Downloadable file: Plant Something Oregon Road Map 2026-27

Wilsonville — March 2, 2026 — A brand-new edition of the popular Plant Something Oregon Road Map is out, and available for people to order for FREE online at PlantSomethingOregon.com/order-the-road-map.

The map is published by the Oregon Association of Nurseries. It includes 99 retail garden centers and specialty nurseries in Oregon and SW Washington, along with 18 mail order nurseries, 33 landscaping service firms, and 44 public gardens — all waiting to be explored.

“Oregon’s independent retail nurseries are the best place to find unique plants, personal service, expert advice and fun décor,” said OAN President-Elect Darcy Ruef, who is an owner of member retailer Al’s Garden and Home. “With all the fun and unique places on the Plant Something Oregon map, you can put together your own nursery road trip and come home with all kinds of exciting treasures to beautify your garden and home.”

Importantly, gardening doesn’t just provide beauty. It offers many different tangible, research-proven benefits.

“It’s little wonder that more and more people want to get back in touch with nature, right in their own backyard,” Ruef said. “It helps their health, their finances, their property values and the environment.”

The benefits are listed on the Plant Something Oregon “Plants Make Life Better” page (PlantSomethingOregon.com/PMLB), along with research citations. These benefits include:

• Higher property values — Landscaping produces economic returns for both residential and commercial properties. A study by Charles Hall and Madeline Dickson showed that for every $1 invested in plants, property values increase an average of $1.09.
• Stress reduction — Some 40 years of research compiled by the University of Washington shows that having living plants inside and outside can alleviate mental fatigue and sharpen focus on tasks.
• Cleaner indoor air — Research shows that houseplants remove pollutants and return oxygen to the air, while providing beauty and a sense of well-being.
• Healing powers — Studies conducted in health care settings show that exposure to nature promotes healing from illness or surgery, both psychologically and mentally, speeding up recovery time.
• Better health — People who spend time outdoors with plants — in parks, gardens and other green spaces — are more active and healthier, and save money on health care costs.
• Lower crime rates — Studies show that areas with higher levels of vegetation have fewer violent crimes and fewer total crimes.
• Stronger business activity — Seasonal and permanent plant displays outside shops provide a friendlier aesthetic, making people feel better about the quality of products and services offered.
• Lowered energy and maintenance costs — Shade trees and landscaping along paved streets reduces the cost of street and building maintenance. They moderate the effects of the weather, making it less expensive to heat and cool buildings. They further reduce the urban heat island effect.
• Helping kids learn — Studies show that kids who are exposed to plants and nature are improved learners. They learn problem solving, improve their ability to concentrate and retain information, and experience greater intellectual development.
• Better outdoor air quality — Research shows that trees outdoors can purify the air in urban environments, removing pollutants while generating oxygen.
• Cleaner water — Plants purify stormwater runoff by intercepting contaminants so they don’t reach lakes and streams, while anchoring soil in place so there is less erosion.
• Stronger ecosystems — Plants are part of every healthy ecosystem, supporting the complex networks of life and providing fresh water, clean air, robust soil and diverse wildlife. This begins at root level, where plants support essential organisms that result in a healthier environment.

Oregon is one of the top commercial plant-growing states in the country, and a leader in most types of woody plants. That’s because the state offers an ideal growing environment. Adequate rainfall, a long growing season, and a community of expert growers mean that plants, trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and annuals can flourish at plant nurseries, as well as in yards and commercial installations.

The Oregon Association of Nurseries prints 35,000 copies of the map. Meanwhile, the PlantSomethingOregon.comwebsite offers a FREE newsletter, blog posts, a searchable directory of the same nurseries and much more. To receive the free newsletter, published 18 times a year, sign up on the site.

Interested groups such as garden clubs can order the maps in bulk for distribution at meetings and events. Just go to PlantSomethingOregon.com/OrderMaps/ and use the form.

The Oregon Association of Nurseries, based in Wilsonville, represents more than 700 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Oregon’s ornamental horticulture industry is the state’s largest agricultural commodity, with annual sales of $1.3 billion in 2024. It is also a traded sector, with about 74% of the nursery plants grown in Oregon being shipped out of state. For information, visit OAN.org or call 503-682-5089.

