2022 Oregon Family Farm Survey and Focus Groups
THE STATE OF OREGON SMALL FARMS: OPPORTUNITIES AND KEY ISSUES FOR THE NEXT BIENNIUM – is finally ready for you! We have been building toward this moment since we began to plan our listening sessions last winter and we look forward to bringing you resources in order for you to feel inspired and ready to get involved in the coming months.
FoFF has always done policy work by and for farmers, and this year is no different. All of the policy 
proposals that we put forward come directly from the farmers that we work with. Thank you to the hundreds of farmers who took our survey, attended our focus groups, met with us to discuss your experiences, and helped to shape our 2023 policy platform.
During the spring of 2022, FoFF hosted 7 Listening Sessions (5 regional and 2 statewide) and partnered with 5 culturally specific organizations to host additional Listening Sessions within their communities. These sessions were invaluable because they not only let farmers express their needs and barriers, but also allowed for in-depth discussion of the nuance of their experience that cannot be achieved through a survey response alone. We heard from dozens of farmers and ranchers, representing these key areas:
CENTRAL OREGON – SOUTHERN OREGON – OREGON COAST – EASTERN OREGON – WILLAMETTE VALLEY
We also surpassed our response goal for our 2022 Family Farms Survey and we are thrilled with the input, questions and suggestions we received during our surveying process. In total, we collected 521 responses from friends and allies across the state.
Now that the data has been collected, we are excited to share with you the results and our policy priorities for the 2023 legislative session. We continue to amplify the voices of Oregon’s family farmers to decision makers as we advocate for funding, policy changes and expanded programming specifically geared towards small and mid-size producers during every legislative session.
2020 Oregon Family Farms Survey
We were rolling with the punches in 2020! Instead of in person events such as our Listening Sessions, we put out an Oregon Family Farms Survey to be completed by farmers and ranchers as well as eaters and advocates from across the state. This information helps us frame our advocacy and programming for the next two years, including the 2021 Session of the Oregon Legislature. To read about the top three issues of concern and other findings click here.
2018 Farmer and Rancher Listening Sessions
We held 19 Farmer and Rancher Listening Sessions across the state during our 2017-2018 Listening Session Tour. You can read the final report here!
Background:
Since 2009, we have held biennial Listening Sessions with Oregon’s family farmers and ranchers, hearing from hundreds and hundreds of producers over the years. This process led to the Agricultural Reclamation Act and shapes our advocacy and program work. You can read our 2016 Listening Session Report and Policy Recommendations here.