Ron Wyden

So far, more than one million acres have burned across Oregon, and it’s not even September.  U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said he gets regular updates from fire managers.   “They use terms like ‘this is a war.’," the Oregon democrat said.  "...

On Tuesday, Oregon senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urged the Department of the Interior to support Governor Tina Kotek’s request for emergency authorizations to allow flexibility in grazing schedules.  Kotek’s request would also use alternative grazing areas in response to the current wildfire disaster in Oregon.     “The grazi...

We celebrate lots of "National Days" across the U.S. but one that should be important to all of us is National Farmer's Day.

Wildfires took center stage during a Senate Budget Committee hearing in Washington D.C. Wednesday.  Oregon’s senior Senator stressed that more must be done on the federal level to prevent wildfires and improve the workforce tasked with battle these blazes when they start.   “These...

As we prepare to “spring forward” this weekend, a bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate looks to stop the twice-yearly time change.  Oregon’s Ron Wyden recently reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act, which would keep Daylight Saving Time year-round.  But fellow Oregon Democra...

Four western senators introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires across the region.  The Wildfire Emergency Act, introduced by Oregon’s Ron Wyden, California senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla as well as Montana’s Steve Daines would allow the Forest Service to leverage private financing to accelerate forest restoration projects and create a program

Oregon projects aimed at increasing water efficiency will receive $198,668 in federal funding.  The grants, announced last week by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, will help the Arnold Irrigation District in Bend, the Van Brimmer Ditch Company in Klamath Falls, and the West Extension Irrigation District in Morrow County.   “Reli...

Oregon senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkely as well as Washington’s Patty Murray joined 11 others this week sending a letter to the USDA about the western Drought and conservation priorities.  The lawmakers are asking the agency to give parity to the urgent priorities of Western growers and communities through existing authorities, new funding, and collaboration across government.     “The... Read Mor

The National Milk Producers Federation sent a letter to lawmakers, including Oregon's Ron Wyden, asking for support of domestic infant formula production as the shortfalls that emptied store shelves of formula have eased.  NMPF said given the improving situation, tariff waivers that could discourage the production of a safe, secure domestic infant formula supply should be allowed to expire at the

Earlier this week, Oregon senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkely announced that Oregon State University will receive more than $180,000 in federal funds to help hops growers.  The funding will be used to research and develop management strategies for the fusarium canker fungus killing hops in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.   “...