FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 10, 2018, SALEM, OREGON: Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) thanks the president, Congressman Walden, and all of those who worked to end the injustice done to Steven and Dwight Hammond by granting them clemency. While nobody can restore what they’ve lost to this prosecutorial overreach and bureaucratic vendetta, we are happy that this awful chapter will be coming to a close soon.

OFB has publicly advocated for the Hammonds, including gathering over 25,000 online signatures, and also supported clemency through officials in Oregon and Washington, D.C.

OFB President Barry Bushue said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Steven and Dwight as they get back to the people and the land they love. We will continue to do whatever we can to ensure that this injustice is never repeated.”  

The federal judge who heard the Hammonds’ case, Michael Hogan, said in his ruling that a five-year prison sentence is “grossly disproportionate to the severity of [petitioners’] offenses.” He added that it does “not meet any idea I have of justice, proportionately” and “would shock the conscience to me.” Hogan also noted that the 1996 Anti-Terrorism & Effective Death Penalty Act was never meant to apply to ranchers simply trying to protect their land.

We agree.

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* Note to Editors: “Farm Bureau” is a registered trademark; please capitalize in all cases

Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit, general farm organization representing the interests of farming and ranching families in the public and policymaking arenas. First established in Oregon in 1919, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties and has nearly 7,000 farm and ranch family members.

Oregon Farm Bureau President Barry Bushue is a third-generation farmer raising pumpkins, u-pick produce, and flowering baskets at a nearly century-old farm near Boring. He is OFB’s 15th president.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 10, 2018, SALEM, OREGON: Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) thanks the president, Congressman Walden, and all of those who worked to end the injustice done to Steven and Dwight Hammond by granting them clemency. While nobody can restore what they’ve lost to this prosecutorial overreach and bureaucratic vendetta, we are happy that this awful chapter will be coming to a close soon.

OFB has publicly advocated for the Hammonds, including gathering over 25,000 online signatures, and also supported clemency through officials in Oregon and Washington, D.C.

OFB President Barry Bushue said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Steven and Dwight as they get back to the people and the land they love. We will continue to do whatever we can to ensure that this injustice is never repeated.”  

The federal judge who heard the Hammonds’ case, Michael Hogan, said in his ruling that a five-year prison sentence is “grossly disproportionate to the severity of [petitioners’] offenses.” He added that it does “not meet any idea I have of justice, proportionately” and “would shock the conscious to me.” Hogan also noted that the 1996 Anti-Terrorism & Effective Death Penalty Act was never meant to apply to ranchers simply trying to protect their land.

We agree.

[See statement online: http://bit.ly/2tRQaG5] 

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* Note to Editors: “Farm Bureau” is a registered trademark; please capitalize in all cases

Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit, general farm organization representing the interests of farming and ranching families in the public and policymaking arenas. First established in Oregon in 1919, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties and has nearly 7,000 farm and ranch family members.

Oregon Farm Bureau President Barry Bushue is a third-generation farmer raising pumpkins, u-pick produce, and flowering baskets at a nearly century-old farm near Boring. He is OFB’s 15th president.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Use a smartphone to easily find farm stands, u-pick fields, on-farm festivals with Oregon’s Bounty at www.oregonfb.org. 

Cherries, peaches, berries, tomatoes, and lavender are just a sampling of summer’s agricultural bounty that Oregonians eagerly await all year. If you want to venture out into the beautiful countryside to buy seasonal food directly from a farmer, where do you go?

“Everyone knows where their local farmers market is. But what about roadside farm stands, u-pick fields, and on-farm events out in rural areas? That’s where Oregon’s Bounty comes in,” said Anne Marie Moss, Oregon Farm Bureau communications director.

Oregon’s Bounty at www.oregonfb.org is a searchable directory of nearly 300 family farms and ranches that sell food and foliage directly to the public.

