The importance of maintaining and protecting water rights is more crucial then ever. Oregon agriculture, supported by valid water rights, has long been the State’s leading sector of the economy. The impacts of Oregon agriculture are felt state and nationwide. A relatively new organization emphasizes the philanthropy of farmers around Oregon. Farmers Ending Hunger is an organization that was formed to harness the production power of Oregon’s farmers to tackle hunger statewide. Farmers Ending Hunger recently recognized one of its first farmer contributors, Darrin Ditchen of Golden Valley East Farms near Silverton, Oregon. Ditchen has contributed wheat for pancake mix and frozen peas to the Oregon Food Bank. To learn more about Farmers Ending Hunger and Darrin Ditchen’s contribution, visit Farmers Ending Hunger. You can also hear Darrin’s thoughts on farmers’ contributions to ending hunger in Oregon as featured on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s April 21, 2009 program Think Out Loud.
