USDA highlights #WomenInAg campaign

This week, USDA Deputy Secretary Harden begins her next generation of agriculture tour where she will visit with young leaders across the country to discuss the future of agriculture. Many groups, including women, veterans, minorities and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, are shaping an agricultural future that is looking to be more diverse than ever before and we want to share their stories. Every day this week, we will be sharing a story from a woman in agriculture that represents the past, present and future of our industry.

 

Today, we feature Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Katy was raised on her family’s wheat ranch in Eastern Oregon. She has a deep appreciation for the land and the hard work Oregon’s farmers and ranchers do every day. Katy has a long career in state government and shares her perspective on the current and future landscape of American agriculture (and how not to be left behind on a trade mission).

 

I always start my day with a quick perusal of the news going on in Oregon, in the U.S. and around the world.  I think it’s imperative to make sure I have at least a bit of knowledge about what is happening in the world that could impact my job.  Oregon agriculture is local, domestic and international.  There are so many factors that impact the success of the industry from weather, to currency, to the latest hot “thing” such as food carts, to trade negotiations, etc.

 

Knowing what has the potential to impact the industry hopefully means we can be more prepared to respond.  Then I pet my cat and have a latte with my husband!

 

The good news is that agriculture continues to be a very viable part of Oregon’s economy and the U.S. economy.  With the projections in growth for the global population, agriculture will need to continue to use innovation and technology to meet world food needs.  Agriculture will also need to continue to use its scarce resources wisely.  This includes land and water.  Oregon agriculture is extremely diverse.  This is a strength and it can sometimes pose challenges.  We continue to consistently stress the need for farmers of different shapes and sizes to work together as neighbors and co-exist with their different production practices.  And finally, consumer’s interest in how their food is grown and handled has added a new complexity to how farmers and ranchers do their job.  Agriculture will need to continue to be responsible to consumer’s passion around food and be able to demonstrate safe and compassionate practices.