What was once the second largest dairy in the state of Oregon has officially been sold. Lost Valley Farm, originally owned by Greg te Velde, has been purchased by the lone bidder, Canyon Farm LLC, for a hefty price tag of $66.7 million. Previously a 13,000-cow operation, the farm’s appointed trustee, Randy Sugarman, has auctioned off the last 8,360 animals and will close on the property March 1. Now all that’s left is to clean up the 30 million gallons of manure and wastewater remaining on the property just outside of Boardman, according to a Statesman Journal article.The decision to sell the farm comes after te Velde originally placed Lost Valley up for sale last year when he faced losing his waste management permit. The previous owner received numerous notices from the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) for improper waste management practices and was also cited for endangering nearby drinking wells and groundwater. More >>
