Ag sales increase locally, statewide

Oregon farmers posted a record high in sales last year, although the state differs from the nation’s rising number of farms.

Two reports released over the past week help illustrate the successes, failures and struggles of today’s farmers locally and nationally.

“Diversity of crops is important in helping us navigate these tough times,” said Darrin Walenta, Extension agronomist for the Oregon State University Extension Service in Union, Baker and Wallowa counties.

Union County had $80 million in total sales and Wallowa County posted $47.5 million, each up $5 million from 2007. Baker County fell $1 million to $66.5 million in 2008.

That mostly positive report came one week after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its 2007 Census of Agriculture. Taken every five years, the census showed that while there was a 4 percent increase in the number of farms nationwide, the number of Oregon farms is down 4 percent to 38,553, down from 40,033 in 2002.

Still, the fewer farms produced more money.

Union County lost nearly 100 farms over the five years, but the area of farmland went up, and the average farm size jumped 15 percent.

Baker County saw a slight drop in the number of farms and larger decreases in land and average size, while Wallowa County had slight increases in farms and farmland, and a low drop in average farm size.

Katy Coba, Oregon Department of Agriculture director, said in a press release the census numbers reaffirmed the state’s agricultural strength, but the department would watch the falling number of farms as well as the increasing age of farmers.

The market value of agricultural products sold in the state increased 37 percent in 2007, but farm production expenses increased 34 percent that same year. Statewide, the only added farms were large ones with more than $500,000 in sales, and while Walenta said the census doesn’t take into account small woodlots, the key word is expansion.

“Farms get larger in order to survive,” he said. “The cost of input goes up considerably, which really puts productions in a big bind.”

Both the government and private sector look at the census data when making decisions about locations of programs and services, water use for irrigation, research, grants and rural development.

While the state’s organic production was up almost 900 percent, from nearly $10 million in 2002 to $88 million in 2007, the steady numbers in products important to the local economy bode well, Walenta said.

“We are seeing trends compared to the nation,” he said. “Where we go from here, I don’t know.”