Wilsonville —November 19, 2019 — The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) has announced the winners of its annual Friends of Nurseries awards. The awards serve to recognize state and federal officials who listen to concerns and help protect the interests of Oregon’s nursery and greenhouse industry, which is the state’s top agricultural sector with nearly $1 billion in sales annually. “Our products beautify the world while delivering numerous health and environmental benefits, but our growers face numerous challenges having to do with labor availability, water supply, regulation, taxation, market access and more,” OAN President Jim Simnitt said. “We like to recognize officials on both sides of the aisle who put in the effort to help us find constructive solutions.” State. Rep. Caddy McKeown (D-Coos Bay) is a trusted ally to the nursery and greenhouse industry for consistent advocacy for reasoned policy. A central figure in an effort to pass the driver’s license bill, Rep. McKeown has led on critical issues facing the state. Rep. McKeown has won this award twice for her bipartisan and “solutions first” approach. “It is an honor to be recognized as a 2019 Friend of Nurseries — as an OSU horticulture alum the industry has always been near and dear to my heart,” Rep. McKeown said. “It is pleasure to work with the OAN team in Salem — from natural resource policy to transportation infrastructure, they can be counted on to advocate for commonsense positions that reflect Oregon values.”
