Oregon Aglink Blog

Let’s Talk Investment

Posted on March 1, 2024

For many of us, winter can be a slower time around the farm (unless you’re one of the ones, like me, with livestock that think they need to eat every day. They’re as bad as my kids! But I digress).

Winter can also be a valuable time to invest in bettering yourself, your operation, and your ability to inform others about our industry!

This time of year wasn’t dubbed meeting season for nothing. Winter is packed with agriculture industry meetings, all offering something a bit different. You have all the individual association meetings for particular crops such as hazelnuts, cattle, hops, ryegrass. Then there are meetings with a larger umbrella that can apply to anyone in our industry: Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregonians for Food & Shelter, AgWest Farm Credit trainings, and our own Oregon Aglink annual meeting happening on February 29th in the Ag Hub at Chemeketa Community College.

You can learn so much at these meetings, from crop and chemical research updates to financial management strategies, marketing tips, and leadership methods. The network you can develop within our industry through these meetings can be invaluable as well. I probably learn as much by getting off the farm and in touch with other producers as I do listening to the meeting speakers.

There is great value in the concept of being a lifelong learner. We have so many options in today’s world. My dad follows no fewer than six publications out of the midwest to keep in touch with happenings in that region, and they often feature tips or ideas that hadn’t occurred to him before. I get daily emails from Successful Farming and other publications or organizations. Invariably, social media is another way to see articles and stories of interest between who and what I follow, as well as what friends share.

Another way to invest this season is to increase your awareness of the outside factors that influence your operation. Particularly with the short legislative session happening in Salem, the laws, rules, and regulations that affect our industry can’t be ignored. “Whoa,” you say, “I don’t do politics.” Well that’s not what I’m saying–informing and advocating for agriculture should be a non-partisan activity. Being involved so you understand the policy proposals & what they’ll mean for your business is crucial. It’s a huge part of the important bridge we need to build with our urban counterparts. If we aren’t aware, informed, and invested in regulation, people that don’t know our story will make assumptions, and not always accurate ones. Even if you want to avoid dealing with those in the Capitol, the Oregon Department of Agriculture always needs subject matter experts to serve on “rule advisory committees,” where your invested time literally helps shape the actual regulations we live under.

Spend the time this winter to invest in yourself & your industry in whatever ways appeal to you – I guarantee it will not only enhance your operation, but also your ability to share with others about this livelihood we hold so dear.

Kathy Hadley

Oregon Aglink President