“It was the fastest hitting and departing storm I’ve seen,” said Grace Dinsdale, owner of Blooming Nursery in Cornelius, Ore. Last Thursday’s sudden squall raced its way through Western Oregon, bringing dust clouds, high winds, harsh rains, thunder, lightning, hail, and even flash floods, funnel clouds and tornadoes. Some 50,000 people lost power, and temperature […]
Storm damage makes strong impression on U.S. Rep. David Wu
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U.S. Rep. David Wu (D-1st District, Ore.) visited several nurseries yesterday that sustained storm damage during the December ice storms, and according to the Capital Press, the visit made quite an impression on him: “The magnitude of the damage becomes apparent as you get by the hoop houses,” Wu said. “I have seen the dollar […]
Obama administration open to disaster aid
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We already know USDA Farm Service Agency Emergency Conservation Program funds are being made available to nurseries stricken by the Dececember storms, but might there be further assistance in the offing? U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says yes.
Emergency Conservation Program process begins in two counties
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Did your nursery suffer storm damage to temporary structures (e.g., hoop houses) or permanent irrigation equipment during the recent winter blast? Are you interested in funds to help you get the mess cleaned up? And, are you located in Washington or Columbia counties? If so, your local U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency is […]
Emergency Conservation Program available to storm-damaged nurseries
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The following press release was issued on Friday: The USDA/Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Oregon has announced that the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) is available to assist nurseries and other farm operations that suffered damage during the ice and snow storms in late December. The Emergency Conservation Program provides emergency funding and technical assistance for […]
Back to life
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The South County Spotlight (Scappoose, Ore.) has a story about how the nurseries in Columbia County are recovering from the December storms.
Governor, ODA director seek disaster declaration
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Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, have gone to bat for Oregon nurseries by seeking a disaster declaration, which would free up assistance to those who suffered winter storm damage. The announcement was made at an OAN-organized meeting Tuesday afternoon in Wilsonville. On Monday, Kulongoski wrote a letter […]
News reports on storm damage estimate
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In the wake of the OAN’s preliminary storm damage estimate of $18-$31 million, which affected both plant stock and greenhouse structures, several media outlets have published stories (some in addition to the initial round of stories last week): The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) Associated Press article (Published on Forbes.com) The Times (Tigard, Ore.) Oregon Public Broadcasting […]
Preliminary damage estimate: $18 million -$31 million
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The winter storms of December 2008 were extraordinary for their cold temperatures, as well as the weight they placed on greenhouses and nursery structures. Removal of the snow from structure roofs was not an easy task, thanks to the freezing rain that affixed preceding and succeeding snows in place. The OAN surveyed its members to […]
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.
