Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (OAHP)

The Oregon Agricultural Heritage Commission is Recruiting 2 Members!

The Oregon Agricultural Heritage Commission, established in 2017, is recruiting for two seats on the Commission. Commissioners serve as volunteers for 4-year terms, and are recommended by various boards and appointed by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. The two open seats are:

Representing farmer/rancher interests and recommended by the Board of Agriculture; and
Representing fish and wildlife interests and recommended by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The term for both seats is January 2023 through January 2027; commissioners are eligible to serve two consecutive terms. Please submit applications to April Mack, april.mack@oweb.oregon.gov by June 30, 2022. Prospective candidates are encouraged to review the OAHP website (here), and to contact Eric Williams, Grant Program Manager, eric.williams@oweb.oregon.gov, 971-568-7031 for further information.

Overview

Oregon’s well-managed agricultural lands are the cornerstone of the state’s rural communities. They support valuable fish and wildlife habitats and enhance other natural resources. Yet farms and ranches are increasingly challenged by fragmentation of farmland, conversion of farmland to non-farm uses, complex regulations, and planning for generational transfers.

The State Legislature established the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (OAHP) in 2017 to help address these challenges. The program provides voluntary incentives to farmers and ranchers to support practices that maintain or enhance both agriculture and natural resources such as fish and wildlife on agricultural lands. OAHP was developed by a collaboration of organizations representing natural resource conservation and agriculture, including farmer and rancher representatives.