Jackson County Farm Bureau briefs
There are some very interesting things happening around the state and country. The Jackson County Farm Bureau has gone on record supporting Genetically Modified Seeds (GMO) following a news story that an Ashland man wanted to petition Jackson county commissioners to the contrary. FB president Ron Bjork said his board voted unanimously to support the use of (GMO) seeds and said they would lobby the commissioners not to create such a rule within the county.
Bjork said that it is tough enough to grow food enough to feed the country and world without seed that is resistant to many of the pests and diseases common to many non-GMO plants. He said that continuing to grow enough product to feed the country is only possible with GMO-treated seeds.
The Farm Bureau also is circulating a petition that would eliminate the “Death Tax” within the state. If the initiative petition is successful, it would phase out the tax over a period of four years, reducing the amount payable by 25 percent in each of the years beginning in 2013. Farm Bureau members are circulating petitions to get the issue on the ballot. Eliminating the tax would remove the burden only from the state of Oregon, not the federal burden.
In some startling news, the Supreme Court has settled the dispute over the ownership of stream banks. The court ruled that landowners, not the government are the rightful owners. The decision reversed the ruling of the Montana Supreme Court ruling that gave the state title to riverbeds long believed to be held by private property owners. This is news that should have some interesting impacts on land ownership in southern Oregon.
The Jackson county Farm Board met with State Senator Bruce Starr, candidate for Oregon’s Labor Commissioner. Starr said he is sensitive to issues shared by farm members because he grew up on a farm.
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