10/03/07 Oregon Exports Up

Oregon Exports Up. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. Oregon agricultural exports are up and the percentage of Oregon agriculture that receives value-added processing is also on the rise- two important trends for one of the state's leading industries. U.S. ag exports are expected to eclipse all previous record highs this current fiscal year, which is good news for Oregon, according to state agriculture director Katy Coba. COBA: When you consider that 80 to 85 percent of what we produce in Oregon leaves our state's borders- of that amount, half of it moves into an international market- there's no question that we are dependent on exports. In Oregon, second quarter statistics show the value of exported agricultural products, including food products, has increased greater than any other sector and now stands at more than 1.15 billion dollars- second only to computer and electronic products as Oregon's top export category. COBA: Agriculture is a very important part of Oregon's economy. It has not died and gone away. Sometimes, those outside of agriculture think that's the case. This kind of factual information just demonstrates the continued importance of Oregon agriculture to our economy, and the reason why all of us in Oregon need to do what we can to support this industry. Meanwhile, an Oregon State University study shows that about 53 percent of the overall value of what agriculture in the state produces is derived from value-added processing, which is also on the increase. Whether it is food processing, packaging, or even certification, Oregon producers are more likely getting a greater return on their product because they are adding value up front. Coba says anything an agricultural producer can do to add value to their product will give them a greater return in the marketplace. That's why the increase in value-added agriculture as shown in the OSU study is encouraging: COBA: We in Oregon need to continue to look at traditional opportunities to add value and new opportunities to add value whether that's packaging, labeling, certification- all of those creative things so we can get more value for our product we produce in Oregon. Coba says the trend of increased exports and the trend of increased value-added agriculture in Oregon go hand in hand, especially in markets like China, where incomes are rising and consumers are able to afford higher-valued food products. COBA: Those are the markets that we look for around the world, where we can sell our high quality, value-added products and get a good premium back to Oregon producers and processors and continue to take advantage of the global marketplace. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.