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Governor’s trade mission solidifies ties with Japan

IN THIS ISSUE

Governor’s trade mission solidifies ties with Japan—1

Director’s column: Alexis Taylor—2

Board of Ag profile: On the road—2

Regional conference inspires women in agriculture—4

Newest issue of Growing Oregon magazine has arrived—4

Getting strategic with water quality—5

ODA invites Specialty Crop Block Grant proposals—5

So you want to be a farmer?—6

“Oregon’s Harvest” a TV hit—6

Census of Agriculture comes to Oregon—7

The Japanese beetle battle, part two—7

Oregon Agripedia—8

Announcements—8

Oregon go to Japan each year—an amazing number that translates into jobs and economic activity for the state.

Over the years, it has been proven time after time that relationship building is an important ingredient to successful trade with Japan. Even with today’s technology, there is no substitute for buyer and seller meeting face to face, even when there is an ocean between the two.

A one-week trade mission to Asia in October had a decided emphasis on Oregon food and agriculture as Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor led a delegation focused on doing business with Japan. Among the delegates were representatives of eight Oregon companies connected to food and agriculture who made a strong impression throughout the week.

“We wanted to make sure our companies left Japan having made solid relationships that lead to solid sales,” Taylor says.

Members of the ag delegation included: Willamette Valley Fruit Company of Salem; OFD Foods of Albany; Northwest Hazelnut of Hubbard; Ponzi Vineyards of Sherwood; 2 Towns Cider of Corvallis; Bossco Trading of Tangent; Weaver Seed Processing of Scio, and Pacific Seafood, headquartered in Clackamas. Some of the companies have done business with Japan before, others were making their first effort.

Director Taylor and two ODA staff members experienced in the international market provided assistance to the Oregon companies. There also was a strong presence by Oregon State University and the Portland-based Food Innovation Center.

Day One: Stopover in Hong Kong

Oregon Governor Kate Brown and part of Oregon’s delegation visited the Cathay Pacific seven-story air cargo facility, which handles 2.6 million tons of air cargo per year. Hong Kong is a gateway for trade into Asia. In November 2016, Cathay Pacific began direct air cargo flights from Portland to Hong Kong. Since the inaugural flight, some of the cargo has come directly from Oregon. For the state’s food and agriculture sector, the types of products sent on these flights include fresh cherries, fresh blueberries, live crab, and cut greens for florist shops.

Japan: continued on page 3

By Bruce Pokarney

The Land of the Rising Sun has been a strong trade partner of Oregon agriculture for decades. It wasn’t long after the end of World War II that some commodity groups—most prominently Oregon’s wheat growers—were looking to help feed Japan. That effort has evolved into a vibrant, dynamic market for Oregon. With about 127 million people, Japan remains the state’s top export market for agricultural products and an important stop for trade mission delegates. More than $1.5 billion worth of agricultural goods from

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Board of Ag profile: On the roadThe State Board of Agriculture is preparing and distributing Oregon Ag Briefing—a newsletter that follows each quarterly meeting of the board. This newsletter will provide timely information about key topics within Oregon agriculture and serve as a companion document to the biennial state of the industry report to the Governor and the Oregon Legislature issued by the Board of Agriculture.You can subscribe to the quarterly Oregon Ag Briefing at https://oda.fyi/BOAsubscribe Each newsletter also will be online at https://oda.direct/BoardAgriculture

Here are excerpts from the inaugural newsletter, which followed the November board meeting in Portland.

At the November State Board of Agriculture, the board received a canola research briefing from Dr. Carol Mallory-Smith. The purpose of this research was to assess the potential for co-existence between canola and other brassica seed crops in the Willamette Valley. This research was requested by the Oregon legislature in 2013. The board will continue to discuss this

topic in 2018 as the department prepares recommendations for ensuring the coexistence of the production of canola and other agricultural crops as required by HB 3382 (2015).

Kristen Sheeran, Carbon Policy Advisor for Governor Kate Brown, spoke to the board about the state’s carbon policy and additional policy elements to be considered during the 2018 legislative session. The California Department of Agriculture also joined via phone for the board to learn about California’s cap and trade program. Initial thoughts about this policy from the agriculture, food, and beverage sectors are mixed. We look forward to continued discussion on this topic.

The board had the opportunity to tour a cannabis facility. As agriculture’s newest regulated commodity, we learned that cannabis growers experience many of the same challenges as those growing more traditional

commodities: availability of skilled labor, co-existence with non-farming neighbors, access to financing, and maintaining compliance with multiple state regulations.

The board also toured Terminal 6 at the Port of Portland, which provided welcome news, the return of container service to Terminal 6. Reestablishing this call gives Oregon’s farmers, ranchers, and fishers a local option to ship goods overseas. It is quite possible that there is not a single Oregon agricultural commodity that cannot be produced elsewhere in the world. Access to lower cost transport options, like marine transport, helps high value, low margin commodities, like agricultural goods, remain competitive in overseas markets.

State Board of Ag “Round Up”

The Oregon Department of Agriculture is in its final stages of completing its agency strategic plan. The plan will be finalized and begin implementation in January 2018.

The board is currently in the process of reviewing and updating their resolutions. Before the meeting adjourned, the board reviewed and updated their resolution

related to the co-existence of livestock and wolves. The original resolution related to wolves was established in May 2009. Additional language was added to support the Wolf Depredation and Financial Assistance Grant Program and stressed the importance of science-based wolf management decisions.