Contact Info:
Curt Kipp 
Director of Publications and Communications 
Oregon Association of Nurseries 
www.oan.org
503-682-5089 (main) 
503-582-2008 (direct) 
971-409-8196 (cell) 
ckipp@oan.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wilsonville, Oregon (January 24, 2025)  The Oregon Association of Nurseries applauds the ruling yesterday by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals overturning Multnomah County's approval of a controversial water treatment facility in East Multnomah County at the request of the Portland Water Bureau.

"The hearings officer misconstrued the community use natural resources criterion and, based on that misinstruction, failed to adopt adequate findings supported by substantial evidence," LUBA said in a story reported by Capital Press.

"I welcome this decision by LUBA," OAN Executive Director Jeff Stone said. "To site a water treatment plant requires proper planning process, which the Portland Water Bureau did not do. We support alternative options. More than 250 nurseries were being harmed by building this costly project."

The project by the City of Portland involves some of the highest quality and most productive agricultural land in the state of Oregon.  It would remove and convert nearly 95-acres of rural, agricultural land to a facility that serves an urban metropolitan area.  The operational characteristics of the proposed facility would also adversely impact farming operations in the larger agricultural region that surrounds the subject property. 

Contact Info:

Jeff Stone, Oregon Association Of Nurseries, Jstone@oan.org
Vic Panichkul, Oregon Association Of Nurseries, Vpanichkul@oan.org

The Oregon Association Of Nurseries, Based In Wilsonville, Represents More Than 700 Wholesale Growers, Retailers, Landscapers And Suppliers. Oregon's Nursery And Greenhouse Industry Is The State's Leading Agricultural Sector, With Annual Sales Of $1.22 Billion In 2022. It Is Also A Traded Sector, With About 75 Percent Of The Nursery Plants Grown In Oregon Being Shipped Out Of State. For Information, Visit oan.org.

News Release from Oregon Association of Nurseries
Posted on FlashAlert: January 20th, 2025 4:38 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wilsonville, Oregon (January 20, 2025) ─ As confirmation hearings ramp up on Capitol Hill, four major sectors of Oregon’s farm and ranch groups are backing President Trump’s nomination of former U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer for secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Oregon Farm Bureau Federation, Oregon Dairy Farmers Association, Oregon Cattlemen’s Association and the Oregon Association of Nurseries all joined together on the endorsement.  

The organizations previously worked with her as a member of the House Agriculture Committee. “Lori has a proven track record of being solution oriented and working across the aisle to solve problems facing family farmers and ranchers,” said Oregon Farm Bureau President Angela Bailey. Chavez-DeRemer also received the Oregon Farm Bureau’s Presidents Award in 2024. 

“Lori understands the challenges facing Oregon’s agricultural industry, including the diversity of our businesses and the critical need for a stable labor force to ensure animal care and the sustainability of our farms,” said Oregon Dairy Farmers Association President Bobbi Frost.

Oregon Cattlemen’s Association President Matt McElligott said, “The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association advocates on behalf of Oregon’s 11,000 ranchers. Our association has appreciated the efforts of Lori during her service in Congress on the House Agriculture Committee.  She and her team worked tirelessly to engage on issues of importance to livestock producers and maintained an open door.  We look forward to her appointment as Labor Secretary.”

“Lori has a strong understanding of the unique challenges facing agriculture in Oregon, especially as it relates to the industry’s need for a stable labor force, labor availability and reliance on immigrant labor,” Oregon Association of Nurseries President Ben Verhoven said. DeRemer has been honored twice as Legislator of the Year by the OAN for her support of Oregon’s $1.2 billion nursery industry.

Contact Info:
Jeff Stone, Oregon Association of Nurseries, jstone@oan.org
Curt Kipp, Oregon Association of Nurseries, ckipp@oan.org

The Oregon Association of Nurseries, based in Wilsonville, represents more than 700 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Oregon’s nursery and greenhouse industry is the state’s leading agricultural sector, with annual sales of $1.22 billion in 2022. It is also a traded sector, with about 75 percent of the nursery plants grown in Oregon being shipped out of state. For information, visit www.oan.org.

Rural Gresham, Oregon (September 26, 2024) – A coalition opposed to the city of Portland’s proposal to build a water treatment plant in the heart of Multnomah County farmland held a town hall meeting September 20. The purpose was to provide information about the project and to dispel misinformation. The meeting was held at a grange hall, a few miles from the proposed site of the plant. 

