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Wyden introduces trees and jobs bill in the U.S. Senate

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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has introduced a Senate version of the Small Business Environmental Stewardship Assistance Act. This is the bill, first introduced in the House, that would provide $50 million annually, each of the next five years, to plant urban trees and expand urban forests. The Oregon Association of Nurseries quickly praised Wyden […]

South Carolina rescinds regulation that blocked trade

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Nursery growers in Oregon and California are once again free to ship their plants to South Carolina. Officials in that state have rescinded Regulation 27-78, which imposed state-based rules pertaining to Phytophthora ramorum. The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) and the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers (CANGC) sued to overturn the regulation, on […]

Ag leaders speak out on the agriculture-conservation coalition’s reserves map

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Yesterday a coalition of agricultural and conservation groups announced they had developed an alternative to the most recent “Core 4” plan for the Portland metropolitan area. Here’s video of the press conference: The coalition developed the map based on the criteria in state law, and with an eye toward selecting the most suitable areas for […]

Agriculture speaks on urban reserves process

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The Metro regional government, which guides growth for Portland, Ore. and its suburbs, last month released its latest “Core 4” draft map of proposed rural and urban reserves. The map shows where urban-style development would be allowed, and where it would be off limits, for the next 50 years. Many in agriculture have been critical […]

LeCompte ‘throws her hat into the ring’

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The Woodburn (Ore.) Independent profiles Brooks Tree Farm owner, former OAN president and current OAN Government Affairs Committee chairwoman Kathy LeCompte, who is running for the Oregon Legislature.

Napolitano calls for comprehensive immigration reform

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U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano made a major speech on Friday announcing the Obama Administration’s commitment to comprehensive immigration reform: Let me be clear: when I talk about “immigration reform,” I’m referring to what I call the “three-legged stool” that includes a commitment to serious and effective enforcement, improved legal flows for families […]

Forum on Measures 66, 67 set for Dec. 8

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The OAN Government Relations Committee will host a debate on Measures 66 and 67 at its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009. The meeting begins at 1 p.m. and will be held at the Oregon Association of Nurseries, 29751 S.W. Town Center Loop West, Wilsonville, Ore. (directions). Representatives from two groups – Oregonians Against Job-Killing […]

OAN, Farm Bureau to host Rep. Kurt Schrader

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The Oregon Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation will jointly present a forum on farm issues with U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore. Fifth District) on Tuesday evening, Nov. 10, 2009. It will be at 7 p.m. in the Oak Room at Wellspring Medican Center, 1475 Mt. Hood Ave., Woodburn, Ore. For details, […]

Join the fight against invasives

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The Oregon Invasive Species Council is accepting nominations for four positions on the council that are coming open at the end of the year. The appointing authorities are looking for individuals with expertise in various areas, one of which is nursery production. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has one of the six permanent seats, but […]