From a tremendous pool of candidates, the board recommended individuals for the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Commission (HB 3249) and the Ocean Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification (SB 1039). Each of these important initiatives were established during the 2017 legislative session. The board would like to thank all of those that applied.

2018 State Board of Ag meeting calendarFebruary 20–22, 2018, SalemJune 5–7, TBDSeptember 25–27, TBDNovember 27–29, McMinnville •

Director’s column: Alexis Taylor

Google the term “strategic plan,” and you will find some very good definitions and several impressive examples of valued organizational roadmaps created and adopted by private companies, non-profits, and government agencies. It takes time and thoughtful effort to develop a strategic plan, especially for an organization as diverse and complex as the Oregon Department of Agriculture. But here we are, ready to unveil the 2018-2023 ODA Strategic Plan—a living document that will be reviewed annually and that will serve as a guidepost for the agency’s staff and management as we move forward.

I’m grateful to my predecessor, Katy Coba, who initiated this strategic plan. I continued her approach of identifying what ODA needs to do to effectively accomplish its work. The plan is simply a way to make sure we have what we need to take us where we need to go.

Like most strategic plans, this one includes a mission, vision, and core values. Those three pillars of the agency have been slightly tweaked but clearly define who we are and why we exist. The mission: Ensure healthy natural resources, environment, and economy for Oregonians now and in the future through inspection and certification, regulation, and promotion of agriculture and food. The vision: ODA remains able to serve the changing needs of Oregon’s diverse agriculture and food sectors to maintain and enhance a healthy natural resource base, and strong economy in rural and urban communities across the state. The core values: Honesty, integrity, and fairness; diversity, equity, and inclusion; respect for people and property; practical collaborative approaches to problem solving; science-based approaches that include technical and professional competence; transparency; and quality customer service.

The strategic plan outlines seven key objectives, each of which defines the objective and provides direction on how we will know if we are doing it right.

The key objectives include:

• Operate as a role model organization

• Operate in a culture of compliance and support

• Embrace a culture of collaboration

• Foster employee excellence

• Provide excellent customer service recognizing the diversity of Oregon agriculture

• Connect and promote Oregon food and agriculture as a valued experience for consumers and an exciting career choice

• Strive for clear, concise, and inclusive communication

These key objectives emerged after a lengthy process of evaluating priorities, challenges, and opportunities. We asked our employees for input. We talked to stakeholder organizations. We approached the Board of Agriculture as a critical partner in developing our strategic plan. As I write in the special message that prefaces the strategic plan, “We believe that the best solutions come from the melding of many perceptions, concepts, backgrounds, and approaches, reflecting those we serve.”

Our strategic plan gives us achievable goals to attain even though implementing the plan will take a strong, collective agency effort. By executing a carefully

crafted plan, ODA can produce desirable outcomes and facilitate continuous improvement.

The first unveiling of ODA’s strategic plan, the final version, took place at an all staff meeting in early January. Coincidentally kicking off the new year, this plan gives us a positive and focused beginning of a journey the agency will be taking over the next five years—a plan that will be dynamic, effective, nimble, and something we can be proud of. It’s also something we want to share with all Oregonians. Please give it a look on the ODA website at https://oda.direct/StrategicPlan and let us know what you think. •

The Board of Agriculture met in Portland in late November.

Board members toured a cannabis production facility in NE Portland.

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The Oregon seafood and fruit companies on the tour were most interested when Cathay Pacific officials discussed the “cool room,” which can hold perishable products at three different temperatures as appropriate for all products held at the facility.

Dungeness crab seen at the up-scale Great Food Hall supermarket likely came to Hong Kong on a Cathay Pacific flight from Oregon. At $340 each, the price looks outrageous, but remember: it’s in Hong Kong dollars. In US dollars each crab is about $44.

Day Two: Oregon specialty seeds sprout in Japan

Director Taylor paid a visit to Murakami Farms, which has nine farms across Japan and supplies about 85 percent of all Japanese grocery stores with sprouts, including pea sprouts, daikon radish sprouts, and even broccoli sprouts. The facility at the focus of the tour produces sprouts from pea seeds grown by farmers in Oregon. Gary Weaver of Weaver Seed in Scio was part of the trade mission delegation, and he arranged a tour of one of his key customer’s facilities, located about two hours from Tokyo. Expansion of this facility helps meet the growing demand in Japan and other Asian markets for specialty seeds produced by Weaver. The high quality, safe seed from Oregon is imperative to the success of Murakami Farm.

Day Three: Japan savors Oregon wine and cider

It’s getting easier to find high quality Oregon products in Japan’s top-level supermarkets, especially when it comes to beverages. Director Taylor and ODA trade manager Theresa Yoshioka joined Oregon’s own 2 Towns Ciderhouse on a visit to Nissan World Delicatessen, located in the center of Tokyo, and its extensive wine, beer, and cider selections from around the world. On display was 2 Towns Craft Cider. The importer of the cider and the store owner were happy to meet with the director and appreciated her support for Oregon products in the Japanese market.

Meanwhile, Maria Ponzi and Brenna Patterson of Oregon’s Ponzi Vineyards visited the same supermarket with their company’s Japanese distributor. A couple

bottles of freshly autographed Ponzi pinot noir were on the shelf.

With the trip to Japan now under their belt, both women are excited about the results.

“This was a very successful trade mission for us,” wrote Patterson in an email to ODA Director Taylor.

“Strengthening our relationship with our current importer made all of the difference and it was great to get a better insight into the Japanese market. “This trip has already translated into increased business for us!”

