ODA Board Delivers State of Industry Report

The Oregon State Board of Agriculture issued their annual look at the strengths and challenges for the state’s agriculture industry this week.

Chair Pete Brentano said the report helps lawmakers get a better picture of their district.

“It’s an opportunity for us to show the value of agriculture in Oregon and to separate it out by section, by area of the state, by district for the legislators.”

The report focuses on five key areas; food safety, market access and certification programs, co-existence, water quality and quantity, as well as labor.

Brentano said it’s common to find legislators who don’t understand what ag goes through on a daily basis.

“As an industry, we get a chance to tell them what our issues are, why they are important to us, why we need to continue to have access to certain things, or why it would be bad if new taxes or new things come up that are going to adversely affect us.”

Brentano hopes the document becomes the go-to publication for legislators when looking at ag issues.