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Agriculture is a chief contributor to the Oregon economy
and continues to be a way of life for many of the state's residents.
The industry's diversity continues to be part of its
strength. While some commodities have suffered from a drop in production
value, others have remained strong. The overall result has been a slow
but steady growth for Oregon agriculture. Only twice in the past 16
years has the value of agriculture production in the state dropped from
the previous year.
The numbers help tell the story:
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$3.5 billion - the value of Oregon's agricultural
production
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$3.2 billion - To grow their crops and raise
their livestock, Oregon producers purchase more than $3.2 billion of
inputs, including seed, feed, supplies and services from local companies
- a significant contribution to the vitality of rural and urban
businesses throughout the state.
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$2 billion - As commodities move from farm to
consumer, another $2 billion in value is added through processing.
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10% - Nearly 10% of Oregon's economy is related
to agriculture when you add in transportation, marketing, warehousing
and storage, and related services.
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140,000 jobs - Approximately 1 in 12 Oregon jobs
(140,000) are tied to the industry, with about 60,000 of these located
on farms.
Products of Oregon make their way throughout the world.
Roughly 80 percent of Oregon's agriculture production goes out of the
state, with half of it marketed overseas. This means jobs and dollars
for not only rural communities, but urban centers as well. More than 60
percent of the volume of exports through the Port of Portland are
agricultural products.
Oregon joins other U.S. farmers as some of the most
efficient in the world. Each grower produces enough food for 130 people,
allowing more than 98% of the population to do something other than
worrying about where their next meal will come from. Modern farming
techniques allow more production on less land, enabling environmentally
sensitive areas and wildlife habitat to be set aside. If production
capacity were at 1950 levels, it would require 1/3 more land than is
under cultivation today to obtain the same amount of harvest.
With more than 250 commodities grown in the state,
ranging from azaleas to wheat, Oregon's agricultural base is
tremendously diversified.
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