National Ag Week 2015, March 19

Oregonians and citizens across the United States have a chance to say thank you to the nation’s farmers and ranchers this week, and maybe learn something about agriculture in the process. National Agriculture Week, which runs through Saturday, March 21, is designed to salute more than two million agricultural operators in the US and about 35,000 farmers and ranchers in Oregon. Nationally, Ag Week and Ag Day, celebrated March 18, encourage every American to understand how food and fiber products are produced, value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy, and appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant, and affordable products. It’s worth noting that one American farmer supplies food for about 155 people in the US and abroad. A closer look at Oregon agriculture provides ample reason to appreciate the industry sector: • Production value of Oregon agriculture is at an all-time high at $5.4 billion. • Value-added processing contributes up to $2 billion in additional revenue to Oregon’s economy. • Adding all agriculture-related components– including inputs, production, processing, transportation, warehousing, wholesale trade– accounts for nearly $29 billion in economic activity, or 15 percent of Oregon’s gross state product (GSP). • More than 98 percent of Oregon’s farms are family operations– dispelling the notion that agriculture in the state is made up of big corporate farm factories. • In terms of jobs, one in every eight Oregonians, or about 12 percent, are engaged in a variety of occupations related to agriculture. • Oregon agriculture is a key traded sector, ranking first in volume of exported products and third in value of exported products.