Cattle are king in Oregon, Alaska Airlines and WSU and Team Up with the Timber Industry

Cattle are king in Oregon, plus Alaska Airlines and WSU and team up with the timber Industry. I’m Matt Rice with today’s Northwest Report in for Greg Martin who is on vacation.

 

For the first time in over 21 years, cattle ranked first among Oregon’s diverse agricultural commodities in terms of production value. Cattle and calves have regained the top spot with a record breaking year, overtaking greenhouse and nursery products. It was back in 1994 when greenhouse and nursery first replaced cattle as number one and held that position all these years. Oregon produces more than 220 different ag commodities with Cattle and calves leading the list at $922 million while the nursery industry was right behind at $830 million.

Soon you might fly with forest and I’m not talking “Gump” here’s aginfo’s Susan Allen.

 

Susan Allen: Matt the timber industry, and Alaska Airlines are currently working with WSU to create fuel out of logging leftovers. Basically branches and slash, that is typically burned when a forest is harvested. Plans are in work to get a plane in the air by next year that will fly on 1000 gallons of forest biofuel. It couldn’t be a better fit for the Alaska Airlines and it’s all part of a dynamic alliance of business’s called the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance that are committed to creating a supply chain within WA, OR , Id and Montana that uses our forest residual to create fuel. The global airline industry has been seeking an alternative jet fuel for years and I think it’s cool that our Northwest Forest and University could be the ones that bring this dream to fruitarian. Exciting story that we will continue to follow..