Do you really wonder why Eastern Oregon wants to join with Idaho?

Here’s a big hint. House Bill 4002 has to be one of the most “irresponsible” regulations passed. Why not just pass a law that all farmers should sign their property over to the liberal West side? I have farmed in Washington and then starting in 1991 for several years in Oregon. Under this foolish law, how could I possibly stay in business?

If I have 600 or 6,000 acres of wheat to be harvested, my crew and I would work 12 hours a day until the crop was safely in storage. I personally always paid over minimum wage and gave a bonus for finishing the harvest. Let’s stop and look at an example: Seven days at 12 hour days comes to 84 hours. The first 40 hours would come to $600. The next 44 hours at $22.50 (time and half) would add $990 for a total $1,650 a week. The reality of weather fluctuations required me to get the harvest completed in a timely way. Farmers don’t set the selling price of their wheat. The going rate is set by world demand.

Just stop and think of me going to a grain dealer and saying I need an additional $5 a bushel just to make ends meet. The reason is my wonderful state of Oregon has more than doubled my expenses by micro-managing how I personally operate my farm. I would receive nothing but laughter.

Kenneth Parsons

La Grande