AG DAY
BlueMountainEagle.com
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
A9
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FFA
Continued from Page A8
were part of an FFA “super-
vised agricultural experi-
ence” program, she said.
FFA had much to do
with her development, Jus-
tice said, from helping the
community and moving her
career forward to providing
opportunities for research,
entrepreneurship and job
shadowing. She said she
was inspired by Ineck and
wants to pursue a degree in
education and then return to
small-town life in Eastern
Oregon.
Parker Manitsas, a soph-
omore at Grant Union, lives
in John Day where he raises
show hogs under the FFA
program. His brother Matt
is the ag project leader for
the city’s future commer-
cial greenhouse program.
Parker is interested in pur-
suing a career in education.
FFA is a platform that
builds confidence in stu-
dents who are growing up
and learning who they are,
Manitsas said. He’ll put
that experience to work
at the FFA State Conven-
tion in Redmond on March
22-25 where he’ll present a
speech on bio-security that
won at district and sectional
meets.
Manitsas said he spent a
lot of time researching the
topic and rehearsing for the
speech. After talking about
good practices that limit
traffic to livestock to reduce
transmission of diseases, he
will be peppered with ques-
tions from the audience for
five minutes and needs to
come out sounding like an
expert, he said.
The career path
Like Manitsas, Kori Jo
Girvin lives in John Day,
not on a farm or ranch,
but she spent time on fam-
ily-owned ranches every
other year in Idaho. She
started raising 4-H pigs in
fifth grade, but through FFA
she’s been involved in soil
judging, livestock judging
and public speaking.
Girvin will compete in
the parliamentary procedure
event at the state conven-
tion. As a committee chair-
person, she must ensure
that the issues debated by
a committee are conducted
according to Roberts Rules
of Order.
A senior at Grant Union,
Girvin plans to join the Air
Force after graduating and
pursue a college degree
through the military. She
credits FFA with providing
her with many of the skills
she’ll need later in life.
Cinch Anderson, a junior
at Grant Union, has lived
on a cattle ranch near Izee
since he was 2. The fam-
ily leases the ranch and pas-
tures 200-250 cattle on a
50,000-acre allotment in
the Malheur National For-
est. There’s some flood irri-
gation, but the Andersons
purchase hay, he said.
Like all farm kids,
Anderson has daily chores
like feeding grain to show
cattle and bulls, but his
duties picked up recently
when his parents went on
vacation. Seasonal work
includes delivering hay
to livestock in winter and
moving cattle around on
Forest Service land to com-
ply with regulations.
The Andersons do all
their work on horseback
— not ATVs. It’s a 45-min-
ute drive to school, longer
in deep winter snow, and
he knows his experience
is very different than other
students at Grant Union. It’s
harder, but it’s a way of life
that he grew up to appreci-
ate. He said he feels lucky
to be able to work with his
parents and two younger
sisters.
Anderson is the local
FFA chapter vice president
and plans to run for state
FFA office next year. He
completed eight days of auc-
tioneer training in Iowa last
June and wants to pursue
that career path after attend-
ing Treasure Valley Com-
munity College. He also
plans to continue working
on ranches and eventually
return home to Izee.
To celebrate Ag Day 2019, the Ore-
gon Farm Bureau compiled these statis-
tics about agriculture in the state:
• 97 percent of Oregon’s farms and
ranches are family owned and operated.
• Less than 1 percent of Oregon’s pop-
ulation are principal operators of farms
and ranches.
• 39 percent of all Oregon farmers and
ranchers are women, which is one of the
highest percentages in the nation.
• The Oregon Century Farm & Ranch
Program reports that 1,212 farms and
ranches have achieved century status
for remaining operational and within the
same family for at least 100 years. For-
ty-one more boast sesquicentennial sta-
tus for reaching the 150-year milestone.
• Oregon farmers, ranchers and fishers
produce more than 225 crops and live-
stock, making Oregon one of the most
diverse agricultural states in the nation.
• Oregon agriculture represents a
diversity of successful operations. That
helps keep the ag community resilient.
Big or small, organic or conventional,
growing for local or export markets, Ore-
gon is home to all types of farms and
ranches.
• Oregon is the No. 1 producer in the
United States for blackberries, boysen-
berries and hazelnuts, raising nearly
100 percent of the U.S. supply for these
commodities — as well as being No.
1 in the nation for growing Christmas
trees, rhubarb, potted azaleas, crimson
clover, sugar beet for seed and a few
grass seed varieties.
• Oregon ranks sixth among U.S.
states in certified organic acreage and
fourth in farmgate sales for organics.
• Oregon ranks sixth in the United
States in fresh market vegetables.
• There are 34,200 farms in Oregon,
covering about 16.3 million acres. The
average farm size is 477 acres.
• Oregon agriculture’s value at the
farm gate is $5.7 billion. Agriculture is
always a top economic driver for each of
the state’s 36 counties.
• Oregon’s agriculture, food and
fiber industry is economically linked to
approximately 13.2 percent, $50 billion,
of all Oregon sales.
• With about 80 percent of what is pro-
duced leaving the state either domesti-
cally or through export, Oregon agricul-
ture brings in billions of new dollars to
the state’s economy every year.
• 40 percent of Oregon’s agricul-
ture products are sold to international
customers.
• Agriculture represents 10.9 percent
of all Oregon exports.
• Farm Bureau was first established in
Oregon almost 100 years ago, in Uma-
tilla County in 1919. The statewide Ore-
gon Farm Bureau was established in
1932.
• Farm Bureau is Oregon’s largest
general agriculture organization.
Find more facts about Oregon agricul-
ture on Oregon Farm Bureau’s website at
oregonfb.org/agweek.
110115
John Day Basin Office
Oxbow Conservation Area
Forest Conservation Area
John Day Basin Office • 320 W. Main Street • John Day • (541) 575-1866
107659
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has a long tradition
of natural resource stewardship. The John Day River basin is
within the Tribes ceded lands and supporting
sustainable agriculture and watershed restoration efforts are
an important part of maintaining cultural foods and fish
populations.
The Tribes want to recognize the value of local agriculture,
and the landowners that work to build and maintain the lands
and communities that we live in.
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Build W ultural Need
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Your A
Horse Barns • Storage Buildings • Hay
Barns • Sheds & Building Supplies
Metal Roofing & Siding
751 W Main St. • John Day
541-575-1021
551 W Main St • John Day • 541-575-1346
