Oregon's second largest dairy wins state OK, still needs water rights

The development of what would be Oregon's second-largest dairy received approval from state agencies, despite an unprecedented amount of controversy and public concern about effects on business and the environment. The Oregon Department of Agriculture issued a permit with more stringent groundwater monitoring requirements than ever before, but environmental and small-farm advocacy groups say that the requirements don't go far enough to protect the environment. Lost Valley Ranch will eventually house 30,000 cows, grow crops to feed them and process a huge amount of manure on 7,288 acres where an iconic poplar tree farm currently sits near Boardman. The ranch's owner bought the land in January 2016 from GreenWood Resources for $65 million. Lost Valley Ranch is planned to be second in size to Threemile Canyon Farms, which has 70,000 animals on land about 30 minutes away.