| With westward expansion across the United States small towns emerged that flourished around farms and logging operations, some of which exist today retaining their nature and reliance on natural resources as the center of employment. Most, however, have given way to larger towns, technological booms, and landscape transformations. Agriculture, however, is still a vital part of the Willamette Valley economy.
The Willamette Valley produced 50 percent of the 4.9 billion dollars of total annual agriculture production in Oregon in 20071. Over 214,000 jobs are tied to Oregon agriculture and the valley supports nearly 20,000 farms2,3. These figures mean that in 2007 agriculture accounted for over 10 percent of the state’s economy: a trend that continues2. Oregon's agriculture is a traded sector, exporting approximately 80% of the goods produced with 40% leaving the country4,5. Many of these crops are high value such as berries and hazelnuts that contribute external revenue to the local economy. |
Importance of Agriculture in the Willamette Valley / Importancia de Agricultura del Valle de Willamette Translation Needed |  Photo by Frank Miller |
References
1. Oregon Department of Agriculture (2009) Oregon Agriculture; Facts and Figures. Available at www.nass.usda.gov/ (accessed June 2009).
2. Sorte, B. & Webber, B. (2008) Oregon Agriculture and the Economy. Available at www.oregon.gov (accessed June 2009).
3. USDA, National Agriculture Statistics Service (2007), 2007 Census of Agriculture- County Data, Oregon. Avaliable at www.agcensus.usda.gov (accessed June 2009).
4. Oregon Department of Agriculture (2009) Washington County Agriculture a Quick Look. Available at www.co.washington.or.us (accessed July 2009).
5. Oregon Department of Agriculture (2007) Exports and value-added agriculture go hand in hand. Available at www.agcensus.usda.gov/ (accessed July 2009)