Background: The Portland Water Bureau applied for and was approved to build a drinking water facility and communications tower located in rural Gresham, at the eastern end of S.E. Carpenter Lane, with raw and finished water pipelines connecting to the existing Bull Run conduit system. The proposal was approved on November 29, 2023. The decision was appealed to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) by a coalition of community and agricultural groups. Although the appeals process is ongoing, construction work began in June with excavation and road work progressing rapidly.

Grounds for appeal: The Oregon Association of Nurseries filed a brief on the water treatment plant. It focused on three issues: 1) the city’s failure to justify citing of its pipeline infrastructure on land zoned for exclusive farm use, 2) the county’s failure to properly consider and analyze identified farm impacts, and 3) the county incorrectly accepting a narrow impact study as part of the project review process. 

Why does Portland need the plant? The Portland Water Bureau says the plant is mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But the EPA only asked Portland to address Cryptosporidium in the water, said Tami (Roberts) Wensenk, property owner and representative of Cottrell Community Planning Organization (CPO),which is fighting the plant. Portland could have chosen another option. “Portland water bureau told Oregon Health Authority that they were going to treat Cryptosporidium with this water filtration facility,” Wensenk said. “Portland Water Bureau spent about $16 million to have a UV treatment plan designed to submit to the EPA. Based on other cities who have successfully implemented UV filtration, the cost of UV filtration would be approximately $100–150 million. That's notably less expensive and a much more cost-effective and less environmentally invasive solution that the route they ultimately chose.”  

Instead, they went ahead with the plant and the costs ballooned from $350 million, to $850 million, to $1.25 billion. “Now we’re already up to $2.13 billion and that’s before they broke ground in June,” Wensenk said. The plant is to be completed by September 2027. 

Who’s paying the cost? “It’s 100% ratepayer funded,” Wensenk said, adding that this is not widely known to ratepayers. “They took the page off their website that showed the rates through 2032 that showed a 300% increase in water rates.”  

In a KGW report on April 12, Jodie Inman, chief engineer for the Portland Water Bureau was quoted as saying rates would increase by 7.9% in 2024, then 8.1% each year after that until 2030. The rates would also increase for cities who buy water from Portland. “Three of Portland Water Bureau’s largest wholesale customers ─ City of Gresham, City of Rockwood, and Tualatin Valley Water District ─ have all determined it will be cheaper to drill their own wells than endure the massive increase in the cost of purchasing water from Portland Water Bureay they would have to pass on to their customers. And this is not a recent development ─ news articles published in 2019 reported on this possibility, yet PWB still went ahead with the most expensive and elaborate treatment plan,” Wensenk said. An agreement with Multnomah County also rolled in the cost of road improvements that the county required as a condition for approving the project.  

Community concerns not heard: “Many residents are raising questions and concerns and they’re not getting good answers back,” said Sam Diaz, executive director of 1000 Friends of Oregon. “They’re not seeing alternative solutions back from our government. And in order for a strong land use system to be in place we have to have cities and counties be responsive to the voices and concerns of Oregonians.” 

Non-farm use of farmland: “This project in a lot of ways is the epitome of a lot of the issues that we’re dealing with in Oregon,” said Jim Johnson, land use and water planning coordinator with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. “What I’m really worried about is the integrity of the Oregon (land use) planning program as well as the integrity of the agricultural land out here. The footprint out there is nearly a hundred acres and that’s not only going to be a non-farm use of farmland but it’s sitting on class 2 prime soil. We don’t have a lot of class 2 prime soil in the state of Oregon and what we have we’re very concerned about.”  

Others expressed concern that if the appeals fails and the project goes through, it could set a precedent for cities to use rural farmland for non-agricultural uses. “We’ve got the semiconductor industry, we’ve got these energy banks, we’ve got Google … these things don’t belong in farmland,” said Wensenk. 

Impact: Area nurseries, a backbone of farming in the area, will have a huge impact. “It’s not just two, five, [or] seven of my members that are directly impacted,” said Jeff Stone, executive director of the Oregon Association of Nurseries, “but it is 257 members that are impacted directly by this project. That’s a lot. That’s $187 million in annual sales. So there’s real economic consequence.”  

Beyond the disruption of the construction site, Stone said there will be disruption from traffic in surrounding areas that hapers shipping and the destruction of soil from buried pipelines. “Once you disturb the soil in that manner, it does not have the same growing capacity,” Stone said. 

