Oregon
Processed &
Fresh Vegetables
AT A G L A N C E
Processed & Fresh Vegetable Benefits
Economic, Social, Environmental
O
regon-grown vegetables were commercially distributed, via the Port of
Astoria, as early as the 1790s. The more densely settled western valleys
provided vegetables and other food supplies to the 49ers during the
California Gold Rush. As late as the 1930s, the Salem chamber of commerce was
recruiting Midwest farmers to move here, advertising fertile soils, mild climates,
and infrastructure supportive of fresh and processed vegetable marketing.
Oregon farms produce a rich diversity of vegetables for fresh market and for
processing. In general, the western valleys produce a greater selection of crops.
The east side concentrates on onions and potatoes, which dominate in terms of
tonnage and sales value and most of which are processed.
With the exception of asparagus, fresh vegetable growers and packing
operations have increased steadily. Vegetable markets are well established,
and prices have trended upward as people become increasingly health and
quality conscious. Sweet corn, tomatoes, and squash/pumpkins—the
Big Three of Oregon fresh vegetables, have all seen increased acreage,
production, and strong prices over the past decade. However, in
2003–2004, Oregon was plagued by the loss of vegetable processors.
Although losses have stopped, there is not significant investment
in replacement facilities at this time.
Processed-vegetable growers work closely with processors
throughout the growing season. Fresh vegetables follow many
paths from farm to fork. Some fresh-vegetable growers are
highly specialized and may hydrocool and box the crop
on-farm. Some growers produce vegetables for both
processing and fresh market. Although farmers markets
and farm stands are the most visible outlets for fresh
vegetables, most are sold wholesale.
Oregon Processed & Fresh Vegetables
Cooperative research and educational outreach have benefited the processed
and fresh vegetables industries in the following ways:
Oregon Processed & Fresh Vegetables
n Researched bean-beetle distribution patterns and found ways that growers
could reduce insecticide use by 50%, saving them money and protecting
water quality, fish, and natural enemies of the pests. $ ❦ 
Family farms
Processed 624
Fresh 1,084
Acres harvested
Processed 61,472
Fresh
45,827
Value of sales
Processed $261.0 million
Fresh
$125.1 million
Oregon’s national ranking
All processed vegetables
#6
All fresh-market vegetables
#10
Processed soybeans
#2
Processed green beans
#4
Potatoes
#7
Processed and fresh squash
#10
Health and nutrition benefits:
Vary by vegetable but include fiber, vitamins, and minerals; free of cholesterol
and saturated fat
n Determined the positive effects of plastic ground mulches and crop covers
on yield, harvest period, and quality of fresh vegetable crops. $ ❦
n Increased fertilizer efficiency in vegetables and thus reduced nitrate in
groundwater. $ ❦
n Instituted a statewide effort to apply wastewater from food-processing plants
to crops, turning an environmental liability into a nutrient-rich asset. ❦
n Promoted the strategy of monitoring pest populations and spraying
insecticides only when insects threaten economic damage to the crop.
More effective timing of sprays and more specific pesticides have improved
disease and pest management. $ ❦ 
n Expedited registration of pest-management materials for so-called minor
crops: ones produced on such a small scale that agrochemical companies
cannot financially justify the research required to register pesticides for
them. Many of Oregon’s 240 commodities are in that category. $ ❦ 
Notes
Economic data in this section from the 2008 Census of Agriculture. http://
www.agcensus.usda.gov and http://oain.oregonstate.edu/
n Developed pickling-cucumber varieties suitable for mechanical harvesting
at a time when as much as 75% of a grower’s gross might be paid to hand
pickers. $
n Introduced new vegetable crops to the Willamette Valley, offering growers
greater diversity in crop rotations, better alternatives to lower value grain
or grass seed crops, and greater opportunities for double-cropping. $ ❦
n Continually seeks alternative controls for important plant diseases, including
enhanced disease resistance and isolation of naturally occurring anti-fungal
compounds. $ ❦
n Studied the role of cover cropping and soil health in suppressing corn
root rot. $ ❦
Processed Vegetable Receipts
>$50.0 million
$25.0-35.6 million
<$12.0 million
n Continually studies the cancer-prevention role of certain plant chemicals
found in vegetables, supporting human health through healthy food
choices. ❦ 
Benefits key
$ Economic benefit
❦ Environmental benefit
Social benefit
Produced by the Department of Horticulture and Extension Service, Oregon State University.
© 2009 Oregon State University. Extension work is a cooperative program of Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties. Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs,
activities, and materials without discrimination based on age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital
status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran’s status. Oregon State University Extension
Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. EM 8981 J
Fresh Vegetable Receipts
>$37.5 million
$6.0-17.0 million
<$6.0 million