03/06/08 Depending on Ag

Depending on Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. Agriculture continues to be an important part of the economy for each of the Oregon's 36 counties, according to newly released statistics. Preliminary statistics from Oregon State University show that 2007 was a very good year overall for farmers and ranchers statewide. JOHNSON: All but five counties in the state had an increase in sales. Some of the counties had substantial increases. Eleven of the 36 counties in Oregon actually saw double digit percentage increases in terms of the value of agricultural production. Jim Johnson of the Oregon Department of Agriculture says high prices for certain commodities like wheat boosted some of the counties east of the Cascades this past year and altered the list of the top five agricultural counties. JOHNSON: The top three counties year after year, for a long time, have been Willamette Valley and, for that matter, metro region North Willamette Valley counties. Umatilla County busted up back into the top three this year. Also cracking the top five is Morrow County with Klamath County at number six with an impressive 45 percent increase in ag sales over the previous year. Marion County remains at the top with more than 614 million dollars in sales, followed by Clackamas County at number two. Overall, Oregon's agricultural sales for 2007 is up more than ten percent at nearly 4.9 billion dollars. Johnson says even though the Eastern Oregon counties of Umatilla, Morrow, and Klamath all saw huge gains this past year in ag sales, the Willamette Valley also saw good percentage increases. JOHNSON: Marion was up five, Clackamas was up four, Yamhill was up just a little over seven percent. The Willamette Valley is doing well. It is still Oregon agriculture's industrial park. Johnson says as impressive as the numbers are for 2007, it appears ag sales figures for 2008 will be even better because of continuing increases in the price paid for grain and other crops. JOHNSON: We're talking about values based on seven dollar a bushel wheat last year basically overall- seven to eight dollars a bushel wheat. Wheat's at eleven dollars a bushel now or more. Unless there are some dramatic changes there, we're going to see a super 2008- and that's just wheat. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.