FILE: Golden fields and storm clouds, over a farm in Dayton, Ore., July 17, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
The latest data made available by the USDA Census of Agriculture show that the value of Oregon farmland has increased by 23% over a five-year period, compared with just 7% nationally. Dan Bigelow is an assistant professor in the department of Applied Economics at Oregon State University. He’s been analyzing this census data to create a fuller picture of Oregon farmland, including who agricultural producers are, the size and sales of the farms and their estimated land values. He joins us to share his interpretation of what these numbers mean for the overall availability of farmland for agricultural use in the future.
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