COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL December 9, 2015
VFW
assembles
vets' care
packages
9A
Local keepsake
collecting is
'charming'
D
Cottage Grove VFW
Post 3473 said local
donations allowed the
post to put together
36 soldiers' boxes.
Eighteen of them will
be shipped to Af-
ghanistan and 18 to
Japan, according to
volunteers.
photo by Carolin Pettit
owntown Cottage Grove businesses are the
source for charms as part of the Bridges
and Beyond Charm Trail organized by the Cottage
Grove Chamber of Commerce. Participants pick up
a charm bracelet at any of the "trail heads," or par-
ticipating local businesses. Then, charms unique to
each business can be purchased for $1.50 each.
In addition, businesses such as the Sentinel, Scar-
pelli's Short Stop, Territorial Seed Co., the Village
Green, Bonanza Drive-Up, Books on Main, Bust-
ers Cafe, CG General Store, KNND Radio, Pinoc-
chio's Pizza, Roger's Fine Collectibles, Shampoo
Dolls, the Bookmine, Flower Basket and the Pink
House are currently selling a limited edition Christ-
mas charm. Supplies of these charms are limited,
wtih only 25 per business.
www.shoppelocal.biz
The large economic footprint of Oregon agriculture
Updated OSU study
confi rms the sizable
contribution ag makes to
Oregon’s economy
O
regon agriculture’s large impact
on the state’s economy is reaf-
fi rmed by an updated analysis and re-
port released by Oregon State Univer-
sity. The OSU study, commissioned by
the Oregon Department of Agriculture,
quantifi es the contributions of produc-
ers, processors and others in a variety of
economic snapshots ranging from sales
to employment.
“We’ve talked consistently about the
importance of agriculture to Oregon’s
economy and the numbers found in
OSU’s report validate what has been
said,” says ODA Director Katy Coba.
“What we think is happening in agricul-
ture is indeed taking place.”
The report, Oregon Agriculture, Food
and Fiber: An Economic Analysis,
builds on previous OSU studies done in
2008 and 2011 to assess agriculture’s
economic footprint and ripple effect on
the state. It details the entire cycle of
agriculture – from the farm to the con-
sumer – and connects the fl ow of dollars
throughout the system, capturing produc-
tion, processing, distribution, wholesale,
retail and food service.
Using a variety of currently available
data, the report generally shows that
the industry continues its steady growth.
Sentinel fi le photo
A new study shows that agriculture is linked to about $50 billion in the
sales of goods and services in Oregon.
Specifi cally, it fi nds agriculture is directly agriculture’s huge contribution to Ore-
and indirectly linked to about $50 billion gon’s economy,” says Coba.
Spread throughout the report are com-
in sales of goods and services, which is
more than 13 percent of the statewide to- pelling stories captured by statistics.
While the number of Oregon farms,
tal of sales involving all industry sectors.
The report also fi nds that Oregon agricul- ranches and total farm acreage has de-
ture directly or indirectly supports more creased in recent years, the output of
than 326,000 full or part-time jobs, mak- Oregon farms has increased 39 percent
ing up almost 14 percent of total jobs in to $5.7 billion dollars between 2010 and
the state. Overall, Oregon agriculture is 2014.
“Our producers aren’t really getting
responsible for $22.9 billion or 10.6 per-
paid that much more for their crops, so
cent of the net state product.
“Whichever measurement you want to they’ve become much more productive,
use, those are all big numbers that show and those numbers refl ect that,” says
Coba.
Measuring effi ciency is another by-
product of the OSU study, according to
its primary author.
“One of the most important points in
this report is the tremendous work farm-
ers and ranchers have done by improv-
ing the use or effi ciency of their inputs
like water, land, and chemicals,” says
OSU Extension Economist Bruce Sorte.
“Oregon was ranked 46th out of the 50
states in terms of agricultural total factor
productivity in 1960 and it advanced
to 15th with the highest level of im-
provement among all the states. Farm-
ers and ranchers are still improving each
year working with researchers in univer-
sities, government, and businesses. This
is very good news for consumers, pro-
ducers and ecosystems.”
A section of the report focuses on pro-
cessing – adding value to what is agri-
culturally produced. In 2013, more than
$12 billion was added to the farmgate
sales of Oregon-grown food and fi ber
by processors and food services. Frozen
food manufacturing tops the list of pro-
cessing sectors in terms of sales followed
by breweries, fl uid milk manufacturing,
canned fruits and vegetables, winer-
iesand cheese manufacturing.
Sorte underscores the importance of
value-added agriculture while saying
more can be done.
“Adding value – increasing the value
of wheat at 10 cents a pound to fl our
Please see AGRICULTURE, Page 11A
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