Why wasn’t an alternative site chosen? Opponents of the project said there were five possible sites and Powell Butte would have been the most obvious choice. “Powell Butte sits within the urban growth boundary, there’s already a water treatment plant there and all of the infrastructure is already there and they wouldn’t have to build miles of pipeline," Wensenk said. “The reason that they didn’t choose Powell Butte and they chose Carpenter Lane is because they were afraid residents would cause so much of a fuss that they would be delayed in building it. And they would get held up in a land use battle and not be able to get going on time to meet the date they chose with the [Oregon Health Authority] to get online by September 2027.” 

The Oregon Association of Nurseries, based in Wilsonville, represents more than 700 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Oregon’s nursery and greenhouse industry is the state’s leading agricultural sector, with annual sales of $1.22 billion in 2022. It is also a traded sector, with about 75 percent of the nursery plants grown in Oregon being shipped out of state. For information, visit www.oan.org.

Contact Info:
CONTACT:
Jeff Stone, Oregon Association of Nurseries, jstone@oan.org, 971-746-7033 cell
Curt Kipp, Oregon Association of Nurseries, ckipp@oan.org, 971-409-8196 cell

The recipients for 2023 are State Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany), State Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane), State Rep. Ken Helm (D-Beaverton), State Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Pendleton), U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Oregon) and U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-Oregon).

Four of the recipients were designated for specific types of Friends of Nurseries awards.

Boshart Davis was named the OAN’s 2023 Ag Warrior, becoming the first two-time winner of that award. She was also the OAN’s 2019 New Legislator of the Year and 2022 Legislator of the Year. “She has been a consistent advocate for the OAN and nurseries,” 2023–24 OAN President Amanda Staehely said. “She’s a repeat Friends of Nurseries recipient, and for good reason.”

Chavez-DeRemer, a first-term member of Congress, was named the OAN’s Legislator of the Year. It was her first time winning a Friends of Nurseries award. “She’s been a staunch ally,” said OAN Government Relations Committee Chair Mark Bigej said. “She opened the door for the OAN to be a key player in the Farm Bill hearings in Oregon, and she’s been a go-to resource for our federal priorities.”

Helm and Owens shared a Bipartisan Leaders Award for their longstanding work on water issues. Helm was a previous Friends of Nurseries award winner in 2017 and 2021. Owens won in 2021. “Water affects everyone in the state and is only getting scarcer,” OAN Past President Todd Nelson said. “It takes careful, collaborative work to resolve conflicts thoughtfully, and Owens and Helm have shown a commitment to listening and fairness.”

Bentz received a Friends of Nurseries Award for his advocacy for immigration solutions in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. He previously won one in 2013 when he was a state representative. “Immigration is a challenge that has defied solutions, but Rep. Bentz continues to do the work and speak eloquently for balanced legislation that provides border security and assures a needed labor supply.”

Hansell, who is retiring from the Oregon Senate, also received a Friends of Nurseries Award. It’s his second; he also won one in 2013. “He has been a stalwart for the association on numerous issues, including leading and passing estate tax reform for agriculture in 2022,” Bigej said.

The OAN’s Friends of Nurseries Awards began in 2009 with the first recipient, Darlene Hooley, who was then a U.S. representative. Regular classes of inductees began in 2012.

Downloadable file: Mock covers of the OAN's Digger magazine showing the 2023 Friends of Nurseries Award winners.

Contact Info:
Curt Kipp
Director of Publications and Communications
Oregon Association of Nurseries
www.oan.org
503-682-5089 (main)
503-582-2008 (direct)
971-409-8196 (cell)
ckipp@oan.org

Wilsonville — March 15, 2022 — The newest edition of the popular Retail Nurseries and Garden Centers Road Map is out, and available for people to order for FREE online.

They can order their copy by logging on to plantsomethingoregon.com/order-the-road-map.

The folding highway map, just like the kind service stations used to give away, includes 133 retail garden centers and specialty nurseries across Oregon and Southwest Washington where consumers can shop.

But that's not all — the map also lists 22 retail nurseries selling by mail order or online, 43 firms offering various types of landscaping services, and 41 beautiful and unique public gardens that are waiting to be explored.

