In 2023, Oregon industries like agriculture and semiconductor manufacturers exported more than to overseas markets. Oregon farmers sell more than $2 billion in agricultural goods like wheat, hazelnuts, fruits and vegetables and ornamental plants from nurseries to the global market.
“All of these sectors, whether it’s beef or blueberries or cherries or hazelnuts, they all have sales people that are trying to ship products. They’re all sitting there trying to work their contacts and ship products from Oregon to these other places. And that job is just made harder,” said Tim Delbridge, a professor of applied economics at the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences. “When you have a change to that trade policy, a change to the tariff structure, it’s disruptive.”
There’s a looming threat of 25% tariffs on U.S. imports from Canada and Mexico, which are on pause for now, and 10% on goods from China — the United States' three largest agricultural trading partners. And Oregon farmers still face uncertainty about whether or not their industry will be hit with retaliatory tariffs from those countries in the future. It could be costly for growers.
Here’s a look at the size and scale of Oregon’s agricultural exports:
