Azure Standard Update, May 18 -- Sherman County Won't Spray Chemicals on Organic Farm
May 18, 2017 | MORO, Ore. -- A fight pitting organic against commercial farms in the Columbia River Gorge is gaining national attention.
At the center of the fight is Azure Standard, a 2,000-acre wheat farm in Moro. CEO David Stelzer, posted a now-viral message on Azure’s Facebook page saying Sherman County officials would spray Azure Standard with chemicals. A move he said would kill the farm’s certified organic status.
"It’s important that we're not poisoning our soils and certainly that we give people the choice," said Stelzer. "Because of our organic status, a certain amount of weeds end up going to seed or growing in our fields because we don't use toxic herbicides to kill them."
Neighbors said the problem with that was those weeds have been traveling to their property.
"It's gotten out of hand," said neighboring farmer Bryan Cranston.
Cranston said he’s been patient as multiple noxious weeds have come onto his property from Azure. Now, he said, the weeds are threatening his livelihood.
"I grow certified seed wheat and if it keeps going like it is, I'm going to lose my certification for my seed wheat."