Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

More storm damage coverage

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Here’s another story about storm damage to nurseries: Gresham Outlook – 2.Jan.2009 Previously blogged on this site: Statesman Journal (Salem, Ore.) – 2.Jan.2009 Associated Press – 31.Dec.2008 Oregon Public Broadcasting – 30.Dec.2008 Capital Press (Salem, Ore.) The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) More to come. We’ll post them here when we see them.

Minimum wage now $8.40 per hour

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It’s a familiar pattern: new year, new minimum wage. In Oregon, the state-mandated hourly rate is now $8.40, up 45 cents from $7.95 in 2008. Under Oregon law, the wage rises each year, automatically, based on increases in the consumer price index. As one might expect, many papers did stories on the new minimum wage, […]

A picture is worth …

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Here are a couple of photographs of the recent ice storm, provided by Carson Lord of Tree Frog Nursery in Silverton, Ore. The first photo is a pine topiary (Pinus sylvesteris), and the second is a laceleaf Japanese maple (Acer palmatum var. dissectum). Although these trees are hardy enough to withstand the ice covering them, […]

OAN seeks disaster declaration

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The Oregon Association of Nurseries is going to bat for industry members who incurred heavy damage due to recent snow and ice. Executive Director John Aguirre wrote a letter to Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, seeking her support for a federal disaster declaration, which would free up assistance for industry members. […]

Coverage

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Update 12/31/08 — Two print edition stories published: Capital Press (Salem, Ore.) The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) Originally posted 12/30/08 — The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) has a short article up concerning the storm damage to nurseries. We’ll link to others as they become available.

The great immigration debate

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The Wilsonville Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee will be hosting a debate on immigration reform on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at the chamber offices, 29600 S.W. Park Place, Wilsonville, Ore. Jeff Stone of the Coalition for a Working Oregon will appear with Jim Ludwick of the group Oregonians for Immigration Reform. The meeting is scheduled […]

Bailout bill contains provisions that can help nurseries

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When Congress passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, better known as the bailout package, it provided $700 billion in relief to the troubled financial industry. However, it also included many provisions that could benefit the nursery and greenhouse industry directly through tax incentives and other tax deductions. Steve Shropshire of the law firm […]

Storm damage: ‘We got leveled’

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UPDATE 12/30/2008, 10:05 a.m.: The Oregon Association of Nurseries has issued a press release about the storm damage, available here. Reports of storm damage to Oregon nurseries are beginning to trickle in, and so far it appears it would be difficult to overstate the extent of the damage from the ice and cold, particularly to […]

A metal theft bill in 2009?

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In 2007, the Oregon Association of Nurseries and other agricultural interests successfully lobbied the Oregon Legislature for unanimous passage of an anti-metal-theft bill, which all sides regarded as a positive step. But despite this bill, and increased vigilance by the industry, the number of metal thefts against nurseries increased in 2008. In 2009, one can […]

U.S. Chamber challenges new E-Verify rule

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Earlier we reported that thanks to Department of Homeland Security rulemaking, the use of E-Verify will be required of all federal contractors as of Jan. 16, 2009 (although there will be some exceptions). The date raised eyebrows because it will come less than a week before a new administration takes office. Now, The