Weather delays fruit crop
Unseasonably cold weather in early June has pushed back harvest for much of Oregon’s valuable fruit crop. The delay means local fruit will be in markets later than anticipated. more >
Ag prices climb
Farmers have reaped some benefit from costlier global commodities. In 2007, the index of Oregon prices received by farmers for all products grew 12% over 2006 and 27% over 2003. more >
Oregon acreage turns to grapes
More and more acreage around the state is converting to vineyards, and it’s changing the face of agriculture, land values and the environment. more >
Demand and the dollar help spike wheat prices
After a rough 12-year slog with more drought than profit, Oregon wheat growers are finally back in the black, thanks to record wheat prices that are not expected to drop any time soon. more >
Q&A with wine pioneer Susan Sokol Blosser
EARLY THIS YEAR, Susan Sokol Blosser announced she was turning over control of Sokol Blosser Winery, the Willamette Valley establishment she founded and has helmed since 1991, to her children. more >
Next: Building a better broccoli...
The desirability of a long neck is well established: swans, Audrey Hepburn, bottled beer. Now along comes the humble, nutritious broccoli with the same ambition. more >
Start me up They're young, they’re creative and we’re guessing you’ve never heard of them. Meet some of the coolest startups running around Silicon Forest today. MORE >
Economist Tim Duy uses the "R" word Is Oregon in recession? I have been startled by the unwillingness of many to accept the obvious fact that the Oregon economy has shifted gears markedly.
Munich on the Willamette Gunther Hoffmann knows at least one reason why German tourists are expected to flock to Oregon this summer: “Germans are entranced with the West and Indians,” says Hoffmann, head of the German Consulate in Portland.
Governor hopes to fund water initiative with new lottery money Gov. Ted Kulongoski plans to ask voters to approve lottery money for his Headwaters to Ocean (H2O) initiative, which would fund water supply and quality needs, support related state agencies and set strategy for long-term management of water. Oregon is one of only two Western states without a comprehensive water plan.
Q&A with Bob of Bob's Red Mill RISING PRICES and lackluster consumer spending isn’t bad for all businesses. Take food for example. After all, you’ve got to eat, right?
Feds release LNG impact report In a move that exemplifies the growing rift both within and without Oregon state government over liquefied natural gas terminals, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in June gave an environmental endorsement to a proposed project on the Columbia River.
Sales decline prompts Mt. Bachelor shakeup As the final days of last winter’s ski season wound to a close, Powdr Corp. — which runs the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort — took the dramatic step of firing the majority of the resort’s top management.
Tactics: LaCrosse Footwear gets some traction hen Joseph Schneider was promoted to CEO of LaCrosse Footwear in August 2000, the shoe industry had changed, but LaCrosse, founded in Wisconsin in 1897 as a maker of rubber horseshoes, had not.
Next: an electronic shoe Need to get a grip or gain a little traction? Maybe your shoes can help.
Boosting sales in a down economy FOR SMALL BUSINESSES without large cash reserves, economic downturns can be especially tough. To stay afloat, you need to keep the cash register ringing even when customers are cutting back — and that means thinking outside the box.
Powering down at the office COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS account for 40% of the energy used in the U.S., and with energy costs on the rise, that’s a huge burden for business.