Capping the busy day, Governor Brown welcomed more than 120 guests, most of whom are importers and distributors of Oregon products, and companies with operations in the state, as part of a “Friends of Oregon Reception.” Attendees raised a glass of Ponzi wine in a toast delivered at the reception.

Day Four: Fruitful trip for Oregon company

Oregon jams and juices have found their way to a specialty food shop in an upscale shopping center in Tokyo. Willamette Valley Fruit Company (WVFC) of Salem buys fresh fruits and berries from local farms, then individually quick freezes them at the peak of freshness and nutritional value. WVFC’s Derek Imig was part of the ag delegation and visited the St. Cousair shop, which is selling jam and juice made at its Newberg facility, St. Cousair Oregon Orchard. Some of the berries used in St. Cousair’s products are supplied by Willamette Valley Fruit Company.

St. Cousair Oregon Orchards is a great example of Japanese investment in Oregon agriculture. A focus of this trade mission was getting more Japanese food processing companies to consider operations in the state.

Also on day four, Maria Ponzi met with the media at a press event in Tokyo (that included a wine tasting) and then went on to visit several more department stores and shops that carry Ponzi wines. She also participated in a Women

in Leadership panel that included Governor Brown and ODA Director Taylor.

For Director Taylor, it was another jam-packed day that included meeting with Yoichi Watanabe, the Director General of the International Affairs Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, to discuss trade agreements and the long-standing relationship between Oregon and Japanese food and agricultural producers.

Day Five: Cooking up something special

The message to Japanese food-processing companies was simple: You are welcome to do business with Oregon and in Oregon. But before a “Doing Business in Oregon” seminar that showcased several Oregon ingredients in uniquely created dishes, the day began for the ag delegation with a visit to the US Embassy in Tokyo to meet with the USDA Agricultural Trade Office (ATO). It was a great opportunity for the companies to learn about promotions and activities that this team does to promote US food and agricultural products in Japan. It also provided a good opportunity for the ATO team to better understand Oregon products and the companies selling and those interested in selling to the Japanese market.

In the afternoon, the seminar educated Japanese food-processing companies about the opportunity to open facilities or offices in Oregon, thus providing jobs in Oregon and more value-add to Oregon ag products. Oregon State University was a major presence at the seminar. Ann Colonna with the Food Innovation Center gave a presentation about OSU’s sensory program she manages, telling the audience the cost of testing their product through sensory testing is insignificant compared with the cost of launching a product that fails. To illustrate how sensory testing works, Ann had the audience evaluate four flavors of Oregon craft ciders. It was a great way to expose them to Oregon craft cider and the FIC sensory program.

An Oregon Food Ingredient Showcase after the seminar featured the work of OSU research chef Jason Ball, who had help from four of the ag delegates: Pacific Seafood, Willamette Valley Fruit Company, Northwest Hazelnuts, and OFD Foods. Chef Ball created three wonderful dishes featuring Oregon rockfish, blackberries, hazelnuts and freeze-dried chicken.

After the trade mission, FIC Director Dave Stone reflected on the value of sending OSU folks to Japan.

“Our participation proved to be another great example of a successful collaborative outreach effort between OSU and ODA.

Within two months of the Governor’s mission, a major food-processing company from Japan traveled to Oregon to learn more about the technical services that the Food Innovation Center provides to food and beverage processors. This trade mission has given OSU the opportunity to work more closely with Japanese food companies and strengthen our commitment to expand Oregon’s business and trade partnerships.”

Day Six: The return home

By all accounts, it was a successful mission. With such a large delegation from the agriculture industry, the Governor found herself talking about food and ag in every speech.

Just among the seven companies represented in the mission that provided information, there were 37 meetings with customers and potential customers, a press conference, and a special dinner. The mission also provided great exposure to Oregon craft cider through a sensory demonstration by Oregon State University representatives, food products through the Oregon Food Ingredient Showcase, and Oregon wine at receptions and networking events.

“Being a part of the Governor’s Trade mission to Hong Kong and Tokyo was both an honor and a great success for Willamette Valley Fruit Company,” Imig says. “The powerful combination of new contacts made, selling avenues opened, and global market information gleaned proved to be invaluable as WVFC continues to expand its reach as one of the Oregon’s premier fruit processors.”

Having a governor and a state director of agriculture on the mission certainly raised the profile of Oregon’s visit to Japan. It also solidified existing relationships and opened a few doors to meetings that the accompanying businesses would not get otherwise.

“Japan is an evolving market looking for the things we excel at growing in Oregon,” says ODA Director Taylor.

“With Oregon’s proximity to the Pacific Rim, there continues to be a huge opportunity. We’ve capitalized on that in Japan over the past several years and decades; we want to continue building upon that success now and in the future.”

For a state that doesn’t have the population to consume all that it produces, an export market is important. And there hasn’t been an export market any more important than Japan. •

Japan: continued from page 1

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Regional conference inspires women in agriculture“We can do it!” was the theme of a regional conference of women in agriculture. Oregon is one of the states able to show this theme in action when it comes to successful women connected to one of the state’s leading industries.

“The theme emphasized we can do anything we set our minds to, and this conference was about coming together, networking, and supporting each other,” said Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor, one of two keynote speakers for the sixth annual Women in Agriculture Conference held in November simultaneously at 40 locations in five Pacific Northwest states, including Oregon. Director Taylor spoke via teleconference from her ODA office to audiences gathered in Salem, Roseburg, Redmond, The Dalles, and La Grande. Women in Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska also gathered at various locations to hear what she had to say.

