The Columbia Press
February 25, 2022
5
Local seafood gets boost from government It’s Girl Scout cookie time
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture has awarded a
$735,200 grant to the Ore-
gon Coast Visitors Associa-
tion in hopes of aiding the
distribution of local seafood.
“Oregon’s fisheries are the
lifeblood of our coastal and
tourism economies, support-
ing jobs that families rely on,
and supplying communities
across our state and around
the world with exceptional
products and experiences,”
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley said in
announcing the grant.
Visitors to the Oregon Coast
spend $792 million each year
at food markets and restau-
rants annually, contributing
tremendous amounts of new
money to the local economy,
according to a 2018 visitor
impacts report from Dean
Runyan Associates, a travel
and tourism research compa-
ny based in Portland.
“As we continue to recover
from the health and econom-
ic impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic, we must ensure
that this crucial industry re-
ceives the support it needs
to survive and provide for
Oregonians and consumers
around the country,” Merkley
said. “I’m thrilled the USDA
has recognized the important
work the (visitors associa-
tion) does for both Oregon’s
fishing and aquaculture in-
dustry, as well as our great
state’s tourism industry.”
The grant will be used to
expand the regional distri-
bution network of smaller
seafood and aquaculture pro-
ducers on the Oregon Coast
whose operating budgets are
under $1 million annually.
“If visitor spending and re-
lated economic development
doesn’t support our residents
and create resilient food sys-
tems even under distressing
economic conditions, then
what is the point of it,” asked
Marcus Hinz, executive di-
Photo by Tiffany Woods
Fishmonger Tryan Hartill at Northwest Wild Products in Astoria.
rector of the visitors associ-
ation.
Those in the seafood indus-
try who are interested in con-
necting with the project are
urged to visit OregonCoast-
FoodVision.com to learn
more.
In the next few years, the
association hopes to raise
$15 million in additional in-
vestments to support the
hyper-local seafood infra-
structure project, from the
smallest of family fishers to
processors and distributors.
College plans open house, fundraiser
Clatsop Community College
Foundation will hold an open
house and fundraiser, “Be
Part of the Magic,” on Satur-
day, April 30, at Patriot Hall.
Guests can visit with facul-
ty, students and staff as they
share the magic from enroll-
ing in the various educational
programs offered at the col-
lege. Entertainment includes
Seth the Magician and a live
auction.
Proceeds go to scholarships.
Girl Scouts have kicked off
another cookie season and
there’s a brand new cookie
this year.
Adventurefuls
are
a
brownie-inspired
cook-
ie with caramel-flavored
cream and a hint of sea salt.
The new cookie is one of
nine for sale in Oregon and
Southwest Washington.
Local scouts will sell cook-
ies at the Astoria Safeway
on Feb. 25, 26, 27, and
March 4, 5, 6.
They’ll sell at the Seaside
Safeway on Feb. 25, 26, 27,
March 4, 5, 6, 11, and 12.
Cookies also can be pur-
chased online at girlscouts.
org. There’s even an option
to donate cookies to first re-
sponders and local causes.
Proceeds from cookies
sales benefit local scouts
ages 5 to 18.
Girls get a taste of being
entrepreneurs through the
cookie program and learn
important online and of-
fline business skills that set
them up for success in life,
Adventurefuls is the newest
Girl Scout cookie.
leaders say.
“Local Girl Scouts do in-
credible things with their
cookie
earnings,”
said
Karen Hill, director of
Girl Scouts of Oregon and
Southwest Washington.
“Whether earning their
way to camp or funding a
service project, they’re set-
ting goals and serving as
leaders in their own lives
and in their communities,”
Hill said.