Washington Farm Hall, Simplot Fine & Crabbing Closed
Washington Farm Hall, Simplot Fine & Crabbing Closed. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.
Washington Senators Judy Warnick and Sharon Brown are holding a Farm Hall today in Richland. The two will be joined by panelists for a discussion of today's most pressing issues for the farming and agricultural communities. The event begins at noon at the The Reach Museum in Richland. Contact Senator Browns office to RSVP.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are maintaining the closure of all bay and ocean crabbing from Heceta Head, north of Florence on the Oregon Coast, to the California border due to continued concerns of domoic acid. Lab results show the acid levels are actually below action levels the closure has been made out of caution. Recreational crab harvesting from Heceta Head north to the Oregon/Washington border remains open, including all bays, estuaries, and the ocean. It is recommended that crab always be eviscerated prior to cooking, which includes removal and discard of the internal organs and gills.
Idaho's J.R. Simplot has agreed to pay a $900,000 fine and spend about $42 million on pollution controls in three states. The EPA and the Department of Justice announced the agreement last week and said the settlement will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions at the plants by more than 50 percent. The EPA says short-term sulfur dioxide emissions can cause serious respiratory problems and worsen asthma.
That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.
