. That helps keep the drive rows firm so equipment moving through the orchard is independent of the irrigation schedule. No ruts form and collect mud that runs off into the creek."
With a dry winter portending water shortages later this year, any project that can conserve water as well as protect water quality is especially worthy of praise.
Partnerships have helped make the Bear Creek SB 1010 plan work for many of the landowners. The Talent Irrigation District's willingness to run a pressurized water system to Bear Creek Orchards helped bring about the positive changes.
Bear Creek Orchards feels it's all about doing the right thing. One of the dividends might include an even better company image for marketing purposes.
"Senate Bill 1010 made us think about the improvements we've made and where we are going," says Emerson. "It gave us a road map of where we wanted to wind up. We are expected to be examples and carry on the expectations of a quality product that is sustainable. Sustainability is a big component of our strategy, not only what we produce, but how we utilize the resources."
Other agriculturalists in the Bear Creek Subbasin, big and small, from fruit growers to cattle producers, are making improvements largely based on changes in management and innovation. It won't be long before noticeable improvement in water quality is seen throughout this critical production area of Jackson County. Big Agricultural Operators Step Up to the SB 1010 Plate
The fastball may be coming in a little harder, the curve ball may have more of a break. But larger agricultural operators in Oregon are having to step up to the plate just as much as the little guys when it comes to improving water quality in various locations around the state.
There are some prime examples of prominent producers dealing positively with water quality issues even though their operations could potentially have major impacts on nearby waterways. Bear Creek Orchards of Jackson County—which grows the fruit for famed catalog food retailer Harry and David—is one of those leading the way. The corporation is responsible for 3,300 acres of tree fruit production, making it perhaps the largest agricultural player in the greater Medford area.
"Bear Creek Orchards has certainly been an innovator and has taken this water quality issue very seriously," says Tim Stevenson, water quality planner with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. The tree fruit company is complying with the Bear Creek Agricultural Water Quality Management Plan—commonly known as a Senate Bill 1010 Plan. The Bear Creek Subbasin was only the second watershed in Oregon to establish an SB 1010 plan, in 1998.
Stevenson says Bear Creek Orchards can serve as a model for other, smaller operators in the fruit-growing Rogue Valley.
"It's not necessary to sink a whole bunch of money into a particular technology, even though technology can be useful," he says. "But by working with the resources you have and managing more efficiently, you can increase the quality of your product as well as protect water quality."
For Bear Creek Orchards, one of the biggest challenges has been dealing with erosion and general runoff from the often steep slopes of the orchards. Irrigation is necessary. So is the use of heavy machinery that can often create havoc with mud during the wet months. Simple changes in management techniques have helped.
"Sediment runoff has been a big factor," says Keith Emerson, manager of orchard development for Bear Creek and a member of the local watershed council as well as the local advisory committee dealing with the subbasin's 1010 plan. "We try to mitigate that runoff by planting the middle of the tree rows with grass and keeping our equipment off the mud. We have built improved roads that can be used throughout the year. We try to minimize our machine activity when it is wet. We have maintained buffer strips along those areas directly impacting the creek."
It is the efficient use of water that may be making the biggest difference to the local watershed. Bear Creek Orchards has designed new orchards with drainage systems that allow surface water to go underground to avoid carrying sediment all the way down to the creek. Flood irrigation on the flat lands has been replaced by drip irrigation—also the choice for the sloping orchards. But even that technology has been refined thanks to a grant from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) for a demonstration project that may pave the way for other orchardists.
Paul Kay is the manager of the nearly $28,000 OWEB grant that has made use of subsurface drip irrigation—something put into action by Bear Creek Orchards.
"We are saving water," says Kay. "From the test plot, we've eliminated return flow and runoff. It's a good demonstration for other orchardists and can also be a demonstration for municipalities and even homeowners in the area."
Subsurface drip irrigation is described as the slow and frequent application of water to the soil through emitters placed beneath the soil surface. In the orchards, it truly is a model of precision agriculture—giving the root systems of the fruit trees just the right amount of water while reducing and virtually eliminating runoff that may put sediment, nutrients, pesticides, and herbicides into the nearby creek.
Trenches have been dug, tubing has been laid in part of a 40-acre test site that includes new plantings of peach trees owned by Bear Creek Orchards. While the fruit is a year away from commercial production, the results have been positive.