"This map is a great way to plan your own plant buying road trip," said Curt Kipp, director of publications for the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN), which publishes the map and represents the state's nursery and greenhouse industry. "Oregon is a great place to grow plants, and is full of wonderful retail nurseries, and nearly all of the ones on our map are locally owned and family run. You won't get bored checking out the unique things they have to offer."

OAN has printed 35,000 copies of the map, which is now updated every two years. It's promoted under their Plant Something Oregon consumer gardening program, which provides localized, expert advice and information to gardeners. There's a website at www.plantsomethingoregon.com with blog posts, a searchable directory of retailers, a list of the scientifically-proven benefits of gardening and plants, and much more. There's a email newsletter too, published 18 times a year, which you can get by signing up on the site.

The map is not only available to individuals, but interested groups such as garden clubs. Those groups can request a bundle of maps by writing to plantsomethingoregon@oan.org and specifying where to send them and how many they want.

"We created this tool to enhance people's enjoyment and discovery of retail nurseries, and ultimately, gardening," Kipp said. "It's a fun and healthy hobby that helps melt away stress, while beautifying your yard and community. You just invest a little work and time, and enjoy the dividends — and beauty — all spring and summer."

# # #

The Oregon Association of Nurseries, based in Wilsonville, represents more than 700 wholesale growers, retailers, landscapers and suppliers. Oregon's ornamental horticulture industry is the state's largest agricultural commodity, with annual sales of $1.19 billion in 2020. It is also a traded sector, with about 75 percent of the nursery plants grown in Oregon being shipped out of state. For information, visit www.oan.org or call 503-682-5089.

Contact Info:
Curt Kipp
Director of Publications and Communications
Oregon Association of Nurseries
www.oan.org
503-682-5089 (main)
503-582-2008 (direct)
971-409-8196 (cell)
ckipp@oan.org

March 7, 2022

The Honorable Kate Brown, Governor
State of Oregon, State Capitol
900 Court Street NE
Salem, Oregon 97301

Dear Governor Brown:

We, the undersigned agricultural coalition members, formally ask you to veto House Bill 4002B. The bill is bad policy for both farm families and farm employees and it is the result of a very bad process. We ask you to veto this bill before it does irreparable harm to all who depend on the ag community.

Ag producers engaged in every workgroup and process in good faith throughout the last year. They brought solutions to the table that addressed every policy objective labor advocates identified. One example is the -10 amendments, which would have taken away tax credits from farmers and used the funds instead for direct payments to farm employees. There are several similar examples of where ag producers attempted to find consensus. Please note that no signer on this letter opposed reaching a workable bill to grant overtime pay to ag employees in this process.

The legislature is aware and acknowledges that the nominal tax credits in the bill are inadequately funded and ineffective in their design. These temporary credits will be delayed and incomplete, and they are subject to being taken away any time future legislatures meet. Additionally, they are lowest when overtime costs are highest. Ag families have repeatedly testified and steadfastly maintained that these credits are not workable.

Labor advocates refused to negotiate in any substantive way this session or the lead-up to it and they actively blew up negotiations last fall by filing a lawsuit and walking away. This is not the path to a solution that maximizes benefits to some while minimizing harm to others. It is not The Oregon Way.

Ideally, a veto would cause the legislature to go back and get this important issue right. However, we know if you veto the bill, the BOLI commissioner has indicated she will initiate rulemaking on this subject. We would rather risk a bad outcome in an evidence- and law-based process at BOLI than watch this bad bill deal the fatal blow to our community.

The threats posed by this bill are well documented in hours of farmer testimony from committee hearings and the floor speeches of rural legislators. Solutions that meet the stated needs of labor advocates are readily at hand. This does not have to be a zero-sum activity.

Legislators heard that their bill accelerates corporatization of agriculture in Oregon, pushes families off the farm, and incentivizes increased out-of-state ownership out of farm and ranch ground while reducing earning potential for farm employees and eliminating jobs. They ignored these certain outcomes. We ask you to not turn your back on farm and ranch families at this pivotal moment.

If the goal is benefitting farm employees while not ignoring the existential needs of the farm and ranch families who employ them, the only option is to veto this bill.

