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 20-22. The full board meeting begins late afternoon on February 20 with a presentation on water quantity issues from the Oregon Water Resources Department, with a focus on Columbia River water reservations and Oregon minimum stream flows. The 10-member board will then break into subcommittees on natural resources, land use, and government relations. On day two of the three-day meeting, the 10-member board will participate in a round table discussion of key legislative issues with agriculture industry representatives. The board will also receive an update on the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s legislative issues, including the agency’s budget, as well as reports on ODA’s Plant Protection and Conservation Program, and Marketing and Certification Program. Oregon’s State FFA officers will be on hand to speak about their program with board members prior to lunch. Day two concludes with board members meeting with individual legislators at the Capitol to discuss priority issues concerning agriculture. On day three, board members will receive an update from Oregon OSHA on the Worker Protection Standard and a presentation of a land use study conducted by Portland State University. The board will conclude its meeting by reviewing resolutions and providing subcommittee reports. Public comment periods are scheduled for 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday, February 21 and 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, February 22. The full board meeting begins 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 20 in the Agriculture Building’s Hearing Room (located in the basement), 635 Capitol St. NE, in Salem and will resume 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 21 and 8:30 a.m., Thursday, February 22. The meeting is open to the public. A copy of the meeting agenda is available on the Board of Agriculture web page at <http://oda.direct/BoardAgriculture>.
