--- kind: section source_pdf: oregon-prosperity-council-report-june-2026.pdf fingerprint: 8ac9aef8ca1b page_range: [114, 115] breadcrumb: ["Appendix E: Submissions & Feedback", "02. Oregon State Board of Agriculture"] source_links: pdf: "https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=114" raw_pages: - "../../.extracted/pages/page-0114.txt" - "../../.extracted/pages/page-0115.txt" --- # 02. Oregon State Board of Agriculture ## TL;DR *(generated · confidence: high)* The Oregon State Board of Agriculture supports the Prosperity Roadmap and requests representation on the Council. Agriculture and Food & Beverage sectors support 531,000 jobs and generate $42 billion in annual economic impact but face rising labor costs and regulatory complexity. The Board argues these sectors should be included for economic stability, rural-urban integration, and land-use expertise. **Key points** *(each cites a PDF page)*: - Agriculture and Food & Beverage support 531,000 jobs and generate estimated $2.4 billion in exports with $42 billion annual economic impact to Oregon ([p. 114](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=114)) - November 2025 OSU study found small pear growers pay up to $696 per acre in regulatory compliance costs, representing 6.6% of total revenue ([p. 114](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=114)) - Orchardists report rising labor costs, complex regulatory frameworks, and regulatory disparities with neighboring states threatening sector viability ([p. 114](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=114)) - State Board requests appointment of Agriculture and Food & Beverage representative to the Oregon Prosperity Council ([p. 115](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=115)) - Agriculture provides a stabilizing traded sector that sustains communities through market shifts and economic downturns ([p. 115](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=115)) - Agriculture uniquely connects rural production, urban processing, and global trade through Oregon's ports ([p. 115](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=115)) - Agricultural community can help navigate land-use tensions while expanding economic opportunity and preserving sector viability ([p. 115](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=115)) Amounts: 531,000 jobs · $2.4 billion in exports · $42 billion economic impact · $696 per acre · 6.6% · Dates/FTE: December 19, 2025 · December 3, 2025 · November 2025 · Programs: Prosperity Roadmap · Parties: Oregon State Board of Agriculture · Oregon Department of Agriculture · Governor Tina Kotek · Oregon State University > **Source:** PDF [pp. 114-115](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=114) · raw: [114](../../.extracted/pages/page-0114.txt) · [115](../../.extracted/pages/page-0115.txt) Breadcrumb: Appendix E: Submissions & Feedback > 02. Oregon State Board of Agriculture --- Oregon State Board of Agriculture 635 Capitol St NE, Salem, OR 97301-2532 503.986.4552 | Oregon.gov/ODA December 19, 2025 The Honorable Tina Kotek Governor of Oregon 900 Court St NE Salem, OR 97301 Dear Governor Kotek, On behalf of the State Board of Agriculture, I write to express our support for your December 3, 2025, announcement of the Prosperity Roadmap and to ensure that Oregon’s founding traded sector, Agriculture and Food & Beverage, is fully integrated into this effort. Agriculture and Food & Beverage have long been cornerstones of Oregon’s prosperity, supporting more than 531,000 jobs, anchoring economic activity in every county, and generating an estimated $2.4 billion in exports with an overall $42 billion economic impact to the state annually. On the same day you announced the Prosperity Roadmap, our Board heard from a panel of orchardists at our quarterly Board Meeting in Hood River. Their message was urgent: rising labor costs, complex regulatory frameworks, and regulatory disparities between Oregon and neighboring states have created a challenging economic environment that threatens the long-term viability of one of Oregon’s longest standing and iconic agricultural sectors. A November 2025 Oregon State University study highlighted the growing burden of regulation costs, finding that small pear growers pay as much as $696 per acre in regulatory compliance costs alone, representing as much as 6.6% of total revenue and placing significant strain on already thin operating margins. We share these challenges with you to highlight that Agriculture and Food & Beverage sit at the intersection of many of your prosperity initiatives: workforce, technology, transportation, energy, permitting, land-use, and domestic and international trade policies. Our sector’s perspective and lived experience are uniquely positioned to help inform strategies that strengthen the entire economic system. We share your assessment: Oregon’s economy requires a deliberate and aggressive strategy to retain businesses and accelerate growth. The reports we heard in Hood River are not isolated. Producers statewide report that escalating input costs, regulatory fatigue, and intensifying global competition have narrowed profit margins and pushed family farms to a critical inflection point. As the next generation questions whether they can afford to continue, the consequences threaten the economic stability of Oregon’s rural communities. We believe the Oregon Prosperity Council is the right vehicle to turn these challenges into opportunity. For the Roadmap to succeed, however, it must reflect not only emerging industries, but also the natural-resource economy that provides stability, scale, and statewide reach. We Oregon State Board of Agriculture 635 Capitol St NE, Salem, OR 97301-2532 503.986.4552 | Oregon.gov/ODA respectfully request the appointment of a representative from the Agriculture and Food & Beverage sector to the Council. This partnership is essential for three reasons: • A stabilizing traded sector: While technology fuels innovation and high growth, it can be cyclical. Agriculture and Food & Beverage provide durable, statewide economic output sustaining communities across the state through market shifts and economic downturns. • A fully integrated rural–urban value chain: Agriculture uniquely connects rural production, urban processing, and global trade through Oregon’s ports. Including this perspective ensures the Prosperity Roadmap advances a truly “One Oregon” economy. • Land-use and site-readiness expertise: We noted your emphasis on industrial site readiness. As stewards of working lands, the agricultural community can help the state navigate land-use tensions in ways that expand economic opportunity while preserving long-term sector viability. Agriculture and Food & Beverage representation on the council is a necessity for a long-term sustainable economy. The State Board of Agriculture stands ready to partner with you and contribute immediately to the success of the Prosperity Roadmap. Sincerely, Elin Miller, Chair State Board of Agriculture CC: Lisa Charpilloz Hanson, Director, Oregon Department of Agriculture Geoff Huntington, Senior Natural Resources Advisor, Office of Governor Tina Kotek Courtney Crowell, Regional Solutions Coordinator, Office of Governor Tina Kotek Sarah Means, Workforce, Labor, and Higher Education Advisor, Office of Governor Tina Kotek Kelly Scannell Brooks, Transportation, Infrastructure, and Economic Development Advisor, Office of Governor Tina Kotek Vince Porter, Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Administration, Office of Governor Tina Kotek --- Parent: [Appendix E: Submissions & Feedback](./INDEX.md) · PDF: [pp. 114-115](https://www.oregon.gov/gov/Documents/Oregon%20Prosperity%20Council%20Report_June%202026.pdf#page=114)