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2 CapitalPress.com May 12, 2017 People & Places Making farmers’ markets successful Rebecca Landis advises on direct sales policy, runs two markets Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................Editor & Publisher Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager Capital Press Questions arise The rising prominence and popularity of farmers’ markets in recent years inev- itably led to questions about government oversight and food safety. For example, should the Oregon Department of Agri- culture require farmers’ mar- kets to be licensed, as are grocery stores? Do growers need licenses to sell jams, jellies and sim- ilar products that were pro- cessed on-farm from their crops? “It wasn’t clear what was regulated and what wasn’t regulated,” Landis said. To dispel that confusion, Landis and other experts formed a work group aimed at establishing clear rules for farm-direct marketing. The resulting legislation, House Bill 2336, was ap- proved by the Oregon Leg- islature in 2011 with strong bipartisan support. The bill clarified that farmers’ markets aren’t subject to licensing require- ments — unless they refuse to comply with sanitary stan- dards — and sets parameters for which processed goods can be sold in such venues. “We talked out every Established 1928 Board of directors Mike Forrester Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Susan Rana Mike Omeg Corporate Officer John Perry Chief Operating Officer By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Two decades after she managed to “break out of the cubicle,” Rebecca Landis says she still draws on her time as an “all around bureaucrat.” These days, Landis ap- plies her experience to the variety of impromptu prob- lems that arise while running two Oregon farmers’ mar- kets, from filing online forms to fixing pop-up tents. “It’s not really a career path, you just bring to it whatever skills you have,” she said. Aside from managing the farmers’ markets in Corvallis and Albany, Landis serves as a policy adviser to the Ore- gon Farmers Markets Associ- ation, helping to navigate the regulatory hurdles growers encounter when selling di- rectly to consumers. Capital Press Entire contents copyright © 2017 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press Rebecca Landis, manager of the farmers’ market in Corvallis, Ore., stands near the Willamette River in North Riverfront Park where the market is staged. She also manages the farmers’ market in Albany, Ore., and is a policy adviser for the Oregon Farmers Markets Associ- ation. Western Innovator Rebecca Landis Occupation: Manager of the farm- ers’ markets in Corvallis and Albany, Ore. Policy adviser to the Oregon Farmers’ Markets Association. Hometown: Corvallis Age: 58 Family: Husband, Larry, two cats Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of North Texas in 1980, master’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin in 1985 product category that might be ripe for a lower level of regulation,” Landis said. “I think it’s stood the test of time so far.” When a legal uncertainty recently came to light re- garding egg sales, Landis lobbied for another bill that allows farmers to sell un- graded eggs as long as they checked them for inner de- fects with a candling light. The proposal, House Bill 3116, passed the House and Senate unanimously this year. The process highlights the improved lines of com- munication between farm direct marketers and ODA, which supported the bill, Landis said. “That made it easy to proceed with a fix.” As a member of ODA’s Food Safety Advisory Com- mittee, Landis has helped the agency avoid pitfalls in other proposed food safety legis- lation, said Stephanie Page, ODA’s food safety director. The farm-direct marketing bill in 2011 has “provided greater certainty” for growers as well as ODA, Page said. “We see the farmers’ markets as an important partner.” Career move Landis’ experience with laws and regulations dates back to her job as a legisla- tive analyst in Texas, which she left to move to Oregon with her husband, Larry, in 1991. After resettling in Corval- lis, the couple was involved in starting that city’s farmers’ market. Landis initially worked for a regional government, managing contracts to pro- vide homeless services, but decided she’d had enough of office work and in 1995 be- came manager of the Corval- lis farmers’ market. Her arrival as the market’s manager coincided with an emerging curiosity about lo- cal agriculture among con- sumers. “How stuff was being grown wasn’t discussed in the mainstream culture until 20 years ago,” she said. Back then, for example, having 14 vendors at the Corvallis farmers’ market would be a “spectacular day,” Landis said. Last year, the number of vendors topped 70. Market trends Expanding a farmers’ market is often a “chicken and egg” proposition — ven- dors are reluctant to show up unless they can count on lots of visitors, while shoppers aren’t enthusiastic unless they can pick among lots of vendors. An important trend that’s boosted market attendance is the availability of meat and poultry, which provides sta- bility in comparison to the seasonal fluctuations of fruits and vegetables, Landis said. Improved payment op- tions have also helped. Consumers who don’t usually carry cash can now swipe their debit or credit cards at the farmers’ market in exchange for tokens used to pay vendors. Some ven- dors now accept “plastic” di- rectly, through devices con- nected to their smartphones. The ability to pay with food stamps — the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition As- sistance Program, or SNAP — has increased the number of people shopping at farm- ers’ markets as well. “None of this existed back in the ’90s at all,” Landis said. One thing that has re- mained constant, though, is the connection that farmers’ markets provide between growers and consumers. Landis said she’s vigilant in ensuring her markets are free of vendors who simply resell wholesale food, since they undermine the venue’s credibility and unfairly com- pete against actual farmers. “It’s transparent and trace- able to have direct sales,” she said. “There’s a lot of ac- countability that comes from direct-selling.” To Reach Us Circulation ......................... 