“One of my key messages was the benefit of mentorship. Whether you are in a government role like I am, in a leadership role as part of an ag organization, or a farmer or rancher, there are women out there looking

to you for guidance. Whether that’s done formally or informally, those mentor relationships are critical to the next generation of women leaders.”

Another theme delivered by Taylor is the importance of women taking an active role in leadership.

“Being part of a commodity organization, a member of the State Board of Agriculture, or serving on a local county committee, are all opportunities to step up and become a leader,” said Taylor. “Everybody is busy, but having a woman’s voice at that leadership table is important.”

Compared to other states, Oregon ranks high in the percentage of women running a farm or ranch. Nearly 40 percent of the state’s agricultural operators are female while the national average is 31 percent. One in five principal operators in Oregon—the one most responsible for making the farm’s business decisions—is a woman. That may not seem like a high percentage, but it is ten times higher than many other states. In general, the voice of women in agriculture seems to be greatly respected in Oregon.

“Our state is very forward leaning on having recognized the value of women leaders in agriculture for a long time, and the story they can tell with a distinct, unique voice and perspective,” said Taylor.

“I have been able to meet many of these amazing, dynamic women who are farming and ranching. It’s not just their father’s or husband’s operation. These women are out there making the business decisions and working the land day in and day out.”

Statistics from the latest US Census of Agriculture show Oregon with 7,013 women principal operators out of the 35,439 farms in Oregon. The market value of products sold from these women-led operations is more than $263 million. While most of the

farms operated by women are less than 50 acres in size, the same is true for those with male principal operators. In fact, nearly all farm characteristics in Oregon are relatively the same whether those farms are operated by a man or a woman.

Growing up on her family’s Iowa farm, Director Taylor didn’t sense that her experiences would be any different had she been a boy.

“My dad only had two daughters, so when the cows needed to be fed or he needed someone to drive the tractor and haul grain, either my sister or I would do it. Nothing was off limits on the farm because we were girls or jobs that would be considered just for boys. Growing up, I didn’t realize that might have been unique.”

Before coming to ODA, Taylor became one of the more senior women as part of the US Department of Agriculture’s leadership. Serving as Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services, she oversaw the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Taylor worked to build new markets across the globe and improve the overall competitive position of US agricultural products in the marketplace. But one of her proudest endeavors was to lead the Women in Ag Initiative that was a driving force in USDA’s mission to support the growing and diverse next generation of farmers and ranchers.

“It started out as an informal network and platform to talk about promoting women in agriculture into leadership and policy making

roles, but it evolved into something concrete at USDA,” said Taylor. The initiative established a formal women in ag employee group at USDA but also focused externally on stakeholders around the country and internationally where, in some countries, women may be 70 percent of the farmers but still can’t own land.

While the November conference was geared towards women, Taylor says progress can’t be made without the understanding, support, and buy in from men.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have male bosses who believed in me, who challenged me to be better and to think more critically. Because of them, I enjoy the role I have today. Without men being part of the conversation, there is only so much advancement we as women are able to make.”

Taylor says the great participation of women in agriculture is one of the exciting aspects of Oregon and the state’s diversity —not just in what is produced on the farm, but who is producing it—was one of the biggest reasons she wanted to come west.

The one-day Women in Ag Conference was designed to inspire those who attended, focusing on challenges but also opportunities. The consensus is that the conference delivered and was well worth the participation. •

Newest issue of Growing Oregon magazine has arrivedThe Oregon Department of Agriculture announces its 2017 edition of Growing Oregon: A guide to the state’s farms, food and markets. The magazine offers a diversity of stories that profile the state’s agricultural bounty, its producers, and the many opportunities for consumers to experience Oregon agriculture for themselves.

“Oregon consumers enjoy and ask for local food and agricultural products, and they want to learn more about the people in Oregon agriculture who make it happen,” says Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor. “They also want to find out how they can experience Oregon ag themselves. Storytelling is a great way to make the connection. This fourth edition of Growing Oregon continues to tell some of the stories of our industry—words and pictures that educate and entertain the reader, and also draw everyone closer to agriculture.”

ODA has worked with Farm Flavor Media, a division of nationally recognized publisher Journal Communications, to produce the magazine. No public funds were used in the production of the magazine, which was supported through advertising by Oregon commodity commissions, agricultural organizations, and private companies.

The 48-page magazine features original photography, reader-friendly charts and graphs, recipes, and profiles of individual producers and companies. Among its 10 feature stories, the magazine highlights Oregon

food entrepreneurs, Tribal agriculture, and the state’s mint and wool industries. With its focus on the consumer, Growing Oregon offers links to additional information on how to engage and experience Oregon agriculture. ODA will use the magazine in direct mailings, trade shows, consumer venues, and to connect with Oregon’s decision makers. Copies also are distributed to Oregon businesses and organizations connected to agriculture and fisheries.

A print copy of Growing Oregon: A guide to the state’s farms, food and markets is available upon request by contacting the Oregon Department of Agriculture at (503) 986-4550 or by email at info@oda.state.or.us A digital version of the magazine is available at OR-agriculture.com •

ODA Director Taylor delivers keynote remarks via teleconference at the Women in Agriculture Conference held throughout the Pacific Northwest.

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Getting strategic with water qualityBy Andy Zimmerman

Along a 2.3-mile stretch of the Lower North Yamhill River in Western Oregon, changes are beginning to take root.