"On the whole 40 acres, an average of 13 inches of water per acre was used this past year, but the subsurface drip rows used only six inches of water per acre," says Kay. "That water was concentrated in the berm, so we didn't water all of the ground. That helps keep the drive rows firm so equipment moving through the orchard is independent of the irrigation schedule. No ruts form and collect mud that runs off into the creek."
With a dry winter portending water shortages later this year, any project that can conserve water as well as protect water quality is especially worthy of praise.
Partnerships have helped make the Bear Creek SB 1010 plan work for many of the landowners. The Talent Irrigation District's willingness to run a pressurized water system to Bear Creek Orchards helped bring about the positive changes.
Bear Creek Orchards feels it's all about doing the right thing. One of the dividends might include an even better company image for marketing purposes.
"Senate Bill 1010 made us think about the improvements we've made and where we are going," says Emerson. "It gave us a road map of where we wanted to wind up. We are expected to be examples and carry on the expectations of a quality product that is sustainable. Sustainability is a big component of our strategy, not only what we produce, but how we utilize the resources."
Other agriculturalists in the Bear Creek Subbasin, big and small, from fruit growers to cattle producers, are making improvements largely based on changes in management and innovation. It won't be long before noticeable improvement in water quality is seen throughout this critical production area of Jackson County.
Keeping Ag Viable Project Ready for Second Year
With the first year of a three-year commitment already on the books, a major industry public image campaign that is part of the Keeping Agriculture Viable in Oregon Program (KAV) enters year two with bigger plans and more splash. That means more positive messages about agriculture on television, in print, and in supermarkets offering Oregon agricultural food products.
"KAV had another successful year," says Mary Stewart, executive director of the Agri-Business Council of Oregon, which is coordinating the program. "Through the campaign, we made eight million impressions, as they call it, which means we reached people with our messages eight million times."
High profile TV spots on Portland's KATU television reached nearly two million viewers. Appearances on the popular AM Northwest played to Oregon women ages 25 to 54—a major audience of the show and a target for the campaign because of their buying power. Portland-area community newspapers ran advertisements. The campaign had a strong presence in local farmers markets. The effectiveness of phase one may not be known until later. But Stewart feels good about things.
"When it comes to a public information campaign, we have to be careful not to try and measure results too soon," she says. "You really need about three years before you can quantify results. But we do know we made those eight million contacts, which is significant when you look at the amount of money spent to make those contacts. We spent $87,700 last year for those contacts. The cost of us to keep the campaign out there was just a little more than one cent per contact. In the public relations world, that's considered excellent."
Messages are aimed at Oregon's urban population. Industry leaders agree that if city folks don't understand and appreciate agriculture in Oregon, they may not find it relevant, and that could be dangerous for ag's future viability.
Survey work indicates that Oregonians generally feel good about agriculture, even if they don't fully understand how their individual lives are connected to it. Creators of the KAV Program felt the time was right to act on that general favorability with some positive, reinforcing messages.
The cornerstone of the campaign is a simple but powerful theme: Oregon Agriculture. Everywhere. Everyday.™ That message centers on the concept of connecting all Oregonians to how agriculture impacts them. The theme has consistently featured a "personal" agriculture that an actual person may experience, whether it is a favorite ice cream made with tasty Oregon strawberries or a relaxing trip through Yamhill County's wine country. In year two, the campaign will continue using real people telling real stories with the hope that other Oregonians will reflect more about their personal connection to agriculture.
"We want to expand the campaign significantly and want to see more advertising," says Stewart. "This past year, we limited our budget for television to just $25,000. It was smartest to run those ads on one station so we could have a good reach on at least one audience group. This year, we would like to see that TV advertising expand to other stations in Portland and maybe some in Eugene and Medford to broaden our reach. We would also like to see more editorial coverage of the campaign. We want to produce information kits so that people in agriculture themselves could help spread the word and reinforce the messages. We also want to see a supermarket program that will give visibility to Oregon agricultural products."
The ambitious phase two is matched with a lofty fundraising goal that is actually more realistic than it may seem. The KAV Committee wants to raise and spend $302,500—more than three times the amount spent in phase one. Already, some $60,000 has been raised in grants with another $90,000 in grant proposals. Add in matching funds from foundations and industry sources and the goal is considered reachable.
Whatever amount is raised and spent, the core messages of Oregon Agriculture. Everywhere. Everyday.™ will continue.