State officials are expecting a severe outbreak of grasshoppers like these, as well as Mormon crickets a type of katydid that can devastate range plants. (Oregon Department of Agriculture photo) Agriculture officials and eastern Oregon landowners are gearing up for another big grasshopper infestation this year, but there’s a new[Read More…]

Dairy cows move along a fence line on an Oregon farm. (Enterprise file photo/OSU Extension Service) Local residents can learn more about plans for a large dairy outside of Vale and give their opinions during a state hearing this Friday, Oct. 29. The former Recla Dairy about six miles west[Read More…]

A hemp field east of Vale. (The Enterprise/file) VALE – Hemp is a relatively new crop in Malheur County, and while it promises lucrative returns for cultivators and CBD producers, a formidable learning curve faces anyone who hopes to grow it successfully. Stuart Reitz, Malheur County extension agent, said that[Read More…]

Harvest season is in full swing in Malheur County. (The Enterprise/Pat Caldwell) Malheur County has seen a steady but low rate of injuries in agriculture in recent years, according to state data. Farm safety has come into sharp focus locally following two recent deaths. Last year in Malheur County, around[Read More…]

(The Enterprise/File Photo) VALE – Drought isn’t going to be a problem for area farmers and ranchers this year. That’s because Mother Nature delivered ample snowfall and rain to the region to stymie concerns about a short water year. Mother Nature, though, waited until the last minute.  In November 2018,[Read More…]

The snow level is down low which is good news for area agriculture producers in terms of water supplies for the upcoming planting and harvest season. (The Enterprise/Pat Caldwell). VALE – Mother Nature arrived late this winter and made up for lost time as a series of storms boosted snowpack[Read More…]

New legislation passed by Congress Thursday will lift weight restrictions on beet trucks traveling from Oregon into Idaho. The new legislation is seen as an important win for the local beet industry. (The Enterprise/File). VALE – Major federal legislation signed by President Donald Trump Friday includes help for local beet[Read More…]

December proved to be a good month for snow pack which, in turn, could help fill reservoirs like the Owyhee before the planting and harvest season rolls around. (The Enterprise/File). VALE – Good news, bad news. That is the theme of the most recent water and snowpack report from the[Read More…]

Grant Kitamura, general manager and part owner of Baker & Murakami Produce Co. in Ontario was recently selected by Gov. Kate Brown to serve on the Oregon Board of Agriculture. (The Enterprise/Pat Caldwell). ONTARIO – Grant Kitamura isn’t comfortable talking about himself. The longtime Ontario resident and businessman would much[Read More…]

Workers at Snake River Produce in Nyssa sift through onions and remove debris last week. The local onion harvest is now in full swing and farmers and packers said it is going well. (The Enterprise/Pat Caldwell) NYSSA – The onion harvest is in full swing and it appears chaos can[Read More…]