The work is part of the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s (ODA) Strategic Initiatives, where ODA and local agricultural producers are focused on improving vegetation along the river’s edge. Strategic Implementation Areas (SIAs) are integral in implementing these initiatives. Through Oregon Watershed Board Enhancement (OWEB) grants, more than 55,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted, and more than 20,000 more will be added in the spring along the Lower North Yamhill.

An SIA is an area where agriculture and water meet and have been prioritized for improvement based on criteria, including water quality parameters of concern from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and aquatic species of concern such as Lamprey populations, from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Clean Water Act establishes the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed in a waterbody and serves as the starting point or planning tool for restoring water quality, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District’s (SWCD) project on the Lower North Yamhill isn’t the only SIA around the state. Fifteen SIAs were selected from 2013-17. Twelve more will be added for 2017-19.

“The process also takes into account commercial elements, recreation and conservation concerns within the context of conservation and recovery priorities,” says John Byers, ODA’s Agricultural Water Quality program manager.

After an SIA is identified, ODA does a compliance evaluation. The agency uses aerial imagery, topographic maps, and field surveys to look for agricultural activities that might be potentially polluting waters of the state, such as manure piles that could impact water quality (surface and groundwater), lack of streamside vegetation, or soil erosion concerns. ODA does not go onto

private land without permission. Compliance only can be determined by an on-site examination with ODA.

After prioritization is completed and properties are identified, ODA holds an open house for all landowners that were within the SIA. The department discusses why the area was selected. State agencies work in tandem to identify potential issues. Local partners, such as SWCDs and Watershed Councils (WCs) conduct landowner outreach and technical assistance to apply for OWEB and other grants to conduct voluntary conservation and restoration projects. ODA conducts land condition assessments, and contacts select landowners who have not been in touch with the local partners. Working with SWCDs and/or WCs, landowners have four years to make improvements.

“With the district working with the producers inside the SIA, conservation practices are enhanced, and in most cases, no agricultural water quality rule enforcement action has been necessary,” Byers says. “Producers worked with the district, and through grant monies. In many cases, the management activities that were implemented improved the agricultural operation, water quality concerns have been addressed, and rule compliance was assured.”

In previous years, OWEB gave $1 million for projects only, not for planning or technical assistance. For 2017-19, OWEB is providing $1.2 million during the biennium to SWCDs and WCs to help with technical assistance, planning, outreach, and monitoring in the SIAs.

“The reason we do that is it allows all districts (to participate) regardless of their capacity,” Byers says.

“If you have a small district, they don’t have the ability to write robust conservation plans to provide uplift within the watershed. Through our process—it’s a cooperative effort—we know where work needs to be done, products can be put on the ground, and water quality improves without enforcement actions.”

“By law, agricultural management activities cannot pollute. For

example, farming right up to the creek, and not allowing the streamside vegetation area to establish and grow could be a violation,” Byers says.

Throughout the state, local Area Plans, developed in cooperation

with appointed Local Advisory Committees

(LACs) and ODA, define the expectations of agricultural operations to ensure continued improvement in land conditions and water quality protection. There are 38 Agricultural Water Quality Management Areas in Oregon, and

they are reviewed and updated every two years with LAC members.

In 2016, Yamhill SWCD was awarded $177,000 in SIA grant funds to help install and maintain a riparian buffer along a 2.3-mile stretch of the Lower North Yamhill River north of Carlton.

“A lot of it was farmed right to the river’s edge,” says Josh Togstad, a riparian specialist with Yamhill SWCD. “In areas where it wasn’t farmed up to the river’s edge, it was mostly blackberries and weeds. It was probably one of the more lacking buffers in Yamhill County.”

The groundwork for the improvements along the Lower North Yamhill River started two to three years earlier, Togstad says. “When the area was made an SIA, we were able to come to (landowners) and pitch what we might be able to do with this grant.”

Work on the Lower North Yamhill will continue in addition to the other SIAs throughout Oregon. The newest SIAs that have been selected are in Clatsop, Curry, Lane, Umatilla, and Wasco counties for 2017-18. ODA, SWCDs/WCs, partner state agencies, and local landowners will work inside each SIA to implement conservation projects that will focus on water quality protection, ensure compliance to the Area Rules, and support the local Area Plans to achieve ecological uplift throughout these watersheds.

Additional SIAs will continue to be identified for future efforts in agricultural areas around the state. •

Workers clear blackberries and brush from a stretch of the Lower North Yamhill River as part of an SIA project. Photo by Josh Togstad, Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District

More than 55,000 native trees and plants have been added to a 2.3-mile stretch of the Lower North Yamhill River as part of a Strategic Implementation Area (SIA) project with more to be planted in early 2018. ODA has announced additional SIAs. Photo by Josh Togstad, Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District

ODA invites Specialty Crop Block Grant proposalsSpecialty Crop Block Grant Program projects for 2017 have been awarded. Now it’s time to look forward to 2018. ODA is now accepting proposals for project ideas as approximately $1.5 million is expected to be available for 2018. Agriculture industry associations, producer groups, processors, commodity commissions, non-profits, for profits, and local government agencies in Oregon are eligible and encouraged to submit proposals. Funding for Oregon’s program is contingent upon federal funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

Specialty crops are defined as commonly recognized fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops. Oregon ranks in the top 10 nationwide in production of specialty crops.

