The Oregon Department of Agriculture opened 2,500 acres in the Willamette Valley to canola production.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture opened 2,500 acres in the Willamette Valley to canola production.
The Feb. 7 ruling opens significant Willamette Valley acreage to non-experimental canola production for the first time in eight years. In 2005 the state adopted canola-production prohibitions to protect the valley’s $50 million specialty seed industry from increased insect, disease and weed pressure that the industry associated with widespread canola production.
In the new rule, ODA Director Katy Coba said the department sought to keep protections in place for the specialty seed industry, but allow some canola production for farmers hoping to produce canola in rotation with grass seed, wheat and other crops.
Read more at Capital Press.
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