A8
AGRICULTURE
East Oregonian
Saturday, October 9, 2021
Economists: Agriculture a key Learning the ropes
New president at Threemile Canyon
Farms Bill Antilla learning on the job
driver in Oregon’s economy
C O R VA L L I S
—
Throughout Oregon’s econ-
omy, more than 15% of sales
and 20% of jobs are tied in
some way to agriculture,
food and fi ber, according to
a new analysis by Oregon
State University in partner-
ship with the state Depart-
ment of Agriculture.
The 27-page repor t
provides an overview of the
industry and recent trends.
Researchers update the
analysis every 5-6 years,
with the last update in 2015.
Jeff Reimer, a profes-
sor of applied economics
at OSU and co-author of
the report, said the analy-
sis also delves into the links
between agriculture, food
and fi ber and other sectors
of the economy that may not
be apparent looking at raw
statistics.
For example, the report
shows that agriculture,
food and fiber produc-
tion is directly responsible
for more than $42 billion
in sales and 371,300 full-
and part-time jobs. That
represents approximately
10% of total sales and 14%
of jobs.
But after taking into
account support indus-
tries such as agricultural
inputs, transportation and
retail, the total shares grow
to more than $71 billion in
sales and 531,422 jobs.
Bruce Sorte, an econo-
mist with OSU Extension
Service, said he calcu-
lates the interdependence
of economic sectors using
an internet-based appli-
cation called IMPLAN —
an input-output modeling
tool that can be used for
everything from french
fries made in Hermiston to
beef and potatoes grown in
Klamath Falls.
While data from the
Lay, Kraft, General Mills and
Nestlé.
Cargill also makes a vari-
BOARDMAN — After ety of dressings, sauces and
nearly two months on the job mayonnaise sold exclusively
as president of Threemile to large food service distrib-
Canyon Farms, Bill Antilla utors and caterers.
knows he still has a lot to
Antilla fi nished his career
learn.
at Cargill as vice president
“It’s a sophisticated and and general manager of the
complex business,”
Nor th A mer ican
Antilla said. “Fortu-
industrial specialties
nately, I love to learn.
unit — taking agri-
I’m a very curious
cultural byproducts,
person.”
such as oils and fatty
Antilla, 55, was
acids and converting
hired Aug. 9 to
them into renewable
manage Threemile
chemicals used in
Antilla
C a nyo n Fa r m s ,
industrial products
w h ic h i n cl u d e s
such as paints, resins and
Oregon’s largest dairy with foam.
35,000 milking cows and
The experience gave
70,000 total cattle west Antilla a knowledge of global
of Boardman. The farm markets and agricultural
also grows 39,500 acres of supply chains, he said.
conventional and organic
Antilla left in late 2014
crops.
to become general manager
A native of the Pacific of of Crown Iron Works, a
Northwest, Antilla grew company in Blaine, Minne-
up in Longview, Washing- sota, that designs and engi-
ton, before moving to the neers the technology and
Midwest where he has spent layout found inside process-
his entire career in agribusi- ing plants, much like the ones
ness and food processing.
he helped manage at Cargill.
Antilla spent 25 years
Like Cargill, Crown Iron
working for Cargill, a global Works is a global company
food corporation headquar- and works with fabricators
tered in suburban Minne- all over the world to build
apolis. His first job was processing equipment. The
as a merchandising and company also has been a
sales manager for Cargill’s part of the biodiesel boom,
soybean processing plants in helping design refi neries that
Iowa.
produce renewable fuels.
Once they are crushed,
“I have not been directly
soybeans yield about 80% involved with farming in
protein meal used in animal the past, but my entire
feed, and 20% vegetable oil, career has been in agribusi-
which is then refined and ness, food processing and
purifi ed.
food production,” Antilla
Antilla’s job was purchas- said. “I have a passion for
ing grain from farmers and this business, and I have
country elevators, and reach- a passion for being a part
ing out to customers.
of high-performing teams,
From there, Antilla tran- being around people who
sitioned into Cargill’s vege- challenge me and continu-
table oil refi ning business, ally want to improve.”
operating out of a large
At Threemile Canyon,
industrial complex in Sidney, Antilla takes over for Marty
Ohio. The oil is marketed Myers, the farm’s founder and
extensively to major food longtime general manager,
manufacturers such as Frito- who died Dec. 1, 2020.
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
OREGON
AGRICULTURE BY
THE NUMBERS
Oregon State University/Contributed Photo
Agriculture continues to play a signifi cant role in Oregon’s
economy, according to a new analysis.
latest USDA Census of
Agriculture in 2017 shows
Oregon eclipsed $5 billion
in farm gate value, Sorte
said there is more to the
story.
“Talking about agricul-
ture without talking about
getting to the dinner plate
misses a big part of it,” he
said, “especially during this
pandemic.”
Rising exports
Oregon’s agricultural
exports have grown by
13.7% since 2015, with sales
jumping from $15.2 billion
to $17.3 billion.
Production of agricul-
tural exports dipped slightly,
from $3.3 billion to $3.1
billion. Though the anal-
ysis did not give a precise
reason, it did mention the
U.S.-China trade war that
likely impacted exports of
wheat, hazelnuts, cherries
and beef.
However, the decline
was more than made up
by increases in agricul-
tural support services, food
and fi ber processing, with
Oregon’s food and beverage
sector playing an outsize
role.
Sorte said Oregon is in a
strong position to continue
increasing agricultural
exports as farmers become
more effi cient.
“The fact that acreage
changes have been low,
and yet the output on that
acreage has dramatically
increased ... we’re in a very
good position, depending
on the strength of the dollar,
to really do a good job in
increasing our exports,”
Sorte said.
Organic growth
One area where Sorte
said he was pleasantly
surprised was the growth of
organic farming and ranch-
ing.
Despite the number of
certified organic farms
decreasing from 657 in
2008 to 455 in 2019, the
number of certifi ed organic
acres nearly doubled from
105,605 to 196,045.
The value of organic
products sold also increased
from $156 million to $454
million, making up 9% of
the total value of market
sales in Oregon.
“Organic farming has
grown from a niche market
to a segment of the market
that includes very small
farms to large corporate
farms,” the report states.
“Retail food chains and
restaurants continue to
expand their organic off er-
ings and the majority of
organic products are now
sold through retail food
outlets.”
Mid-size farms
decline
Overall, Oregon added
Some additional fi gures
outlined in the Oregon
agriculture, food and
fi ber economic analysis,
published in August by
Oregon State University:
• 16 million acres is
farmed across Oregon
— an area roughly the
size of West Virginia.
• 225 agricultural
commodities are grown
statewide.
• 2,000-plus new farms
have been established
since 2012.
• 95% of farms in Oregon
are family-owned.
• 5.7% of Oregon jobs
are on farms.
more than 2,000 new farms
since 2012. However,
consistent with national
trends, the number of
mid-size farms has contin-
ued to decline.
For example, there were
3,417 new farms established
with 1-9 acres, and 21 new
farms with 2,000-plus
acres. But the number of
farms between 50 and 999
acres dropped by 1,217.
The rise in small farms
likely reflects growth in
organic farming, value-
added on-farm operations,
direct sales and agritourism,
according to the report.
Meanwhile, large
farms ref lect the indus-
try’s move toward consoli-
dation to attain economies
of scale. Those two factors
have combined to squeeze
mid-size operations.
Overall, the number
of acres in agricultural
production has declining a
little more than 9% since
1997, from 17.7 million to
16 million acres.