ODA is requesting 15-page grant proposals from applicants describing their proposed projects. Proposals should be submitted online and must be

received by 12:00 noon Pacific Standard Time on Tuesday, February 27, 2018.In March, an industry advisory committee will evaluate proposals and

make recommendations to ODA Director Alexis Taylor on the selection of the top-ranked applicants. Selected applicants will be submitted to USDA in the Oregon State Plan Application. Projects chosen to receive funding will be announced by November 2018.

ODA staff is available to provide applicants an understanding of the 2018 granting process and requirements. Directions on submitting grant proposal applications and other information is available at https://oda.direct/SCBGP or by contacting ODA’s Agricultural Development and Marketing Program at (503) 986-4620.

Over the past decade, Oregon has received close to $15 million in funding from the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which has paved the way for more than 200 projects throughout the state. Last year, 14 projects were funded that involved a diversity of crops spanning a wide geographic area of Oregon agricultural production. A summary of the 2017 projects is available at https://oda.direct/SCBGPprojects2017 •

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So you want to be a farmer? Welcome to the 110-hour work weekKookoolan Farms is nestled in the heart of wine country just outside of Portland. Among the rolling vineyard hills and the grassy farmlands speckled with livestock, you’ll find Koorosh and Chrissie Zaerpoor’s farm—Kookoolan Farms —peacefully situated right off the highway. Starting their farm from scratch, they’ve molded it into the successful enterprise. While Koorosh and Chrissie love the opportunity to live the farming lifestyle, they recognize their lives could have taken a turn in another direction—33.9 million miles away to be exact.

Chrissie and Koorosh have spent the past 12 years making Kookoolan Farms what it is today. They produce grass-fed beef and lamb, raise and slaughter free-range chickens, offer farm-fresh eggs, and make their own kombucha and mead. Chrissie also has published a cookbook about foods that pair well with her mead. While they’ll openly admit that it hasn’t been easy, the Zaerpoors have created a life working in an industry that challenges and satisfies them.

Chrissie and Koorosh met while working at Intel, where they were engineers. Koorosh remembers being “offered a job to (conduct) a feasibility study at Aerospace Corporation to put a nuclear reactor on Mars. It was the dream job.” Koorosh and Chrissie had grown close during their time at Intel, so when she learned of the offer, Chrissie applied for a different position at Aerospace in the hopes of following Koorosh to Southern California.

Although she was willing to move to stay together, living in Los Angeles was not part of Chrissie’s dream. She asked what it would take to make him stay, and his answer was characteristically direct and simple: “Buy me a farm.”

Koorosh explains that there often is a DIY spirit among farmers, and this industry offers a unique way to make your mark on the world. This appealed to him. “I’ve always wanted a farm, to have animals.” He smiles. “You know, maybe a couple chickens, an acre or two, some ducks maybe.”

In 2005, after touring nearly 200 properties, the Zaerpoors bought a farm. The name “Kookoolan” comes from the nickname Koorosh’s father gave to him. So, when it came time to name their new farm, the decision already was made. And so, began the transformation of the property now known as Kookoolan Farms.

“The farmhouse that stands on our property today is a far cry from what we started out with,” Chrissie explains, “but the shell of the original home is still in here.” Today, their home looks like something out of a prestigious home-decorating magazine.

Having found a new dream, they stayed on as full-time employees at Intel while also working to establish the farm. This made for a rough first few years. Neither Chrissie nor Koorosh had a firm grasp on what it would take to run a farm. So they started with what they knew: as engineers at Intel, they were tasked with the testing,

improving, and troubleshooting of processes. They applied these strategies to running a farm. Chrissie ruefully describes that time as “trial by fire.”

In addition to their 40-hour work weeks, their days now included feeding and watering the animals, slaughtering chickens in the Oregon Department of Agriculture-certified slaughterhouse, packing the chickens, stocking the store, going

to farmers’ markets, barely sleeping, then doing it all over again the next day. Chrissie recalls “working the graveyard shift” in the slaughterhouse and thinking to herself, “I went to graduate school for this?!” Koorosh admits his moments of

doubt, remembering when he told Chrissie, “You know all of those fools who say we are living the dream? Email them right now, and if they write back in twenty minutes, they can have the farm for free.”

Both say that some of the biggest lessons they learned were about how far the human psyche and body can be pushed. “We discovered

that the max number of hours a human being can work in one week is somewhere around 110. We were working around the clock for pretty much three years straight. It was exhausting,” Chrissie says while Koorosh nods his agreement.

After three years of “no Saturday nights” and what they say were “800 divorces,” they finally found some relief. While the farmers’ market had been a wonderful platform to grow their reputation, immerse themselves in the agricultural community, and build a client base, the time and costs of attending each week no longer made sense. By this time, Chrissie had already left Intel to focus on the farm. So when Koorosh suggested they pull out of the farmers’ markets, she agreed the time was right for a change. Now, with a solid list of devoted clients, Chrissie and Koorosh sell their products from the farm store on their property—a unique store that operates on the honor system.

Starting a farm from scratch is a daunting task, and they caution friends from making the decision to do so lightly. But if you’re the right person (with the right tolerance for sleep-deprivation) it can be incredibly rewarding. These days, Chrissie and Koorosh refer to their “800 divorces” with humor. The hard lessons they learned during their first few years enabled them to streamline their processes and hone in on the most efficient practices for their farm. Ultimately, they are passionate about their farm and proud of the goods they provide to their community.