800-882-6789 Email ........ Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line ........................... 503-364-4431 Fax ................................... 503-370-4383 Advertising Fax ................ 503-364-2692 News Staff N. California Tim Hearden .................... 530-605-3072 E Idaho John O’Connell ................. 208-421-4347 Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas .......... 208-860-3898 Boise Sean Ellis .......................... 208-914-8264 Central Washington Dan Wheat ........................ 509-699-9099 E Washington Matthew Weaver .............. 509-688-9923 Oregon Eric Mortenson ................ 503-412-8846 Mateusz Perkowski .......... 800-882-6789 Graphic artist Alan Kenaga ..................... 800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Ad fax .............................. 503-364-2692 or ...................................... 503-370-4383 Telephone (toll free) .......... 866-435-2965 Online ......www.capitalpress.com/classifieds Subscriptions Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $3.75/month (direct with- drawal from bank or credit card account) 1 year U.S. ...................................$49.99 2 years U.S. .................................$89.99 1 year Canada .................................$275 1 year other countries ......... call for quote 1 year Internet only .......................$49.99 1 year 4-H, FFA students and teachers ....$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students & teachers .....$25 Visa and Mastercard accepted To get information published Calendar Sponsored by: To submit an event go to the Community Events calendar on the home page of our website at www. capitalpress.com and click on “Sub- mit an Event.” Calendar items can also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301 or emailed to newsroom@ capitalpress.com. Through Friday May 12 Oregon Board of Agriculture. 8:30 a.m. Best Western Mill Creek Inn, 3125 Ryan Drive SE, Salem. On day one, the board will hear from a panel of agriculture industry representatives regarding the leg- islative session. A separate panel, representing key industry organi- zations, will discuss immigration issues. The board will also be given a presentation on food sourcing and hunger issues in Oregon. A public comment period is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on day one. On day two, board members will receive a progress report on the Japanese beetle eradication project in Cedar Mill and receive an update on Or- egon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy and a presentation on the Port of Portland’s efforts to address transportation issues. The meeting will conclude with reports by board subcommittees. Through Saturday May 13 87th Washington FFA State Convention. Washington State Uni- versity, Pullman. www.washingtonf- fa.org/calendar/ Saturday, May 13 Spring Hay Field Day. 8:30 a.m.-noon. Lazy L Farm Services, Clayton, Wash. Registration at the door is at 8:30 a.m. A 9:45 a.m. presentation is on poisonous plants and pesticides in hay production problematic for livestock. Spon- sored by the Northeast Washing- ton Haygrowers’ Association and Washington State University Web- site: www.extension.wsu.edu Monday, May 15 Farm & Ranch Succession Workshop. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District, 89 Alder St., Central Point, Ore. Two-thirds of Oregon’s agricultural land will be changing hands in the next 20 years, but the vast majority of farmers and ranchers don’t have succession plans. Want to hear about the trends in farm succession and land use? Want to learn the steps for preparing a succession plan for your farm? Want to hear the stories of local farmers who have gone through the process? Learn about recent research by OSU, PSU and Rogue Farm Corps on ag- ricultural land transition. Hear from attorney Doug Schmor about the steps to passing your legacy to the next generation. Learn from a land- owner panel who has been through the process. And hear from South- ern Oregon Land Conservancy about how conservation easements can be a tool to help you plan for succession and leave a legacy. This event is sponsored by Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District and the Josephine County Farm Bureau with support from Rogue Farm Corps. Cost: Free. RSVP to Nellie McAdams, 971-409-6806, nellie@roguefarmcorps.org Wednesday, May 17 Pesticide Analytical and Re- sponse Center (PARC) Board meeting. 9 a.m.-noon. Oregon De- partment of Agriculture, 635 Capitol St. NE, Basement Hearing Room, Salem, Ore. Website: www.oregon. gov/ODA/programs/pesticides/pag- es/PARC.aspx Thursday, May 18 FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food — One-Day Blended Course. