Today Congress approved, and President George W. Bush signed, a federal economic recovery bill authorizing the U.S. Treasury to invest of up to $700 billion to calm markets and restore credit availability. And according to OAN Executive Director John Aguirre, that’s good news for Oregon nurseries. “Nursery growers and retailers, like so many businesses across […]
Staying out of trouble with proper I-9 procedures
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Jordan Schrader Ramis PC attorney Ron Guerra will present a lunchtime seminar, “Playing with Fire: Employment Eligibility and Verification (I-9),” from noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the firm’s office, 2 Centerpointe Drive, 6th Floor, Lake Oswego, Ore. Guerra will discuss ways that employers can make sure they are properly completing, auditing and retaining I-9 […]
Undocumented immigrant population declines
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The number of undocumented immigrants in the United States dropped by 500,000 last year, and for the first time in years, the inflow of undocumented immigrants fell below the inflow of legal, permanent residents, according to a report issued Oct. 1 by the Pew Hispanic Center: “The Pew Hispanic Center also estimates that inflows of […]
Minimum wage going up in Washington, too
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Entering 2008, Oregon and Washington had two of the highest state-mandated minimum wages in the country. And going into 2009, that isn’t going to change. We told you earlier that Oregon’s minimum wage will rise on Jan. 1, 2009, from $7.95 to $8.40 per hour. Now comes word that Washington’s minimum wage will be $8.55 […]
OAN 75th Anniversary Book now available
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The history of Oregon’s nursery industry is comprised of a single narrative made up of many smaller stories, and you can read many of them in the brand new OAN 75th Anniversary Book. The recently-published, full color book talks about the innovators, the milestones and the events who brought the business to where it is […]
State to set benchmarks for seven pesticides
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The state of Oregon has identified seven pesticides for which it will establish benchmarks for safe levels in Oregon’s waterways, the Statesman Journal of Salem, Ore. reported last month. All seven were selected because they have been found in Oregon streams and could have risks to the health of humans and/or salmon and other fish. […]
Economic slowdown affects nursery business
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Sales of Oregon nursery products grew in 2007, but at a slower pace than in prior years, according to numbers released recently by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The 2 percent growth rate of 2007 was much lower than the 10 percent reported in 2006, and according to the Capital Press (subscribers only), industry […]
Gall mites cause problems for growers
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A microscopic mite about .01 inch long is giving nurseries fits because it is destructive, yet difficult to detect, the Capital Press reported. According to Robin Rosetta of the OSU Extension Service, the eriophyid mite, also known as the gall mite, can cause galls, scarring, discoloration, wrinkling and malformation on growing shoots. The tiny bugs […]
Sewage treatment plant to start making fertilizer
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Next spring, a sewage treatment facility in Tigard will become the first in the United States to begin manufacturing an environmentally safe commercial fertilizer. Construction will begin soon on a set of reactors that will remove nutrients from wastewater, such as phosphorous, and convert them to a product called Crystal Green, which will be sold […]
Curry County still fighting p. ramorum
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Timber owners, nurseries and other interested parties are working to prevent the spread of P. ramorum, or sudden oak death, in Curry County, Ore., on the southern Oregon Coast. According to the Curry Coastal Pilot newspaper in Brookings, Ore., the Curry County Biomass Working Group has invited Forest Service officials who are experts to speak […]