(This story is reprinted from the Celebrate Oregon Agriculture blog. Read more stories at celebrateoregonagriculture.com) •

“Oregon’s Harvest” a TV hitWith special appearances by Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor, “Oregon’s Harvest” received an initial and an encore performance on KOIN-TV this fall. The 30-minute television special took viewers to the cattle country of Seneca, Oregon, to potato production in the Columbia Basin and to fishers and brewers in Tillamook County. A collaboration between ODA and KOIN, the special included a segment with ODA Director Taylor about how Oregonians can connect with the state’s agriculture.Watch it online at celebrateoregonagriculture.com/oregons-harvest •

7

The Japanese beetle battle, part twoWith year one of an expected five-year Japanese beetle eradication effort completed in the Cedar Mill area of Washington County, the Oregon Department of Agriculture is formulating plans for 2018 that go beyond the first year’s treatment area. The expansion is not unexpected and ODA is hopeful that community support remains impressively strong.

In 2016, ODA caught 372 Japanese beetles in traps placed throughout Cedar Mill and Bonny Slope, making it the largest infestation of the plant-eating insect pest ever recorded in Oregon. In the spring of 2017, more than 2,200 residential properties were treated with Acelepryn—a granular insecticide that targets the larval stage of Japanese beetle. The application was not designed to impact this past year’s generation of

beetles, but will affect their offspring that emerge as adults this coming year. Nonetheless, by the end of the summer, ODA had trapped more than 23,000 beetles.

“That number was higher than we expected but most of the beetles—roughly 97 percent—were trapped within the treatment area, which is good news,” says ODA entomologist Chris Hedstrom, who is spearheading outreach efforts for the Japanese beetle eradication project. “We are confident those populations will start to go down each year of treatment in the area.”

Still, with 3 percent of the beetles trapped outside the treatment boundary, ODA is proposing to increase the area treated in 2018.

“Beetles were found in a larger area of Cedar Mill, extending into Bethany and the Oak Hills area as well as some parts of Hillsboro,” says Hedstrom. “So we propose to increase the number of residences that need to be treated next spring.”

Response and communications plans are being finalized. Outreach

and education is underway for the proposed 2018 project. For a bulk of the residents whose properties will need to be treated again, the messaging is a reinforcement of what they heard last year. But with the new year’s treatment area scheduled to double in size, it’s time for newly

impacted residents to receive an introduction to Japanese beetle and the threat it represents.

“They should all be getting a letter in the mail in January explaining our proposed 2018 operations, what the treatment involves, and the product we are using,” says Hedstrom.

The mailing will include instructions on how to provide consent so that ODA has permission to enter each property in the area when treatment begins in April. Consent was also required and obtained last year before properties were treated.

“We are reaching out to everyone in the area to get the message out that we need their consent for 2018,” says Hedstrom. “In addition to the letters, there will be some door-to-door visits and a couple of open house events in February where people can ask questions, get more information, and fill out consent forms in person.”

In addition to once again treating lawns and turf that might harbor Japanese beetle eggs, ODA plans to add ornamental planting beds to the list of where the larvicide will be targeted and applied. Vegetable gardens or fruit bushes—anything producing food crops—will not be treated.

Not many residents are doing yard work this time of year, but ODA continues to enforce a yard debris quarantine in the area that will continue through 2018. Residential yard debris—including grass clippings, plants with soil, and sod—

must be contained and delivered to the proper location. Those living within the quarantine area should continue using their curbside bin. But if yard debris must be removed from the property, it needs to be bagged or covered so that it can be taken directly to Northwest Landscape Services, 1800 NW Cornelius Pass Rd., in Hillsboro.

Washington County isn’t the only hot spot for Japanese beetle activity. Nearly 200 miles away, a separate but much smaller infestation has been discovered in the Douglas County town of Oakland, just north of Roseburg. The two outbreaks are unrelated, but plans are being made to conduct a small scale treatment next spring in that community as well.

Final decisions will be made in the weeks ahead. But ODA is not waiting to get the word out to the thousands of residents who face the prospect of sharing their neighborhoods with an unwanted invasive insect. A strong network of partner agencies and community groups have banded together to inform the public about the threat of Japanese beetle and the opportunity to successfully deal with it.

More information can be found at JapaneseBeetlePDX.info or by calling ODA’s Jessica Rendon, Chris Hedstrom, and Pat Mitchell look

over a map of the infestation area.

ODA continues to enforce a yard debris quarantine that will continue through 2018.

Census of Agriculture comes to OregonThe most ambitious and important agricultural survey of all is getting underway in Oregon and the rest of the 50 states as the 2017 Census of Agriculture literally reaches out to every farmer and rancher in the United States.

“The Census of Agriculture is USDA’s largest data collection endeavor, providing some of the most widely used statistics in the industry,” says US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “Collected in service to American agriculture since 1840, the census gives every producer the opportunity to be represented so that informed decisions can support their efforts to provide the world with food, fuel, feed, and fiber. Every response matters.”

The Census of Agriculture, conducted by the US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), takes place every five years, and even though this one is considered the 2017 census, the actual results and reports won’t be completed until early 2019. That’s because of the huge amount of information and details that need to be gathered and analyzed.

Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor encourages

the state’s producers to cooperate with the census and respond to the questionnaire being sent to them and more than 3 million US producers over the next several weeks.

“Accurate information about agriculture is key for policy makers who make important and informed decisions affecting our industry,” says Taylor. “That comes from strong participation in the census by producers. Programs that help farmers and ranchers in Oregon rely on good data to support that assistance. There is no better source for detailed information than the census.”

