A panel discussion involving industry organizations and visits with Oregon legislators highlight the upcoming quarterly meeting of the State Board of Agriculture in Salem February 16-17. New Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor will be attending her first board meeting. On day one of the two-day meeting, the 10-member board will participate in a round table discussion of key issues with agriculture industry representatives with a focus on legislative developments. The board will also receive an update on ODA’s legislative issues, including the agency’s budget. In addition, the board will receive information about a recently completed Secretary of State audit on ODA’s Food Safety Program. Day one concludes with board members meeting with individual legislators at the Capitol to discuss priority issues concerning agriculture. A public comment period is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on day one of the meeting. On day two, board members will receive an update on ODA’s Japanese beetle eradication project proposed for residential northwest Portland in Washington County. There will also be a status report given on the state’s Clean Water Partnership Program, an overview of this winter’s weather impact to the Treasure Valley agricultural community, a presentation of the recently-completed local foods survey by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and a round table discussion with ODA’s five program area directors. The full board meeting will be preceded on February 15 by a work session to review past board resolutions. The full board meeting begins 8:30 a.m., Thursday, February 16 in the Agriculture Building’s Hearing Room (located in the basement), 635 Capitol St. NE, in Salem and will resume 8:30 a.m., Friday, February 17. The meeting is open to the public. A copy of the meeting agenda is available on the Board of Agriculture web page at http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/AboutUs/Pages/BoardAgriculture.aspx>.
