Brooklyn School celebrates Ag Day with a beef barbecue

By ED MERRIMAN

Baker City Herald

Farmers and ranchers are celebrating National Agriculture Day in Baker County Friday by serving a barbecue beef lunch at Brooklyn Primary School and talking with students, parents and teachers about how agriculture affects our daily lives.

Ag Day is the highlight of National Agriculture Week activities held across the country this week. The annual event is designed to salute the more than 2 million agricultural operators who produce crops and livestock across the nation, including more than 38,000 farmers and ranchers in Oregon.

Cory Parsons, Oregon State University Extension crops and livestock agent for Baker County, said agriculture is Baker County’s No. 1 industry with more than $66 million in sales in 2009.

Cattle and calf sales accounted for 63 percent of that tally, $41.5 million.

To celebrate National Ag Day, a group of livestock producers, OSU Extension staff and others involved in agriculture were scheduled to go from classroom to classroom making presentations about the important contributions agriculture makes locally and to people everywhere, Parsons said.

He credited Bobby, Becky and Edna Harrell of Harrell Herefords, and Wannie and Beth Mackenzie for donating the beef and helping organize Friday’s event along with other members of Baker County Livestock Association and Baker County Cattlewomen. Some 4-H and FFA youths also helped out with serving and cleanup.

“We will all be there preparing the food. We serve the first group of students around 11:30 (a.m.),” Edna Harrell said.

This is the second year for the beef lunch Ag Day event at Brooklyn School.

In addition to touting the benefits of healthy food and fiber, and agriculture’s contributions to the economy, Parsons said he believes it’s important to tell the story about how farmers and ranchers care for the land.

Brooklyn students also will learn about some of the difficulties farmers and ranchers face, including low crop prices, rising production costs, regulations and taxes.

Those factors, along with the national financial crisis and tight lending environment, are making it tough for young people to buy the land, buildings and equipment to start a farm or ranch, or to buy out their parents, Parsons said.

“Ag producers are eternal optimists. They always believe tomorrow will be a better day,” he said.

Yet Parsons wonders, with all the reasons for younger people to shun a career in farming or ranching,  “who will step in an fill the shoes and continue to produce food for the American people.”

For the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Director Katy Coba, said in a press release that this year’s theme, “American Agriculture: Abundant. Affordable. Amazing,” rings true on the state level.

“We have an incredible agriculture industry,” Coba said. “When Oregonians eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, they are consuming agriculture. When they play on their lawn, they are enjoying Oregon agriculture. When they have a Christmas tree or beautiful shrubs in the backyard, it’s probably Oregon agriculture. I think consumers interact with agriculture a lot more than they give themselves credit for.”

Here’s some of facts about agriculture presented at Brooklyn Primary School and other sites across Oregon and nationwide as part of National Ag Day.

• On average, each farmer or rancher produces enough food and fiber for approximately 144 people. In 1960, the average number was about 26.

• Consumers nationwide have benefitted from the production of high-quality, low-cost foods thanks to farmers and ranchers in all state. American consumers spend a little more than 9 percent of their disposable income on food — a much lower percentage than in other countries.

• Despite a decline this past year in value of production and sales, agriculture continues to be directly or indirectly responsible for more than $25 billion in sales of goods and services in Oregon, representing more than 10 percent of Oregon's total economic activity.

• Oregon agriculture has generally been a constant and stable economic engine, increasing in production value in 20 of the past 23 years.

More than a thousand Oregon farms have been operated by the same families for at least a century.

“We want to grow our own food in the U.S. and don’t want to become dependent on food imports the way we have been on imported oil,” Coba said. “It is important to support your local farmer and think creatively of ways to do that.

“Yes, buying their products is a way to show that support, but Oregonians also must recognize the farmer’s need to have all the tools to produce that product. They need access to water. They need to be able to keep land in production. They need to be able to control pests and diseases. All these factors are important,” Coba said.

“I’m asking consumers to buy local and thank a farmer if they see one,” Coba said. “Go to a farmers’ market, dine at restaurants that use local products, shop at grocery stores that sell local products. Understand that it’s not just the fresh product that is local, but many processed foods rely on ingredients that are grown locally. Every time you do that, you are supporting Oregon agriculture.”

Coba said these are tough times for nearly everyone, including those in production agriculture.

“Agriculture has suffered just like other sectors of the economy,” Coba said. “We are all in this together. But I’m so proud of our farmers and ranchers for continuing to make incredible contributions to food banks and other need-based organizations as well as providing food and fiber for all of us.

“I think Oregonians really do appreciate agriculture. I just challenge them to better understand what it takes to produce crops and livestock. That continues to be my wish each year for National Agriculture Week.”