North Central Counties Fuel Oregon Farm Sales

Agricultural sales rose to $4.3 billion in 2010 according to the Oregon State University Extension Service. In the North Central district (Gilliam, Hood River, Morrow, Sherman, Wasco, Umatilla, and Wheeler counties), agricultural sales reached $1.06 billion, representing nearly 25 percent of Oregon's total. Farm sales in the North Central district rose by 13.6 percent, or $126.6 million, in 2010. Put another way, the North Central district produced 80 percent of Oregon's gain in 2010.

Oregon's farm sales in 2010 reached $1,114 per capita. Morrow County ranked first of all Oregon counties at $31,422 per head, while Umatilla County landed in 10th position at $5,447. Gilliam, Sherman, and Wheeler counties all have a relatively narrow agricultural focus and limited sales. However, on a per capita basis, their agricultural sales rank quite highly (see graph). Sherman County's per capita farm sales ranked second ($27,187), Gilliam County was third ($13,615), and Wheeler ranked seventh ($8,191).


Read more on agricultural sales in the full article, written by Regional Economist Dallas Fridley.