Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

Knocked for a hoop

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This spring, the Oregon Department of Revenue (ODR) proposed a rule change that would tax hoop houses as if they were permanent structures – a move that could greatly add to the tax bills of growers who own dozens if not hundreds of the poly-film enclosures. OAN Director of Government Relations Jeff Stone testified before […]

What’s new at the Farwest Show this year

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This year’s Farwest Show, set for Aug. 20-22 in Portland, has several new features designed to keep attendees on the cutting edge of nursery industry knowledge. Among them: Manager’s Circle workshops for owners and top managers; Networking events for young professionals and for women in horticulture; and The new Interactive Learning Center, presented in cooperation […]

‘Rich’ on paper

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How will yesterday’s votes to approve state corporate and personal tax hikes affect small businesses? Sen. Larry George, R-Sherwood, a hazelnut grower, says it won’t be a good thing. “This tax is about one thing. It’s about taxing entrepreneurs,” he said. “This is an incredibly personal bill to me.” Watch his eight-minute floor speech:

Follow the bouncing bills

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There’s been a lot of activity in Salem this week as Oregon legislators attempt to finish the session. Many of the bills flying hither, thither and yon could affect the nursery industry in a big way, from tax hikes to metal theft to property tax issues affecting hoop houses. If you want to track it […]

Tax hikes approved – for real

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That didn’t take long. The legislative logjam we talked about this morning has been broken. The Oregon Senate this morning approved two bills – one to raise corporate taxes and another to raise income taxes. Both were carried on a party line vote, 18 yes (all Democrats), 11 no (all Republicans) and one Republican not […]

Metal health

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The metal theft bill we talked about yesterday, Senate Bill 570 (HTML|PDF), has been approved by the Oregon House of Representatives by unanimous vote, 60-0. Since the House version differed from the earlier Senate version, it moves back to the Senate for concurrence and then the governor’s signature. Here’s more on the bill from one […]

Tax hikes approved – NOT

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Yesterday we told you about increases in state corporate and personal income taxes, which seemed all but assured. Not so fast. The Oregon Senate yesterday failed to muster the two-thirds majority needed to raise taxes. Sen. Mark Hass (D-Beaverton) broke party ranks with his 17 fellow Senate Democrats by voting against one of the bills, […]

Check your property for these

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If you see one on your property, you’ll want to take immediate action to get rid of it. It’s an extremely invasive weed that poses health hazards for humans.

Presentation on immigration

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The Coalition for a Working Oregon is holding a joint event on immigration reform with the McMinnville Chamber of Commerce at 8:15 a.m. next Wednesday, June 17 at Chemeketa Health & Science Center, 300 N.E. Norton Lane, McMinnville, Ore. Two speakers from the Oregon Association of Nurseries – Executive Committee member Jerry Simnitt and Director of […]