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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Harney County Manufacturing Employment Crumbles

Oregon's manufacturing businesses have suffered more than most during the current recession. While the state's total nonfarm payroll employment contracted by 0.6 percent from 2007 to 2008, manufacturing's job count declined by a much harsher 4.4 percent.

Some Oregon counties might have felt relief that manufacturing employment declined by "only" 4.4 percent. Manufacturers in Harney County, home to the adjoining communities of Burns and Hines, eliminated 39.1 percent of their positions between 2007 and 2008. As if that 2008 shock wasn't bad enough, Harney County data for early 2009 suggest that another drop of more than 70 percent is possible this year.

Other Central and Eastern Oregon counties (such as Jefferson, Wallowa, and Grant) have also had their manufacturing sectors hit particularly hard.

Read the full article, written by regional economist Jason Yohannan.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

39 percent plus 70 percent Hmmm .. so manufacturing is down 109 percent? It would be helpful to mention the changing base of the declines.