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Economist: It’s a unique time in agriculture history
Herald and News 10/6/08

   Brian Searle, an economist with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, said this might be a very unique time in history. 

   “We have this whole convergence of energy, food and land and agriculture that are all kind of a perfect storm coming together,” he said. 

   The state has programs encouraging farmers to grow crops for fuel, but Searle said, wheat prices have lured some farmers away from oil seed crops. 

   Additional consumer interest in where food comes from and its level of safety are sparking interest in certification programs as well. 

   Consumer interest 

   Searle said the consumer interest has driven more direct marketing in the form of roadside stands, farmers markets and Internet-based sales, but it’s still less than 1 percent of food sales. 

   “People by and large get their groceries at the grocery store. Even there, people are interested in where food comes from,” he said. 

   Preparing for next year will take some cost management and planning, Searle said. 

   “Expenses are going to be higher, the net income is probably going to be moderated, and we’re going to see people making some careful decisions about what they plant in 2009 and how they manage those crops.” 

   Willie Riggs, director of the Oregon State University Klamath Basin Research Center, said farmers must be astute business people in order to survive. 

   “Each acre is a machine in the factory, so they are evaluating which machines are doing the best for them,” he said.
 
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