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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 25, 2015)
9A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 Organic farms, land and value of sales (Certified and exempt organic*) Area Farms 2014 2008 Calif. 2,805 Idaho 161 Ore. Wash. U.S. Acres Sales ($ millions) 2014 2008 Transition acres 2014 2008 470,903 2,231.2 1,148.7 17,046 NA 148,425 65.7 10.1 4,568 12,967 204,166 70,946 237.1 105.6 4,452 4,569 73,841 65,937 514.9 82.2 2,687 6,071 5,455 3,165 122,175 194,384 2014 2008 2,714 687,168 254 125,141 525 657 716 887 14,093 14,540 3,670,560 4,077,337 NA — withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms. * Exempt — farms that follow the National Organic Standards and have less than $5,000 in annual sales can be exempt from certification. These exempt farms may use the term “organic” but may not use the “USDA Organic” seal. Source: USDA NASS Capital Press graphic In 2014, farm-level organic sales approach $5.5 billion By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press Sales of organic products from U.S. farms have increased substantially, jumping 72 per- cent to $5.45 billion from $3.16 billion since the federal govern- ment last conducted a compara- ble survey in 2008. Although the value of sales have increased, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported last week that both the number of organic farms and the amount of organic acreage has dropped. NASS reported 14,093 or- ganic farms, 447 fewer than in 2008, and 3.67 million acres, almost 407,000 less. The ser- vice attributed the decline, at least in part, to differences in the survey methodology. Ten states represented 78 percent of organic sales, ac- cording to the survey. Farms in California claimed $2.2 billion in sales, 41 percent of total national sales. It led the nation in number of organic op- erations, at 2,805, and in acre- age, more than 687,000 acres. Washington state posted the second-highest sales at $515 million, up from $282 million in 2008. Oregon came in fourth at $237 million, up from $156 million. Nationwide, crops account- ed for $3.3 billion in sales, led by lettuce at $264 million, apples at $250 million, grapes at $195 million, and corn for grain at $155 million. Livestock and poultry prod- ucts accounted for $1.5 billion in sales, with milk in the top spot at almost $1.1 billion in sales. Livestock and poultry sales, at $660 million, were led by broilers at $372 million. Nationwide, 78 percent of product was sold to wholesale markets, 14 percent directly to retail and 8 percent directly to consumers. While the majority of product was sold wholesale, 40 to 60 percent of farms in Washington, Oregon and Ida- ho sold some product directly to consumers, as did 20 to 40 percent in California and 45 percent nationwide. Total production expenses increased from $2.5 billion in 2008 to almost $4 billion in 2014, with feed and hired labor combined comprising 46 percent of expenses. Na- tionwide average per-farm expenses increased from $171,978 in 2008 to $208,722 in 2014. Expenses were sig- QL¿FDQWO\KLJKHULQ&DOLIRUQLD at $616,379 and Washington at $485,708. The survey shows 1,365 farms are transitioning an additional 122,175 acres to organic production. Nearly 5,300 organic farms, 39 per- cent, intend to increase organ- ic production over the next ¿YH \HDUV SHUFHQW LQWHQG to maintain production and 5 percent intend to decrease or discontinue organic produc- tion. The 2014 organic survey offers nearly 600 pages of details on farm-level organic sales, farms and land in or- ganic operation, crops and products being produced, how they are marketed, and pro- ducers’ age, years in organic, expenses, and practices. Small businesses can apply for grants The Daily Astorian Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, is offering $450,000 worth of Small Business Ad- ministration grants to help small businesses market their products and services to an in- ternational market. The State Trade and Export Promotion program grants encourage small businesses with at least 75 percent of their workforces in Oregon to pur- sue international markets for their products, helping offset the cost of overseas marketing, including booth fees at interna- tional trade shows. “Marketing Oregon’s prod- ucts to the world starts with ac- cess,” Gov. Kate Brown said. “These grants open the door for Oregon’s small businesses to markets around the globe.” About 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the United States, but less than 1 percent of U.S. small busi- nesses export. Lektro, the elec- tric airplane tug manufacturer based in Warrenton and makes a quarter of its sales interna- tionally, has used the grant. “International Trade Shows are extremely expensive to go to,” said Henry Balensifer, a spokesman for the company. “From airfare to lodging for your staff, shipping or build- ing your booth on site, and the freight to send your product to a foreign country is very ex- pensive. Helping defray those costs with a STEP grant assists companies with their atten- dance at international shows.” This is the fourth straight time Business Oregon has been awarded grants through the Small Business Administra- tion’s competitive application process. During the previous three years, Oregon received a combined $1.2 million. Business Oregon has pro- vided grants to 153 Oregon small businesses, producing a reported $36 million in imme- diate export sales, a $31 return in export sales for every $1 in federal grants provided. The State Trade and Export Promotion program was au- thorized by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. To apply for grant funding, Oregon small businesses can apply online at http://tinyurl. com/psn3bjs. To qualify, at least 75 percent of the compa- ny’s total employees must be employed in Oregon. Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian There is no timetable for Lindstrom’s Danish Maid Bakery to reopen. The bakery closed earlier this month because of a family medical emergency. Bakery: ‘We appreciate the support of the community’ Continued from Page 1A “He’s doing good,” Jan Lindstrom said, adding he recently came home and is in physical rehabilitation. “It’s going to take him a while to get back.” John Lindstrom began working at the Danish Maid Bakery in 1974. He and Jan bought the shop in 1986, and have run it with their three children. A customer posted a lime green sheet of paper just be- neath their announcement of closure. “We hope to see you open again soon,” the sheet said, en- treating others to write down their well wishes, which many took the opportunity to do. “We appreciate the support of the community,” Jan Lind- strom said. “Thanks for all the prayers and love and concern.” Farmers: Hop production has grown more than 50 percent since 2012 Continued from Page 1A average of nearly 1.4 pounds — roughly sixfold more, said Ann George, adminis- trator of the Hop Growers of America trade group. Historically, about two- thirds of U.S. hop production consisted of “alpha” hops, which are used to impart bit- terness and are favored by large brewers, said George. Now, roughly two-thirds of the hops grown are “aro- ma” varieties that are popular among craft brewers, she said. These specialty cultivars are responsible for the up- swing in hop production, which has grown more than 50 percent since 2012 to 45,500 acres, George said. “That buildup in acreage has been attributable to the demand from the craft sector,” she said. “It makes a huge im- pact on our hop industry.” Craft brewers also have an outsize footprint in the market for malt, which is produced from barley, said Watson. About 1.4 billion pounds of malt are used in craft brewing, which is 35 percent of the total amount. Large brewers aren’t as reliant on barley malt because they also use brewer’s rice and corn syrup, he said. “These beers are not the ones that are going to be heavy demanders of hops and premi- um ingredients,” Carstensen said of the most popular brands produced by AB InBev and SABMiller. Nonetheless, the combi- nation of the two companies is problematic from the per- spective of consumer choice, he said. A telling sign is that the stock price for all major brew- eries rose after the merger proposal was announced, Carstensen said. This increase may indi- cate that these companies are expected to collude more ef- fectively after the merger, he said. “The market is expecting to see less competition in the beer industry.” Given these concerns, it’s likely U.S. antitrust regulators will block the merger unless the combined company di- vests its stake in MillerCoors, a joint venture between SAB- Miller and Coors Molson, said Watson. “Everyone’s assumption is they’d be forced to sell their stake here,” he said. W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Our people make O u r th ird a n n u a l “Ra ce to th e B a r,” ben efitin g Lo w er Co lu m bia H o spice, w a s a h u ge su ccess a n d a sto u n d in gly fu n ! 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