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Liskey looks at closing the European market gap
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| Liskey |
published Oct. 29, 2003
By BRIAN COLE
A Klamath Basin grower was part of an Oregon delegation to Europe last month, intended to smooth the way for the continuation of produce and meat sales to European countries.
Tracey Liskey visited the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands with Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Oregon Department of Agriculture director Katy Coba, and others.
The dialog was important because European markets have adopted European Good Agriculture Products (Eurogap), a private sector program intended to set higher standards for food safety and quality, according to virtualfarm.com.
The new program will go into effect in January, and no European Union country will accept importation of produce that is not Eurogap certified.
Although Oregon is a Eurogap member, growers here will need the certification if they want to do business in Europe.
"If you aren't Eurogap certified, you can't sell yourself," Liskey said.
And the certification process is comprehensive.
Eurogap scrutinizes the entire process - seeding, packaging of the product, who grew it, what fertilizer was used, when it was grown and under what conditions.
Moreover, Eurogap considers how agriculture workers are treated by growers, Liskey said.
"Agriculture is a leading industry in Oregon, and the economy is sagging," Liskey said. "More exports can lead to better markets, improving the local economy."
Liskey said that Oregon agriculture products are "mostly okay." But it is common for feed lots to routinely use antibiotics on cattle.
And, although Eurogap standards allow for some use of pesticides, growers are required to keep records and not use pesticides at all whenever possible, Liskey said.
In the countries Liskey visited, he learned that the most popular imported products include potatoes, cherries and other fruits, vegetables and meats.
"The only potatoes they want are small ones," he said.
Eurogap allows for the name of growers' companies to appear all on products accepted for the European marketplace.
"This will help create name recognition, and show where it came from," Liskey said.
The trip helped Liskey better understand the politics of agriculture, he said. Now he wants to do what he can to influence it.
Liskey Farms Inc., at 4650 Lower Klamath Lake Road, raises cattle, and grows hay, grain, greenhouse plants and tropical fish.
In the United Kingdom, Liskey learned that growers are taxed for the rainwater they capture.
"Don't even think about it," Liskey told Coba.
By BRIAN COLE
A Klamath Basin grower was part of an Oregon delegation to Europe last month, intended to smooth the way for the continuation of produce and meat sales to European countries.
Tracey Liskey visited the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands with Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Oregon Department of Agriculture director Katy Coba, and others.
The dialog was important because European markets have adopted European Good Agriculture Products (Eurogap), a private sector program intended to set higher standards for food safety and quality, according to virtualfarm.com.
The new program will go into effect in January, and no European Union country will accept importation of produce that is not Eurogap certified.
Although Oregon is a Eurogap member, growers here will need the certification if they want to do business in Europe.
"If you aren't Eurogap certified, you can't sell yourself," Liskey said.
And the certification process is comprehensive.
Eurogap scrutinizes the entire process - seeding, packaging of the product, who grew it, what fertilizer was used, when it was grown and under what conditions.
Moreover, Eurogap considers how agriculture workers are treated by growers, Liskey said.
"Agriculture is a leading industry in Oregon, and the economy is sagging," Liskey said. "More exports can lead to better markets, improving the local economy."
Liskey said that Oregon agriculture products are "mostly okay." But it is common for feed lots to routinely use antibiotics on cattle.
And, although Eurogap standards allow for some use of pesticides, growers are required to keep records and not use pesticides at all whenever possible, Liskey said.
In the countries Liskey visited, he learned that the most popular imported products include potatoes, cherries and other fruits, vegetables and meats.
"The only potatoes they want are small ones," he said.
Eurogap allows for the name of growers' companies to appear all on products accepted for the European marketplace.
"This will help create name recognition, and show where it came from," Liskey said.
The trip helped Liskey better understand the politics of agriculture, he said. Now he wants to do what he can to influence it.
Liskey Farms Inc., at 4650 Lower Klamath Lake Road, raises cattle, and grows hay, grain, greenhouse plants and tropical fish.
In the United Kingdom, Liskey learned that growers are taxed for the rainwater they capture.
"Don't even think about it," Liskey told Coba.
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