Farm Bill puts needed focus on Oregon agriculture
Oregon farmers, who often are treated as a side issue in policy discussions, need to be a focal point as they face multiple challenges
The Farm Bill does not generate the type of coffee-shop debate or Twitter rants that issues like immigration or homelessness do, but few things currently under consideration in Congress will affect Oregon as much.
Oregon agriculture directly and indirectly contributes 686,518 jobs, $29.71 billion in wages, $12.12 billion in taxes, and $2.85 billion in exports to the state, according to the 2022 annual statistical compilation from the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Those numbers tell the economic impact on the production side. On the consumer side of the equation, well, we all eat food, and we all know what direction food prices have been going.
There’s another reason to pay attention to the Farm Bill. Unlike immigration or homelessness, Congress has to do more than spout sound bites and cater to the party bases. They are required to pass a new Farm Bill every 5 years, and the next one has to be completed this year.
Despite all this, when it’s comes to public policy discussions in Oregon, agriculture often is treated as the little brother or sister. They are allowed in the room, but they are overshadowed by more revered family members and given a limited role in discussions even though they are affected by the decisions just as much as the other people in the room.
This dynamic is apparent in discussion of some of the biggest issues facing Oregon today.
Farmland gets brought into the housing discussion when proposals to expand the urban growth boundary are discussed. Yet, many of the voices supporting farmland in these discussions are either absent or on the other side during the debate on other agricultural issues, particularly labor issues that affect farmers’ ability to operate profitably.
Similarly, agriculture has to be in the discussion about water policy. But in this scenario the others in the room usually are trying to take something away from their sibling. I’m not suggesting agricultural interests should get all the water they want. But their concerns are legitimate and should be heard and accommodated to the extent possible.
Then there’s the discussion where agriculture is the most disadvantaged: climate policy. While few would deny that some aspects of farming have negative long-term effects on the climate, it’s equally undeniable that we cannot do without all these agricultural products. There should be more serious discussion about compromises and less all-or-nothing debate.
If there’s any discussion where agriculture gets a front-row seat, it’s international trade. But the geopolitical dimensions of international trade are shifting so dramatically that a front row seat might be a disadvantage. Read Gary Conkling’s column here for a discussion of how China tensions affect Oregon trade.
Oregon has two congresswomen on the House Agriculture Committee that is in the early stages of drafting the new Farm Bill. To their credit, both Rep. Lori Chavez- DeRemer, a first-term Republican, and Rep. Andrea Salinas, a first-term Democrat, have met with agriculture-related groups in Oregon for input.
To be sure, significant portions of the Farm Bill are only tangentially related to the production of agricultural products, with the bulk going to nutrition assistance and other money going to rural development programs, among other things.
But the bill still plays a large role in determining the direction of agriculture in the United States and it often has put Oregon at a disadvantage because attention (and government support) traditionally has gone to large crops such as wheat, corn and soybeans with relatively little attention to the smaller specialty crops at which Oregon excels.
Oregon leads the nation in the production of hazelnuts, grass seed, Christmas trees, and blueberries. It’s largest agricultural product, based on value, is greenhouse and nursery products. Oregon also has a lot of small farms. In fact, one-third of Oregon farms have fewer than 10 acres and these farms are increasing in number. Of concern, the number of mid-size farms with 50-499 acres are increasing. In fact, the only types of farms increasing in number of the very smallest and very largest (2,000 acres or more). More details are available in this Oregon State University report.
Many of these midsize farms are the ones growing specialty crops. Some of them are the ones protected by urban growth boundaries. Up to a point that’s a good thing, but many would benefit from the ability to sell small portions of acreage for housing or other uses. The midsize farms also are most vulnerable to geopolitical- and climate-driven price swings because they operate with smaller reserves and resources. And they are the farms that should be front of mind when Salinas and Chavez-DeRemer represent Oregon in Farm Bill negotiations and when Oregon legislators debate issues that affect agriculture.
Mark Hester is a retired journalist who worked for 20 years at The Oregonian in positions including, business editor, sports editor and editorial writer.