Respectfully signed:

Oregon Farm Bureau
Oregon Association of Nurseries
Oregonians for Food and Shelter
Oregon Seed Council
Oregon Cattlemen's Association
National Federation of Independent Business
Columbia Gorge Fruit Growers
Associated Oregon Hazelnut Industries
Oregon Wheat Growers League
Farwest Agriculture Association
Oregon Dairy Farmers Association
Oregon State Chamber of Commerce

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Amy Ruddy
amyruddy@armomentum.com
Phone: 503-367-7596

SALEM, ORE., 03 MAR. 2022 — Today we are disappointed in the Senate's passage of House Bill 4002B. It is disheartening to see so many of Oregon's elected leaders beholden to the interests and will of labor unions, who are largely unfamiliar with our farm economy, operations, and adopt a policy that willfully ignores the concerns and innovative solutions brought forward by the agricultural community throughout this last year.

Oregon had the unique opportunity, as one of only eight states in the nation, to adopt an agricultural overtime policy that could balance the needs of our family-owned farms and farmworkers. Our democratic process exists to find creative solutions and middle ground. Unfortunately, HB 4002B and its proponents offered no concessions to make this policy workable.

We are saddened to see this pass in its current form, for we know what comes next: capped hours and reduced wages for Oregon's farmworkers; lost jobs due to mechanization; and the demise of many family farms and the corporatization and sale of others. These are not future realities we believe Oregon can or will be proud of. The Governor can expect a veto request.

###

Oregon's Coalition of Agricultural Organizations represents a diverse array of farming operations and agricultural commodities and was formed in response to the legislature's proposal to require farmers to pay workers 1.5 times regular pay for all hours worked over 40.

Contact Anne Marie Moss (AnneMarie@oregonfb.org) or Curt Kipp (ckipp@oan.org) for more information.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Amy Ruddy
amyruddy@armomentum.com
Phone: 503-367-7596

SALEM, ORE., 02 MAR. 2022 — After several hours of debate, Oregon House Democrats dealt a death blow to huge swaths of the state's beloved farm and ranch economy yesterday with passage of HB 4002 on a party-line vote. House Democrats forced through an unworkable agricultural overtime system in Oregon, despite the testimony and input of hundreds of farmers and ranchers, an independent economic study, and information from California and Washington all pointing to the devastating harm it will cause.

Legislators debated HB 4002 for about three hours before passage. Republican legislators offered several alternative solutions throughout the process that would have created a higher hourly threshold, accounted for unique harvesting and seasonal demands of agriculture, and provided farmworkers with overtime payments through the establishment of a worker relief fund. These solutions, including the -A10 amendment, were not given thoughtful consideration by the bill's proponents, jeopardizing the future of Oregon's agricultural sector, and creating uncertainty for thousands of farmworkers.

"The -A10 amendments to HB 4002 meet the goals of the proponents of overtime pay after 40 hours, and the goals of the agricultural industry for higher thresholds to ensure that family-scale agriculture remains viable in Oregon," said Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany) as she asked the chamber to consider her alternative proposal. "It is the only solution offered that will protect farmworker jobs, result in more money in farmworker pockets, and help keep our family farms intact."

Roughly 96% of Oregon's farms are small, locally, or family-owned operations. The testimony highlighted concerns that this policy would catalyze emerging patterns leading to the corporatization and sale of farms to out-of-state entities. Data cited from an Oregon State Analysis showed that Oregon lost 1,200 of its small and mid-sized farms between 2012 to 2017, and with the passage of HB 4002, many fear a more pronounced transition.

Perhaps most egregious is the proponents' characterization of the tax credit mechanism outlined in HB 4002. As drafted, the tax credit defies rational logic by decreasing the percentage a farm is eligible to be reimbursed for as their overtime costs increase. Make no mistake, this tax credit is not guaranteed to farms who must incur the costs of paying overtime and wait for nearly two years to see if they receive the credit. This system presumes that farms, operating on razor-thin margins, will trust in the state's lottery system to ensure their business isn't operating in the red.

"I've never seen so much data, such well-reasoned and impassioned testimony, and such a clear path to a better solution ignored like House Democrats did yesterday," said Oregon Association of Nurseries Executive Director Jeff Stone. "No legislator who voted for this bill can ever say with a straight face that they care about farm and ranch families. They heard with crystal clarity what they were doing to family agriculture and ag employees, and they did it anyway."

###

Oregon's Coalition of Agricultural Organizations represents a diverse array of farming operations and agricultural commodities and was formed in response to the legislature's proposal to require farmers to pay workers 1.5 times regular pay for all hours worked over 40.

