THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN OREGON’S ECONOMIC BASE: FINDINGS FROM A SOCIAL ACCOUNTING MATRIX

Most studies of a state’s economic base count as “basic” only the “traditional” exports of goods, federal spending, and business investment. “Nontraditional” elements of the economic base (including exports of services, federal transfers to state/local governments and households, and extraregional property income) are typically ignored. We construct a social accounting matrix (SAM) for Oregon and estimate Oregon’s economic base accounting for both traditional and nontraditional elements. Almost 20% of Oregon’s jobs depend on extraregional income to households (including government transfers and outside property income), 11% depend on lumber and wood and paper products, and 8% depend on agriculture.