Oregon Public Broadcasting

1st congressional district 2012 election 2012 session agriculture art arts author beer births books budget business central oregon college congress crime culture death penalty eastern oregon economy education employment energy environment eugene fishing food gangs gay rights health health care high school history homeless housing jobs law legislature literature living media mental health military movies music native americans obama occupy portland occupy wall street onthejob oregon our town outdoors parenting police politics portland portland business journal portland mayor pregnancy prison public health race rebroadcast recess recession religion republicans rural schools science shooting sports supreme court talking business technology teen theater unemployment union university of oregon washington water weekend women youth

In eastern Oregon there is no USDA processing where most meat is produced.  This limits producers market choices and eaters ability in rural areas to have healthy meat in their homes and schools.  What do you plan on doing to make small scale USDA processing more accessible.

posted 3 years, 3 months ago
view in context

As a participant at the Oregon Rural Congress and as a rural Oregonian, I think there is a perception that there is a sharp political divide between urban and rural and that rural Oregon people lean toward conservatism and away from progressive politics. This winter, Oregon Rural Action surveyed a representative sample of registered voters in Baker, Grant, Malheur, Union, Umatilla, and Wheeler counties. 69% of the people surveyed support Oregon Rural Action?s work related to renewable energy and the protection of family farms and ranches from development.

When one looks at the profiles of those we interviewed, the real opportunities for change are revealed: People who voted less (such as those who did not vote in primaries and did not vote in municipal elections) are more likely to support the work of Oregon Rural Action than those who are regular voters. This is fundamental in that it tells us that if we can get these people out there to vote, or participate in events like the Oregon Rural Congress we are likely to change the outcomes of elections and show that progressive politics actually exists in rural Oregon.

posted 3 years, 9 months ago
view in context