Contacts Anne Marie Moss (AnneMarie@oregonfb.org) and Curt Kipp (ckipp@oan.org) for more information.

AGRICULTURAL OVERTIME MANDATE IGNORES ECONOMIC REALITY FOR OREGON FARM AND RANCH FAMILIES

Source: Coalition of Oregon Agricultural Organizations
Download press release as pdf

SALEM, ORE., 4 JAN. 2022 — A Coalition of Oregon Agricultural Organizations has released an in-depth economic study in response to proposed legislation requiring employers to pay overtime after 40 hours of work. The study shows that the likely outcomes will be limited hours for farmworkers, rather than increased take-home pay. Oregon-specific legislation could put family farms at such a disadvantage in the national marketplace that they go out of business or sell their farm to a larger corporation.

Most family farms and ranches in Oregon are price takers. These businesses operate on the thinnest profit margins and sell their goods through domestic or international commodity markets, which determine the product's price. Unlike other sectors, farmers and ranchers cannot simply increase the sale price of their crops or livestock to account for increases in the price of inputs (seed, feed, fuel, and other needs) or labor costs. Consequently, well-intentioned proposals, such as overtime for agriculture, likely will not result in additional take-home pay for employees but instead will result in reduced farmworker income through the shortening of work hours and lost jobs.

Paying overtime is a false promise to agricultural workers.

Given the existing economic realities that family farmers and ranchers face, a new agricultural overtime mandate would likely have severe consequences to agricultural jobs in Oregon. New overtime regulations will force farm and ranch employers to limit their employees' hours worked to 40 hours a week to avoid the extra cost of overtime pay, resulting in longstanding employees working fewer hours and taking home smaller paychecks.

Agricultural overtime will result in job losses.

Mandated overtime would force farms and ranches to reduce the number of jobs through mechanization or switch to less labor-intensive crops to control production costs. "We've already seen this transition in California and Oregon with the passage of other wage and hour mandates," said Dave Dillon, Executive Vice President of the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation (OFB), which is the state's largest general agriculture association, representing nearly 7000 families engaged in farming and ranching. "Those who cannot mechanize are likely to take other approaches to cope, such as reducing scheduled shifts to 40-hour work weeks or moving production of labor-intensive crops outside of the state. Unfortunately, all of these options result in job cuts as Oregon farmers struggle to keep their businesses operating in the face of ever-increasing regulations and costs."

Oregon's farm employees have some of the highest wages and best workplace protections in the United States.

Oregon has some of the best benefits for farm employees in the country: five days of protected sick time, a three-region state minimum wage that is nearly double the federal minimum wage of $7.25, protections for pregnant and nursing mothers, an Oregon-specific worker protection standard, paid family and medical leave that applies to all employees, generous eligibility for the Oregon Health Plan, and a state retirement program tailored to low-wage workers. Many farms also provide subsidized or free housing for migrant workers. What's more, Oregon has the highest expense for employing workers under the federal H-2A visa program. These laws provide farm employees with many benefits while straining resources for family farms and ranches, making them less able to compete in the national and international marketplace. In fact, due to the cumulative burden of multiple mandates that family farms face, we've seen the closure or corporatization of small-scale farms in recent years.

Paying overtime to farmworkers erroneously assumes that agriculture is like other sectors.

Only seven states have adopted overtime requirements for agriculture; all other states exempt agriculture from overtime, as the federal Fair Labor Standards Act allows. This longstanding exemption exists because agriculture is not like other high-production industries — crops will perish overnight, cows must be milked, and untimely weather conditions may dictate when harvest happens or, in the worst case, make it impossible.

Many of the seven states that have adopted overtime laws have taken a more farm-friendly approach to the bills. In Oregon, workers, agricultural employers, and policymakers must understand the actual consequences of the proposed 40-hour overtime mandate before advancing any concept related to agricultural overtime.

In the 2021 session, legislators proposed Washington's aggressive three-year phase in and proposed a transition fund as the overtime threshold is reduced to 40 hours. "Our members in Oregon do not consider the Washington policy to be a compromise for Oregon," Dillon said. "The transition fund isn't meaningful because it is designed to transition ag employers away from labor-intensive operations and is only a temporary fix to a large-scale economic problem. OFB opposed this policy in last year's session due to the impact on the viability of Oregon's farms and ranches, many of whom are unable to afford this policy proposal. Buyers will purchase commodities from different states or countries if the price isn't right, regardless of Oregon's higher workforce costs or price pressures. Consequently, regardless of how well-intentioned it is, it is not likely to result in additional take-home pay for most farmworkers, and will likely have the opposite result."