Smartphone-friendly, the Oregon’s Bounty website allows visitors to search for specific agriculture products — like eggs, honey, corn, or cucumbers — and/or search for farms within a region of the state, such as Portland Metro, the Gorge, or the Willamette Valley. Visitors can also do a search for “u-pick” or “events” for those activities.

“Oregonians love farm-fresh food. Thanks to the diversity of Oregon agriculture, we can buy an enormous variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, nuts, flowers, and foliage directly from the families who grew it,” said Moss.

“Each of the farms listed in Oregon’s Bounty are owned and operated by Farm Bureau members, who are proud of what they’ve raised and are happy to answer questions about what they do,” said Moss. “Summer is an ideal time to take a trip into the scenic countryside, meet a few of these family farmers, and experience Oregon agriculture firsthand.”

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* Note to Editors: “Farm Bureau” is a registered trademark; please capitalize in all cases.

The state’s largest general farm organization, Oregon Farm Bureau is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing the interests of the state's farmers and ranchers in the public and policymaking arenas.

First established in Oregon at the county level in 1919 and the state level in 1932, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties and has nearly 7,000 member families professionally engaged in agriculture. OFB’s 15th President, Barry Bushue, is a third-generation farmer raising a variety of vegetables, berries, and pumpkins at a nearly century-old farm near Boring.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oregon Farm Bureau offers video, brochure on how to share the road safely with farm equipment

July 3, 2018, SALEM, OREGON: For many Oregon farmers, July 4 signifies the busiest time of year. Harvest of major crops like grass seed, berries, clover, and wheat is in full swing, and it’s not unusual for a farmer to spend 15-hour days working in the field.

Summer harvest also means that sometimes farmers must drive their equipment, such as tractors, swathers, combines, and trucks, out on public roads to move between fields.  

Driving a slow-moving tractor on a highway is legal and often a necessary part of harvest — but it can pose a safety risk without caution, courtesy, and patience.

To help keep both motorists and farmers safe, the Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) Health & Safety Committee offers a new one-minute video and a free brochure with important tips on how to share the road safely with farm equipment.

• See the video on OFB’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ofbinfo
• See the video on OFB’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/OregonFarmBureau
• See the OFB brochure: https://oregonfb.org/safety/
   

“We’re reminding drivers to slow down, be patient, and use caution when encountering a tractor on the road,” said Anne Rigor of Benton County Farm Bureau.

“It’s heartbreaking to hear about injuries or deaths involving tractors that could’ve been avoided if drivers had simply slowed down, or farmers had taken a few simple steps,” said Rigor.

Farmers do their best to avoid moving equipment during high-traffic times, but during peak harvest, when the fruit is ripe or the hay is at the optimum level of dryness, they have no choice.

Most farm equipment is designed to travel at speeds of no more than 25 miles per hour (mph), and must display a reflective, triangular, orange-and-red, slow-moving-vehicle sign if going out on public roads.

It can be surprising just how slow 25 mph is on the highway. A tractor that looks far on the horizon can be directly in front of a fast-moving car within seconds.

“If you’re driving 55 mph on a highway and come upon a tractor that’s moving at only 25 mph, it can take only 8 seconds to close a gap the length of a football field. You’ll be right behind that heavy piece of equipment very quickly,” said Rigor.

In 2015, there were 54 traffic accidents involving farm equipment, resulting in 30 serious injuries and one death, according to the Oregon Dept. of Transportation. In 2014, there were 40 accidents with 34 injuries and three deaths.

The OFB Health & Safety Committee is also working with County Farm Bureaus throughout the Willamette Valley on a series of radio ads promoting rural road safety, which will air during summer harvest.