Questionnaires were mailed in December to all farmers on record. Farm operations of all sizes which produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products in 2017 are included in the census. Completed surveys are due February 5, 2018.

“The Census of Agriculture is really the best and only source of comprehensive and uniform data for every state and every county in the US,” says Dave Losh, Oregon’s state statistician for NASS. “In Oregon, we will be sending out about 42,000 questionnaires. Some operators will be getting multiple surveys since they have different types of farm

operations.”NASS has revised the census forms

to document changes and emerging trends in American agriculture. Changes include a new question about military veteran status, expanded questions about food marketing practices, and questions about on-farm decision making designed to capture the roles and contributions of beginning farmers, women farmers and others involved in running a farm operation.

“The census asks about crops, livestock, land use, ownership, equipment, and demographic-type questions,” Losh says. “Some of the types of questions include the typical acreage, yield, and production information, but we also ask about expenses to see how a producer’s bottom line is doing. That helps to identify what ag sectors might be undergoing financial stress.”

The census is reaching all sizes and types of farm operations.

“Looking at the census data for Oregon in previous years, we are seeing more and more operations that are small in size and have people who need to also work off the farm to make a go of it,” Losh says. “It’s a reminder that even if you are a small operation, it’s important to respond and be counted.”

NASS is emphasizing the option to respond to the census online,

even though the traditional hard copy and mail option still is available. The online questionnaire has been streamlined to make it easier for producers to respond, including automatic calculations and the convenience of being accessible on mobile devices.

“The online responses eliminate the need for us to re-key data from a hard copy that is mailed back to us,” says Losh. “The online version of the questionnaire is safe and secure. As always, NASS will keep all information confidential, use the data only for statistical purposes, and only publish in aggregate to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.”

Oregon traditionally has a good response rate compared with other states. Following the February 5, 2018 deadline, NASS will follow up either by phone or in person to try and obtain data from those who have missed the deadline. Losh is hoping for a high percentage of respondents from the get go.

“The more response we have, the better the numbers,” Losh says. “Stand up and be counted!”

For more information on the 2017 Census of Agriculture, visit

agcensus.usda.gov •

1-800-525-0137. •

AnnouncementsPesticide Analytical and Response Center (PARC) Board meeting

Date January 17, 2018Time 9:00 am–12:00 pmLocation Oregon Department of Agriculture Basement Hearing Room

635 Capitol St NE, Salem OR 97301Contact Ted Bunch Jr., (503) 986-4562Website https://oda.direct/PARC

Soil and Water Conservation Commission (SWCC) meetingDate February 13, 2018Time 11:30 am–4:30 pmLocation Willow Lake Water Pollution Control Facility 5915 Windsor Island Road, N Keizer, OR 97303Contact Manette Simpson, (503) 986-4715Website https://oda.direct/SWCC

State Board of AgricultureDate February 20 - 22, 2018Location Oregon Department of Agriculture Basement Hearing Room

635 Capitol St NE, Salem OR 97301Contact Kathryn Walker, (503) 986-4558Website https://oda.direct/BoardAgriculture

Pesticide Analytical and Response Center (PARC) Board meetingDate March 14, 2018Time 9:00 am–12:00 pmLocation Portland State Office Building 800 NE Oregon St. Room 612 Portland, OR 97232Contact Ted Bunch Jr., (503) 986-4562Website https://oda.direct/PARC

The Agriculture Quarterly Winter 2018, Issue 408

The Agriculture Quarterly (ISSN 08978-7143) is published quarterly and distributed free of charge by: Oregon Department of Agriculture 635 Capitol St NE Salem, OR 97301-2532Periodical postage is paid at Salem, OR.

PostmasterSend address changes to the address listed above, attention Information Office.

Department DirectorAlexis Taylor

Director of Communications Bruce Pokarney503-986-4559

Publications and Web CoordinatorLiz Beeles503-986-4560

Distribution or reproduction of stories from this publication is encouraged. Please give credit to the publication as the source. Check with the Publications and Web Coordinator if you have questions. The use of product or company names in this publication does not imply an endorsement of any sort. In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, this publication will be made available in alternate formats upon request.

State Board of Agriculture

• Barbara Boyer, chair

• Pete Brentano

• Stephanie Hallock

• Bryan Harper

• Tracey Liskey

• Sharon Livingston

• Laura Masterson

• Marty Myers

• Tyson Raymond, vice chair

• Luisa Santamaria

• Dan Arp (ex-officio) Dean of Agriculture Oregon State University

• Alexis Taylor (ex-officio) Director Oregon Department of Agriculture

Board members may be contacted through the Oregon Department of Agriculture Director’s Office at: 503-986-4558

Find the Ag Quarterly onlinehttps://oda.direct/Publications

Find Board of Ag info onlinehttps://oda.direct/BoardAgriculture

Find ODA public meetings online https://oda.direct/Calendar

Oregon Agripedia The one-stop shop for contacts & infoThe ninth edition of a multi-purpose guide providing comprehensive statistical, regulatory, and contact information is now available from the Oregon Department of Agriculture. The Oregon Agripedia is a 218-page, one-stop reference for Oregon agriculture statistics, laws, and resources.

A limited number of copies are available at no cost.

The Oregon Agripedia can be obtained by

• Calling: (503) 986-4550

• Emailing: info@oda.state.or.us

• Completing the online order form: https://oda.direct/OrderAgripedia

An online version of the Oregon Agripedia can be found at https://oda.direct/Agripedia •