Regenerating Oregon’s Economy
Oregon has never won by copying other states. We didn’t become known for our forests by clear-cutting them. We didn’t become known for innovation by racing to the bottom on taxes. We built a reputation for stewardship, creativity, and independence. But right now, it feels like we’re waiting.
Waiting for federal clarity, waiting for outside investors, waiting for “the market” to decide our future. But what if we stopped waiting? What if Oregon defined the next economy on our own terms, aligned with our values, our land, and our talent? I believe we can. And I believe it starts with three clear priorities.
1. Lead the Nation in Cannabis Therapeutic Medicine
Oregon was an early leader in legalization. But legalization alone is not leadership. The next step is medical credibility. We already have the building blocks:
The best natural terroir for sun-grown, quality commodity flower and a legacy of regenerative cultivation and therapeutic medicine stretching back decades.
Oregon State University, a global leader in hemp and plant science research.
Oregon Health & Science University, world-class clinical research and hospital systems.
National University of Natural Medicine, already advancing healthcare and research in the art and science of natural medicine.
Together, we could build the country’s most rigorous cannabis therapeutics program.
That means:
Clear standards separating medical from adult-use markets and supply chains.
Physician education and methodological development
More rigorous testing and dosing protocols, better data sets.
A research-driven regulatory model
Instead of being known for oversupply and price collapse, Oregon could be known for evidence, safety, and innovation. When federal policy finally stabilizes, we would already be the model.
2. Build a Bio-Materials & Circular Manufacturing Economy
Oregon has forests, farmland, water, and shipping access through the Port of Portland. We can turn waste into value, hemp into plastics, forest byproducts into climate-adaptive building materials. We can manufacture here, not just export raw materials.
This isn’t abstract climate policy. It’s visible, middle-income jobs in rural and urban communities. It’s sustainable products stamped “Made in Oregon.”
Private investment hasn’t rushed in because these industries are capital-intensive and long-term. That’s where leadership matters. Public-private partnerships, procurement commitments, and streamlined permitting can unlock private capital — not replace it. We don’t need to outcompete Texas on deregulation. We can outcompete anyone on regenerative innovation.
3. Align Education With Real Opportunity
Families believe in education when they can see where it leads.
If a student can see a path from middle school to:
A biotech research role
A mass timber engineering job
A hemp plastics manufacturing career
A clinical lab position
Then math class and science lab mean something concrete.
Our universities should be engines of in-state economic growth, not just degree providers, and our schools can become hubs that connect families to opportunity, not just classrooms that deliver curriculum. This isn’t about pressuring teachers. It’s about building clear bridges between learning and livelihood, defining education for the future,
Why the Market Alone Won’t Do This
Right now, most venture capital is flowing to software and AI. Heavy manufacturing, plant-based medicine, and materials innovation are slower, more regulated, and more infrastructure-dependent. They require coordination, clarity, and a state willing to say: “This is where we’re going — and we’re committed.”
That’s not government picking winners. It’s government activating competitive advantage.
A Four-Year Commitment
In four years, we could:
Stabilize and differentiate the cannabis market
Launch clinical research partnerships
Fast-track bio-material manufacturing sites
Expand apprenticeships in priority industries
Build interstate research collaborations
Publish national standards
That’s not a fantasy timeline. It’s focused leadership.
We need a better economic plan
Oregon doesn’t need outside investment and more extractive growth, we need a durable, values-aligned strategy.
Growth that:
Creates middle-income jobs
Generates intellectual property
Strengthens rural communities
Attracts young entrepreneurs
Reinforces environmental stewardship
We don’t need to wait for someone else to define the future. We can build a regenerative economy that reflects who we already are.
The question isn’t whether Oregon has the assets. The question is whether we have the courage to align them.
