Oregon Farms: New Report Paints Picture of a Growing Crisis

Farming in Oregon faces a series of mounting challenges over the coming years according to a new report by Portland State University, Oregon State University, and Rogue Farms Corps. The study looks at a variety of issues including aging farmers and increasing land prices.

The study found that in the past 42 years, 100,000 acres of farmland in the state have been taken out of agricultural production. It warns that if steps aren't taken, things could get worse.

"Agriculture contributes more than $8.25 billion to Oregon's economy annually, and in the next 20 years, 64 percent (about 10.45 million acres) of Oregon’s agricultural lands will potentially change hands," said Megan Horst, PhD., assistant professor at Portland State University’s Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning.

The study finds several red flags, including:

• The average age of an Oregon farmer is 60, the highest in Oregon’s history.
• More than two-thirds of Oregon farmlands are managed by those 55 and older.
• High sale prices are restrictive for new farmers (as high as $30k an acre in Clackamas County).
• 25 to 40 percent of farmland in four counties was sold to businesses in the past five years, many of them investment entities and many with out-of-state addresses.

As a result, investigators conclude that 64 percent of farmland in the state is expected to change hands in the next 20 years "yet many Oregon farmers are unprepared for succession."

"With 84 percent of Oregon farms and ranches being sole proprietorships, we're concerned that many farms do not have thorough succession plans," said Nellie McAdams, farm preservation program director of Rogue Farm Corps. "It begs the question of how this land will transition and the impact that will have on future generations."

The authors of the report state that assisting Oregon farmers with succession planning and helping them secure land to ensure it remains used for agricultural purposes is essential.

They say research and developing educational/policy tools like working lands easements, farming-savvy succession counselors will help.

These intertwined issues are of national concern," added Lauren Gwin, of OSU's Center for Small Farms & Community Food Systems. "We are focused on what is happening in Oregon, and what can Oregonians do about it."

Photo-Oregon State, Portland State, Rogue Farm Corps via Oregon State Archives