AUGUST 2007: DISPATCHES
STATEWIDE — The signing of a two-year agreement between
Taiwan and U.S. Wheat Associates is good news for Oregon wheat
growers. The Taiwan Flour Millers Association agreed to
purchase wheat worth $17.4 million in 2008 and 2009 from Oregon
growers, launching a wheat purchasing relationship that’s
expected to continue beyond the initial two years, according to
Tana Simpson, administrator at the Oregon Wheat Commission.
Oregon chiefly produces soft white wheat, which is grown in
seven counties in north central and northeast Oregon and is an
ingredient used in noodles and steamed buns in Taiwan. Taiwan
relies completely on imports for its wheat and purchased
150,000 metric tons from Oregon last year, according to the
U.S. Wheat Associates.
STATEWIDE — A new law has payday loan operations across
Oregon shutting their doors, including 26 locations of The Cash
Store and 21 locations of Check ‘n Go. The Predatory
Lending Cap, which became law on July 1, mandates a 36% cap on
interest rates and lengthens loan periods from two weeks to 31
days. The cap was part of a package of bills passed in
succession in mid- to late June to protect consumers by
regulating short-term finance services, an industry that has
seen rapid growth in recent years and that critics claim preys
on lower-income customers.
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