New Year Optimism

New Year Optimism. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.
Despite the economic challenges facing Oregon's farmers and ranchers, the state's agriculture director is hopeful that a turnaround can begin in 2010. Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, is optimistic by nature. And she is hoping for a bright side for the industry in the New Year.

COBA: My hope for 2010 would be that we see the economy turning around, I think, quicker than most people are predicting and that agriculture comes out of this economic downturn quicker than it typically does. I'm just really hopeful that our farmers and ranchers can continue to hang on until the economy turns around and they can start making money again.

Coba is aware that some ag operators have had to go out of business this past year and says economic challenges are not going to go away anytime soon. Still, she has faith in the industry.

COBA:  This industry is just an incredible industry. We've had century farms and ranches in this state- multiple ones. We've had 150 year farms and ranches. These are people who know how to survive through very, very difficult circumstances and then really enjoy the good times.

With Oregon's diverse agriculture, some commodities may recover more quickly than others. Still, Coba is encouraged by such things as the increased interest by Oregon consumers to know where there food comes from and buy local. That trend can help keep agriculture viable for many operators over the next 12 months. Coba says a key issue for the Oregon Department of Agriculture this New Year will be enhancing food safety efforts despite statewide budget problems.

COBA: At the state level, we just know there's continually more interest in food safety and where your food comes from. That has a lot of implications for our food safety program and also the challenges we have with funding.

Coba expects agriculture to be more of a campaign topic during the gubernatorial election of 2010 simply because Oregonians seem to be more interested in ag.

COBA: Wanting to support local food, concerns around food security, concerns around food safety. I would hope to see that agriculture plays a more prominent role in the campaigns and what the candidates discuss.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.