Organic farming on increase in Oregon
Portland Business Journal
They still make up only a small percentage of Oregon farms, but the number of organic growers in the state is increasing rapidly.
For the first time, statistics from the latest U.S. Census of Agriculture contain some basic information about the size and scope of Oregon's organic farming community. Of Oregon's approximately 40,000 farms, only 515, or 1.3 percent, are certified organic producers. The value of certified organically produced commodities is $9.9 million, about 0.26 percent of the state's total agricultural production value of $3.8 billion. As low as those numbers are, the percentages have gone up in recent years -- especially when you include organic processors.
The trend of increasing organic production is reflected in the number of acres receiving the Oregon Tilth Certified Organic label. Oregon Tilth is responsible for most of the certification done for organic producers in the state. It has seen an increase in total organic acres from 11,984 in 1998 to 27,500 acres in 2004 -- an increase of about 130 percent the past six years.
The census data also provides a profile of farmers and ranchers who are organically certified. Most producers are 45 years of age or older. A vast majority of the farms are individually or family-owned. About 73 percent are less than 50 acres and 82 percent of the farms produce less than $10,000 each year in sales of organic production.
"You have two types of organic growers in Oregon," said Laura Barton with the agricultural development and marketing division of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "There are people who believe in it as a lifestyle and a philosophy as a way a nurturing the soil. Then there are more conventional growers who have seen that the profitability and margins are much higher for organic. Those people have transitioned as a survival mechanism just to be able to stay in farming."
The census also reports organic production classified by commodity. Of the 515 organically certified farms in Oregon, 113 produce beef cattle, 102 produce fruits or nuts, and 72 produce vegetables or melons. The highest value of production -- $2.14 million -- is found in fruits and nuts. While only eight organic farms are producing organically certified dairy cows, they are responsible for $1.7 million in production value.
Finally, organic production in Oregon is found in nearly all 36 counties. The census reports Clackamas County as having the most organic farms with 63. However, Lane County, with 50 certified farms, has a higher percentage of its agricultural production in organic.
Processed organic products are also on the increase in Oregon. A number of conventional processors have built in a specific line dedicated to organically grown and are offering both organic and traditional products to the consumer.
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