Sales of Oregon nursery products grew in 2007, but at a slower pace than in prior years, according to numbers released recently by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The 2 percent growth rate of 2007 was much lower than the 10 percent reported in 2006, and according to the Capital Press (subscribers only), industry leaders aren’t optimistic about figures for 2008. Both John Aguirre, OAN executive director, and Bob Terry, Fisher Farms president and OAN past president, are quoted at length in the piece. They told the paper that demand for products has been down, while the cost of various inputs, including fuel and labor, is up. The result is that profit margins are being squeezed tighter than in years.