05/28/08 Oregon Ag Booming

Oregon Ag Booming. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. The production value of Oregon agriculture has never been higher and is now approaching five billion dollars, according to preliminary statistics for 2007. Oregon has its first billion dollar commodity, a new commodity has cracked the top ten list, and the value of Oregon agriculture is at a record high 4.9 billion dollars- all good news to Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. COBA: It's absolutely amazing when you think we just cracked the four billion mark two years ago. Obviously the price of commodities and food products have contributed to that. But at the same time, it continues to show the value of agriculture to Oregon's economy. Greenhouse and nursery products remains the number one commodity in terms of production value, and becomes the first to pass one billion dollars. A new member of the top ten list is wine grapes, valued at 68 million dollars in 2007. COBA: I knew it would happen. I just didn't think it would happen this quickly. Congratulations to the wine industry. They are such a great representative of Oregon and Oregon agriculture and what we are. We are thrilled to see it. The top five commodities in order of production value include greenhouse and nursery, grass seed, cattle and calves, hay, and milk. The overall industry value grew 6.5 percent this past year and has increased in value now 20 of the past 22 years. Tom Fessler of Woodburn Nursery, and member of the State Board of Agriculture, says reaching the billion dollar milestone is a big step. But he sees the rapid growth of the past few years moderating. FESSLER: What I see is that the growth will probably table off a little bit. But I see it continuing to grow but maybe not as rapidly. It probably won't go as fast, because we doubled in about 10 to 12 years there. That's pretty quick growth. Pat Dudley of Bethel Heights Vineyard, and also a member of the State Board of Agriculture, is pleased to see wine grapes crack the top ten list of Oregon agricultural commodities for the first time. DUDLEY: I've been watching the list every year since I got on the board and it's been not there and not there and not there. I'm delighted and not surprised, because the business is booming and the bankers are encouraging us to plant more, plant more, plant more. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.