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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Beach bacteria thresholds may tighten ... Our View: Who politicized the UCC shootings? Not Obama ... View from 100,000 feet ... Beach bacteria thresholds may tighten ... Our View: Who politicized the UCC shootings? Not Obama ... View from 100,000 feet ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: Trade Promotion Authority is vital to Oregon Comment By Barry Bushue MailTribune.com By Barry Bushue Posted Jun. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Barry Bushue Posted Jun. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon’s largest family farm and ranch nonprofit membership organization, thanks Sen. Ron Wyden for his leadership in moving Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) through the U.S. Senate. We also appreciate the bipartisan efforts of Reps. Greg Walden, Kurt Schrader, Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer for their work in the House. Oregon’s economic well-being depends on trade, and TPA is key to our ongoing success in exports. There’s a lot of fearmongering around trade, but here’s the bottom line: Most countries have much higher tariffs and trade barriers than the United States has. When trade agreements bring down tariffs and barriers, the U.S. wins every time. Oregon wins every time. Many Oregonians think of Nike or high-tech when they hear the word “trade.” In fact, over 6,000 companies exported goods from Oregon in 2012. Of Oregon's exporting companies, 88 percent are small and medium-sized businesses. Among these family-size businesses are many farms like Doug Krahmer’s. Krahmer, who grows blueberries around St. Paul, said, "We are blessed in Oregon to grow blueberries with incredible flavor, consistent quality and high nutritional value. They are a hot commodity around the world. That’s important because Oregon farms and ranches produce much more food than Oregonians can possibly eat. Reducing trade barriers in Pacific Rim markets is good for local jobs and is a fantastic opportunity to share the bounty of such a coveted Oregon crop like blueberries." In countries where the United States has free trade agreements, exports of U.S. food and agricultural products have grown significantly. Oregon's agricultural exports reached an estimated $2.3 billion in 2013, up from $1.5 billion in 2009. Oregon's ag exports support family farms and create tens of thousands of on-farm and off-farm processing, manufacturing, transportation, and marketing jobs. International trade is one of the most important economic opportunities for Oregon workers. Trade in Oregon supports over 490,000 jobs. Trade-dependent jobs grew 7.5 times faster than total employment over the past decade. Wages in trade-dependent jobs are 20 to 40 percent higher than non-export-related jobs. What about protections? The bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act creates a process for negotiating trade deals and directs the administration to follow congressional priorities on trade. The bill includes unprecedented new safeguards to improve transparency, boost congressional oversight and require stronger enforcement for existing trade agreements and U.S. trade laws. Passage of TPA allows Congress to vote on the Trans Pacific Partnership in a timely manner, which will allow Oregon and U.S. agriculture to further flourish. The reality is that we live in an interconnected world where insularity is not possible or desirable any more. Arguments that denounce trade present a false choice. There is no going back to a time when trade was optional. Strong exports are essential to Oregon’s economic vitality. This TPA bill helps Oregon expand its exports and create jobs. We need to recognize the importance of keeping America competitive, and we thank those in our congressional delegation who stood up for this important trade legislation. Oregon Farm Bureau President Barry Bushue is a third-generation farmer raising a variety of vegetables and berries at a nearly century-old farm near Boring. He is OFB’s 15th president. The state’s largest general farm organization, Oregon Farm Bureau is a grassroots, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing the interests of the state's farmers and ranchers in the public and policymaking arenas. First established in Oregon in 1919, Farm Bureau is organized in all 36 counties and has 7,000 member families that are professionally engaged in agriculture. By Barry Bushue MailTribune.com By Barry Bushue Posted Jun. 7, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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