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Idaho Wa- ter Center, 322 E. Front St. Boise, Idaho. The new Food Safety Mod- ernization Act (FSMA) regulation GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE www.oxarc.com requires every processing facility to have a trained resource person or “Preventive Controls Qualified Individual“ who has completed a specialized training course (such as this one) that was developed by the Food Safety Preventive Con- trols Alliance (FSPCA) and is rec- ognized by the FDA. This person will oversee the implementation of the facility’s food safety plan and other key tasks. Cost: $330. www. techhelp.org/events/342/fspcaboi- semay2017/ Four-Part Farm/Ranch Succes- sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30 p.m. Canby High School, 721 SW Fourth Ave., Canby, Ore. A free four-part workshop on succession planning with one-hour personal counseling sessions for your family after each workshop. Light dinner 6 to 6:30, workshop 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Course 3 on May 18 is Get- ting Organized, and Course 4 on June 1 is Passing on Management Roles. RSVP required. Organized by Clackamas Small Business Development Center and Rogue Farm Corps. Cost: Free. http://bit. ly/2opTHqO 20 Northwest Locations break from the Memorial Day Win- ery Tours to watch the alpacas get their annual haircuts. Get up close, hand feed them and handle their luxurious fleece. Shearing Day is Saturday. On Sunday, learn to felt an alpaca gift. Phone 503-348-6954 to reserve a spot; $25-$75 covers your materials and instruction. Hand-spinners, knitters and other fiber artists will find fleece and yarn. Visitors can chat with four long-time livestock breeders who’ve raised llamas, horses, sheep and goats. www.easygofarm.net/AOOMem- Day Wednesday-Friday May 31-June 2 2017 Oregon Cattlemen Mid- year Meeting, Wildhorse Casino, 46510 Wildhorse Blvd., Pendleton, Ore. The annual 2 1/2-day midyear event is where Oregon cattlemen and women gather to get updates on the latest news in Oregon ag- riculture, hear from top industry speakers and reconnect with fellow ranchers. http://orcattle.com/ Thursday, June 1 Family Business Charters. 7:30 to 9 a.m. BridgePort BrewPub, 1313 NW Marshall St., Portland. A family business charter sets forth the es- sential rules, obligations, and re- sponsibilities relating to ownership and management of the business, as well as the family values that will help sustain the business for future generations. Presented by A. Jef- fery Bird, Lane Powell PC and the Austin Family Business Program, Oregon State University. $40 per person. 800-859-7609, http://bit. ly/2gPuLYY Four-Part Farm/Ranch Succes- sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30 p.m. Canby High School, 721 SW Fourth Ave., Canby, Ore. A free four-part workshop on succession planning with one-hour person- al counseling sessions for your family after each workshop. Light dinner 6 to 6:30, workshop 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Course 4 on June 1 is Passing on Management Roles. RSVP required. Organized by Clackamas Small Business De- velopment Center and Rogue Farm Corps. Cost: Free. http://bit. ly/2opTHqO Saturday-Sunday May 27-28 Thursday-Friday June 15-16 Alpaca Shearing Day and Sale. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas of Oregon, 21345 SW Aebischer Road, Sher- wood, Ore. Join EasyGo Farm at Alpacas of Oregon and take a 2017 Interpera Congress. Wenatchee Confluence Technolo- gy Center, 285 Technology Center Way, Wenatchee, Wash. The con- ference features presentations from 1-800-765-9055 world experts on emerging pear varieties, high-density planting, root stock, harvest and packing house mechanization, integrated pest management successes, export trade flows and successful practic- es for building consumer demand. http://ncwctc.com/ Friday-Sunday June 16-18 Glenwood Ketchum Kalf Rodeo and Bull Bash. Glenwood Rodeo Grounds, Trout Lake Highway, Glenwood, Wash. The bull Bash starts at 7 p.m. June 16, followed by the rodeo, which starts at 12:30 p.m. June 17-18. Website: http:// business.gorge.net/glenwoodro- deo/ Tuesday-Wednesday June 20-21 Center for Produce Safety Re- search Symposium. Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, 7800 E. Tufts Ave., Denver, Colo. Agricultural wa- ter will kick off the program agen- da. This session will focus on four CPS-funded research programs that will help stakeholders better understand the factors involved in sourcing, sampling, testing and treating specific types of agricultur- al water. Thursday, June 22 Oregon Angus Field Day. 4-10 p.m. Quail Valley Ranch, Prineville, Ore. Cattle on display, contests with prizes, a meal and a time to visit. For more information, con- tact Becky Tekansik, Quail Valley Ranch, 541-699-8562, or Dick Hubman, president of the Oregon Angus Association, 541-601-5495. Wednesday-Saturday June 28-July 1 128th Annual Washington State Grange Convention. Ocean Shores Convention Center, 120 W. Chance a La Mer NW, Ocean Shores, Wash. Mailing address: Capital Press P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048 News: Contact the main office or news staff member closest to you, send the in- formation to newsroom@capitalpress.com or mail it to “Newsroom,” c/o Capital Press. Include a contact telephone number. Letters to the Editor: Send your comments on agriculture-related public issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital Press. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday. Capital Press ag media www.capitalpress.com www.FarmSeller.com marketplace.capitalpress.com www.facebook.com/capitalpress www.facebook.com/farmseller twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo Index California ................................ 8 Dairy .................................... 14 Idaho ...................................... 7 Livestock ............................. 15 Markets ............................... 13 Opinion .................................. 6 Oregon ................................ 10 Washington ........................... 9 Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. If you see a misstatement, omission or factual error in a headline, story or photo caption, please call the Capital Press news department at 503-364-4431, or send email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. We want to publish corrections to set the record straight.