Dear Friends,
I hope this update finds you well. Thank you for taking the time to engage in state politics. It is my privilege to serve as your State Representative and be the voice for your concerns in Salem. The 2023 Legislative Session was anything but cordial. To be frank, there was a great amount of partisan legislation with extremely poor policy that passed. However, some good bills did prevail, but unfortunately not enough. Read the below update to get detailed information about how this session may have affected you.
Sincerely,
 Anna Scharf
State Representative - HD 23
The Legislative Policy and Research Office (LPRO) 2023 Legislative Summary reports are now available online. The 15 individual reports are organized by policy areas (see below) and highlight policy measures that received a public hearing in a policy committee in session.
LPRO’s Summary of Legislation web page can be found here and is linked on the home page for LPRO: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lpro. The Summary of Legislation page is set up for browsing by policy topic, checking out full summaries of legislation available by year, or searching for past summaries. You can also click on the policy areas below to read the new legislative summary reports.
Summary of Legislation – Legislative Summary Reports (2023) – Policy Areas
Not only am I a mom, wife, businesswoman, and legislator, I am married to a fourth-generation farmer. People often ask me what life looks like on the farm and how I find balance between all the roles I play in life.
My husband’s family has been farming in the Perrydale area since 1933 and remains a family owned and operated business. It is common to have three generations working together during harvest. This year the farm is growing grass, clover, wheat, turnip, and canola, in addition to the established hazelnut orchard and vineyard. Our seed cleaning warehouse also cleans seed for six other family farms and works with 11 seed companies on behalf of our farm and the farmers we clean for.
My daily jobs on the farm vary depending on where I am needed. It can range from new employee orientation to walking through a field cutting grass to do moisture tests on, so we know when to swath the grass. Every day is different.
I manage aspects of the cleaned seed inventory, 6.5 million pounds last year. This includes billing growers for the cleaning services, processing samples for the OSU testing lab and private labs, and working with companies on shipping out finished bagged products.
I manage some aspects of our farm’s production contracts with seed companies and process our accounts payable. Unfortunately for my husband and the farm, I am a miserable tractor driver. So, equipment is off limits to me unless I am riding in the buddy seat. I was not raised on a farm, but I love being a part of a farm family.
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 Supporting the opening of 25 new patient swing beds at the West Valley Hospital in Dallas. To learn more about the value this brings to Dallas and the surrounding communities, read more here.
In 2022, I was grateful to request $3 million in state funds to support the efforts to create new workforce housing. Those funds were allocated to The Newberg Workforce Housing Consortium to further that work.
Great news! The Newberg Workforce Housing Consortium (NWHC), Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR) and Missing Middle Housing Fund (MMHF) have been working together to find innovative ideas to develop workforce housing to serve Newberg employers.
Recently, two proposals were chosen by these groups on how to best utilize this funding moving forward.
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I attended the Polk County Fair beautification event to help volunteer with other families from around the county to get the fairgrounds ready for the Polk County Fair - which runs August 9-12. I served on the Polk County Fair Board for 11 years from 2010 to 2021 and was Chair from 2014-2018.
The Polk County Fair has always been very special to me. It's like a 4-day family reunion.
Pictured with Fair Board member Mike Stebbins, Fairgrounds Manager Tina Andersen, Fair Board Chair Tim Ray, Fair Board Vice Chair Suzanne Burbank and Fair Board member Will Barnhart.
To learn about all the events taking place at the fair this year go to https://www.co.polk.or.us/fair/annual/polk-county-fair-2023
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Capitol Phone: 503-986-1423
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-387, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/scharf
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