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Sustainable Farm Project Resolves Columbia River Flap by Todd Murphy, Reuters Environmental News Network - December 22, 2000

Environmentalists and a large farm operator in northeastern Oregon have resolved a bitter conflict over the use of Columbia River water by collaborating on a landmark sustainable farm project.

The 40,000-acre sustainable farm, designed to conserve water, produce minimal pollution and supply methane gas from the animals to produce electricity, will be among the largest in the country, the parties said.

Representatives from the farm operator and environmental groups and Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber announced the agreement at a press conference Thursday.

The farm will include a large dairy operation that will not export any animal waste products from the premises — 90,000 acres of state-owned land nestled along the Columbia River near the town of Boardman, Oregon.

When earlier lease-holders several years ago announced plans to significantly expand their farming operation — drawing much more water from the nearby Columbia River for irrigation — conservationists raised concerns about the potential impact on the river, on endangered salmon that the river helps sustain and on other aspects of the environment.

"The Columbia River — when you look at it, it doesn't seem to be, but it's fragile," said Karen Russell, senior staff attorney for WaterWatch, one of the conservation groups that was concerned about the expansion. "In our view, it is suffering the death of a thousand cuts."

Environmental groups had sued to stop earlier plans. But when a new farming company, R.D. Offutt Co., became a major leaseholder last year, representatives from both sides started working on the sustainable farming project.

The settlement, which the environmental groups applauded, will limit the amount of water taken from a Columbia River tributary to about a third of what was originally contemplated.

It calls for farm operators to contribute $1.25 million to pay for acquisition of water rights to increase water flows in the Columbia River Basin. And it creates a 23,000-acre conservation area near the farm.

Meanwhile, the farm will produce annually enough potatoes to supply seven million people. Its three dairy operations will produce 152,000 gallons of milk each day and supply milk to a nearby Tillamook Creamery processing facility.

And animal wastes will be used to supply methane gas to a nearby power generator and produce about six megawatts of "green power," according to Wayne Downey, operations manager for R.D. Offutt.

The farming operation will provide about 270 year-round jobs with a payroll of about $15 million, Downey said.

"I'm excited about it," Downey said of the sustainable farm plans. "I've been employed on this farm for 13 years ... and it's very exciting to see this become a model for the rest of the country."