Agriculture & Forestry

"Jim is committed to supporting Oregon agriculture and helping farmers stay on their land."
— Manton Carl, Hubbard farmer

Jim has owned and operated his successful nursery business for over 26 years, plus he has an 11 acre fruit orchard in Molalla and a 62 acre woodlot in Hood River. As a member of the Oregon Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Farm Bureau, Jim understands the problems and concerns of farmers and nursery owners in Oregon.

"Agriculture and forestry are large and important parts of Oregon's economy. My goal is to keep these industries vibrant and healthy and to keep farmers on their land."

Jim will work to find new markets for our farm commodities and nursery stock. He will also help create jobs by encouraging the development of new value-added products.

Jim is also a strong advocate of sustainable forestry and wise land-use planning. He will work to improve Oregon's pioneering land use laws, making sure they are fair for everyone and continue to protect our farms, forests, nurseries, and vineyards.

"One need only go to Washington or California to see how uncontrolled urban sprawl has taken thousands of acres of fertile farmland out of production."

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Jim will work to get relief for farmers from the cost of the annually increasing minimum wage, one of the biggest threats to the viability of our labor-intensive farming and nursery industries. The large majority of Oregon's farm products and nursery stock is shipped out of state and, with the second highest minimum wage in the U.S., farmers and nurseries are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with farm products from other states and countries.

Jim is a strong proponent of the production and use of bio-fuels—Bio-diesel and ethanol. Simply vegetable oil, Bio-diesel is used in either its pure state or added to petro diesel. Bio-diesel reduces particulate emissions, carbon monoxide, and ozone. Compared to petro-diesel, it also produces less carbon dioxide, the chief contributor to global warming.

"We use bio-diesel in our tractors and like its clean burning and non-toxic qualities. Plus we can grow it in the USA, helping farmers and reducing our dependence on foreign oil."

For more information on sources of Bio-diesel and how you can use this valuable fuel, go to www.biodiesel.org or contact Jim's campaign.