Once again, the Board of Agriculture’s last meeting has given us some food for thought, or shall we say for ranting.
Although we try to understand that this group is coming from a couple of decades of industrialized agriculture, export-oriented production and a "cheap food for all mentality", we have trouble with the fact that they are not seeing the failed agricultural policy in front of them is in need of major change.
The Board claims that agriculture is the economic engine of our state, yet they also talk about how farmers have to buy retail and sell wholesale. We have actually even heard an Oregon Department of Agriculture employee question why anyone is their right mind would want to go into farming.
Earth to the Department of Agriculture: Maybe people would go into farming if you and your Board would stop spending the majority of your time discussing food safety inspections and opening markets in China rather than addressing the incredible potential that we have as Oregonians to be feeding ourselves and supporting our farmers at the same time!