The Highland economic study proves that most Oregon farm families will be unable to afford additional payroll expenses associated with overtime and will have no other option except reducing labor to control costs, through the following means:

• Investing in machines to harvest crops.
• Transitioning to less labor-intensive crops that require fewer workers.
• Reducing worker hours to avoid accruing overtime or hiring a second shift.
• Moving operations outside of Oregon where overtime pay is not required.
• Selling small-scale farms to larger corporate agricultural operations.

These controls result in longstanding employees working fewer hours and earning less money. For those who close their Oregon operations or mechanize, jobs will be lost. The potential impacts on workers aren't anecdotal, as they've already been seen in California.

Jeff Stone serves as executive director of the Oregon Association of Nurseries. "Our members recognize the essential value of farmworkers," he said. "Oregon has some of the best benefits in the country, and employers still look for ways to provide higher compensation, cash bonuses, housing, and paid time off during the off-season. But the economic reality is that our farmers and ranchers are price takers. If this legislation is passed as contemplated in other states, farm employers will have to make adjustments that will ultimately result in lost jobs and reduced wages for workers."

Currently, seven U.S. states have an overtime policy, with each approach looking different from the next. Maryland and New York have an overtime threshold for agriculture set at 60 hours a week. Other states, such as Hawaii or Colorado's newly adopted rules, consider seasonal workforce needs with a floating seasonal accommodation of 20 and 22 weeks, respectively.

Washington's approach, which phases in a 40-hour overtime threshold over three years, was mainly crafted in response to a court decision that saddled Washington's agricultural producers with a staggering $2 billion in back pay. Oregon must avoid a Washington situation, where their farming economy was turned upside down without thoughtful deliberation and balance.

In 2021, Oregon ag employers surveyed over 500 producers about the anticipated effects of an overtime policy for agriculture. The survey showed that a threshold of 40 hours would result in lost jobs and reduced wages for farmworkers, and a significant shift in what crops will be planted in Oregon.

After the 2021 session, agricultural employers came together to fund a third-party economic analysis conducted by Highland Economics, LLC ("Economics of Agricultural Overtime Pay in Oregon: Potential Effects on Farms and Farmworkers") to communicate the consequences to farms and workers. That analysis will be shared with the legislative workgroup in 2022.

Other states have crafted ag overtime policies to maintain the viability of family farms and ensure workers don't lose their livelihoods. As the Legislature moves forward with this critical discussion, Oregon's farm and ranch families urge policymakers to take that same opportunity to craft an Oregon-specific policy that accounts for the diversity that is Oregon agriculture, including the unique needs of Oregon's livestock producers and crop farmers.

Contacts: Anne Marie Moss (Oregon Farm Bureau, AnneMarie@oregonfb.org) and Curt Kipp (Oregon Association of Nurseries, ckipp@oan.org).

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ABOUT OREGON'S COALITION OF AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
Oregon's Coalition of Agricultural Organizations represents a diverse array of farming operations and agricultural commodities and was formed in response to the legislature's proposal to require farmers to pay workers 1.5 times regular pay for all hours worked over 40.

With a total market value of over $5 billion, Oregon agriculture is a significant contributor to the state's economy, and over 96% of Oregon farms are family-owned and operated. Family farms and ranches face serious challenges – including some of the highest labor costs in the country – trying to turn a profit every year. Farming is a unique industry due to the time-sensitive nature of harvesting crops and the unique hours needed to tend to livestock, which is why farms have been treated differently for as long as wage and hour regulations have existed. Because farming is also unique in that these families cannot set the price of the commodities and products they sell, a steep increase in their already high labor costs has the potential to simply put family farms out of business. Because of this, if the Legislature's proposed overtime mandate is enacted, farmers will be forced to reduce hours and take-home pay for farmworkers, mechanize their operations, and transition away from the specialty crops that define Oregon agriculture.

The last two years have been devastating for farm families and farmworkers. Now is not the time to burden family farms and ranches with an additional unsustainable mandate that will harm both workers and family farmers.

For more information, contact: Anne Marie Moss (AnneMarie@oregonfb.org) and Curt Kipp (ckipp@oan.org).