BOARDMAN â Plans to revive Oregonâs second-largest dairy remain unchanged, despite the new owners â a prominent farm family based in Southeast Washington â facing allegations of fraud by Tyson Foods.
Easterday Farms purchased the dairy, formerly Lost Valley Farm, in 2019. The family registered a new business in Oregon, called Easterday Dairy LLC, which is now seeking state approval to reopen the dairy in rural Morrow County with up to 28,300 total cattle.
But Oregon regulators say they are proceeding with caution and watching closely amid an unfolding scandal involving Easterday Ranches, the livestock arm of the familyâs multi-pronged agricultural operation.
Easterday Ranches supplies cattle for a beef plant run by Tyson Fresh Meats near Pasco, Washington. In January, Tyson sued Easterday Ranches for $225 million, accusing the ranch of faking invoices and charging the company for more than 200,000 cattle that, in fact, did not exist.