Hopefully this newsletter finds everyone well and enjoying a busy spring season.
I would like to thank everyone who attended our Mid-Winter Meeting and for making the event successful and informative. The success of our meeting ties directly to the participation of membership.
I also want to thank all the sponsors who are supporting OSA’s events. A complete list of those sponsors is at the end of this newsletter. We appreciate your support and we could not bring great events to our members without your help.
This has been an interesting year with the CAT tax going into effect without rules in place, the Governor using executive action to push through Cap & Trade, and now the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting everything. I would like to let you know that the Board sent a letter to the Joint Committee on Coronavirus Response asking that agriculture be exempted as an essential business. We will keep monitoring the situation and let you know of any changes as soon as we get them.
Before the outbreak started, the Board had continued to meet with legislators and with other industry entities, including OSU and ODA. While it is important your Board remains active in this area, we need membership to be engaged as well.
We are busy planning the Summer Convention to be held June 19 & 20 at Eagle Crest Resort. Like everyone in the world right now, we find ourselves wondering how long this pandemic will last, and we are also wondering what it could mean for the convention. At this time, we are expecting the Summer Convention to take place as planned. However, we will continue to monitor the information and recommendations surrounding COVID-19, and will make adjustments if necessary.
Along with the silent auction and poker tournament to raise money for the scholarship fund, this year we will be introducing a new fundraiser—a Scholarship Raffle Draw Down fashioned directly after, and with permission of, the Southern Seed Association (SSA). The SSA has been using a Draw Down fundraiser successfully for several years. Not only do they raise $5,000 for their scholarship fund, it creates a night of excitement which everyone enjoys. Five winning ticket holders will win $1,000 each! Many of our OSA members also attend the SSA and are familiar with the excitement and fun this type of fundraiser can be.
How does it work? Only 100 tickets are available at $100 each. During the evening of the banquet, all ticket stubs will be placed in a container. Throughout the evening, losing tickets will be drawn and the ‘losers’ names announced…until…only 5 tickets are left. The 5 ‘winners’ will receive $1,000 each! You do not need to be present to win and multiple people can buy in on one ticket (but only one name can represent the group on the ticket). You have a 5% chance of winning – not bad odds!
Remember, only 100 tickets are available – so make sure to get one (or more) while supplies last! You can obtain a ticket by calling any one of your OSA Board members.
I hope you all can join us at our summer convention at Eagle Crest on June 19 & 20, and again, we will keep you posted as the date gets closer.