Safety tips for motorists include:

• If you decide to pass farm equipment on the road, please do so with caution.
• Be watchful of vehicles behind you that may also try to pass.
• If you must enter the oncoming lane of traffic, do not proceed unless you can see clearly ahead of both your vehicle and the vehicle you will pass.
• If there are any curves or hills ahead that may block your view or the view of oncoming vehicles, do not pass.
• Do not pass if you are in a designated “No Passing Zone” or within 100 feet of any intersection, railroad grade crossing, bridge, elevation structure, or tunnel.
• Do not assume that a farm vehicle that pulls to the right side of the road is going to turn right or is letting you pass. Due to the size of some farm implements, the farmer must make wide left-hand turns. If you are unsure, check the operator’s hand signals and look at the left side of the road for gates, driveways, or a place the vehicle might turn.

Safety tips for farmers include:

• Oregon law requires a slow-moving vehicle reflector on any machine that travels the road slower than 25 mph. Always point the triangle up, keep the SMV emblem clean to maximize reflectivity, and replace the emblem when it fades, normally every two to three years.
• Mark the edges of tractors and machines with reflective tape and reflectors. Consider installing retrofit lighting on older machinery to increase visibility.
• Turn on your lights, but turn off rear spotlights when going onto the road. From a distance spotlights can be mistaken for headlights.
• Be aware of heavy traffic patterns.
• Consider installing mirrors on equipment so you can see motorists around you. Be careful where the mirrors are placed.
• When moving multiple farm implements down the highway, leave enough space between each vehicle for cars to pass.

Request free copies of the OFB Rural Road Safety Brochure by contacting ie@oregonfb.org">annemarie@oregonfb.org or 503.399.1701.

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* Note to Editors: “Farm Bureau” is a registered trademark; please capitalize in all cases

Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit, general farm organization representing the interests of farming and ranching families in the public and policymaking arenas. First established at the county level in 1919 and the state level in 1932, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties and has nearly 7,000 farm and ranch family members.

Oregon Farm Bureau President Barry Bushue is a third-generation farmer raising pumpkins, u-pick produce, and flowering baskets at a nearly century-old farm near Boring. He is OFB’s 15th president.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2018
Contact: Marie Schmidt, Yamhill County Farm Bureau, 503-472-9123

This year the Yamhill County Farm Bureau will award two $2,000 college scholarships to full-time students who have completed at least one year of college study directed towards a degree in a field related to agriculture, as well as earned a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA during their time in college.

The applicants are not required to be Farm Bureau members, but must have graduated from a Yamhill County high school or come from a family that lived in Yamhill County during their senior year of high school.

All application materials, which include an official transcript and two references, must be received by August 1, 2018.

Scholarship application can also be downloaded at https://oregonfb.org/scholarships/.

For additional information, please leave a message at the Yamhill County Farm Bureau office at 503-472-9123.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2018

The Umatilla-Morrow County Farm Bureau Scholarship Committee recently awarded scholarships totaling $1,000 to three deserving 2018 high school graduates. The three award winners were selected from a field of 16 excellent candidates.

The award winners are:

Holly Espinoza:  $500 award;  a graduate of Hermiston High School. Holly is the daughter of Joe & Roberta Espinoza of Hermiston.  Holly will be attending Eastern Oregon University where she will major in Nursing.

Christopher Lee Weinke: $250 award;  a graduate of Pilot Rock High School. Christopher is the son of Michael & Nancy Weinke of Pilot Rock. Christopher will attend Treasure Valley Community College and major in Animal Science and Horse Production.

Coby Mac Dougherty: $250 award; a graduate of Heppner High School. Coby is the son of Clifford & Dawna Dougherty of Heppner. Coby will be attending Blue Mountain Community College where he will study Precision Agriculture and Aerial Spraying.

Umatilla-Morrow County Farm Bureau is pleased to be able to offer scholarships to local youth.

For more information contact: Julia Spratling, Secretary/Treasurer, Umatilla-Morrow County Farm Bureau, Phone/Fax 541-457-6045.

UMATILLA-MORROW COUNTY FARM BUREAU
815 SW COURT STREET
PENDLETON, OREGON  97801

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