9-29 NWR Katy Coba leaving

This is your Northwest Report for Thursday, September 29th, I'm David Sparks and the longest serving director in the history of the Oregon Department of Agriculture is moving on, but not before she reflects on her 13 and a half years leading the state agency: Katy Coba is moving on from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, but not without some notable accomplishments for the agency and many special moments:

 COBA: "I've had a chance to help and promote the industry, to help the industry deal with some of its challenging issues, and to represent Oregon agriculture. I can go on and on. It's been very special and an incredible opportunity, and certainly the highlight of my career."

 Coba started her ODA career in 1989, becoming director in 2003. She's seen a lot of changes within the agency and within the industry:

 COBA: "Agriculture industry issues are more complex now than they were back in 1989. So we have got to, as an agency, think differently about how we come together and work on those issues."

In other news, TPP supporters are pushing the White House to address concerns; Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack encourages businesses to counter protectionism; child nutrition stuck; government shutdown looms; biodiesel gets a boost; farm credit and food waste efforts discussed.

Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined 94 colleagues in urging House leadership to secure full funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. In a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Simpson and others urged the federal government to fulfill its responsibility to counties with tax-exempt federal land by fully funding both programs.