Bob Hale, hard-charging visionary of Oregon agriculture, dies at 69

ECHO — As a friend, mentor and farmer, Bob Hale had an indelible impact on Columbia Basin agriculture.

He was there for the good times, as irrigation transformed the region in Northeastern Oregon from scrubby desert into an oasis of high-value farmland. And he was there for the difficult times, as water cutbacks forced growers to think about how they can be more sustainable.