House Passes Bill & Gypsy Moth Spraying

Looks like it may just come in time. The Country-of-Origin Labeling law that Canada and Mexico have been up in arms about may get a reprieve as Congress has been busy working on that omnibus spending bill. Congressman Dan Newhouse says the House passed theirs.

NEWHOUSE: The omnibus bill will repeal harmful labeling requirements on American meat. It repeals mandatory Country of Origin which I thought was very important because that will pre-empt upwards of a billion dollars in retaliatory tariffs.

The Asian gypsy moth will be getting some attention in the Portland area come spring. The Oregon Department of Ag plans to spray over 8,000 acres with a biological pesticide to prevent the establishment of the pest. The eradication will take place in April. A spraying will also be done in southwest Washington State as the moth was also found on the Washington side of the Columbia River. The Asian gypsy moth is more of a danger to agriculture and the environment than the European gypsy moth. The cost in Oregon will be about $2.5 million while the bill for Washington will be closer to $3 million.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.