Vegetable farmers in Oregon’s Willamette Valley face growing pressure to stay profitable. Labor shortages, high costs and new regulations have added challenges for producers already competing with low-priced imports. At the same ...
In 2024, Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener volunteers met Oregonians where they were. Across the state, people were looking for affordable, healthy food, practical and culturally meaningful gardening education, ...
Weeds pose a serious threat to Oregon agriculture. They reduce yields, lower seed and grain quality, and can keep shipments from meeting market standards. This challenge is statewide although its impacts vary by region. The ...
In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, cabbage maggot (Delia radicum) causes widespread crop damage and significant economic losses. Root vegetables such as radishes, turnips and rutabagas can’t be sold if they show insect feeding, and ...
Clover seed weevil is a serious insect pest that impacts Willamette Valley's white clover seed production. Historically, clover seed growers have relied heavily on broad-spectrum pyrethroid insecticides, including bifenthrin, as a ...
Farmers and ranchers face intense stress from crop failures, market changes, unpredictable weather, injuries and more. These pressures contribute to rising rates of depression — and, too often, suicide. According to the Centers for...
Oregon’s wine industry is known for producing high-quality wines and a wide variety of grape cultivars. Since commercial production began in the 1960s, the state has earned a strong reputation, ranking fourth in the United ...
Honey bees are essential pollinators for crops like apples, blueberries, cherries, melons, almonds and broccoli. In the United States, they contribute an estimated $20 billion in crop pollination each year. But over the past 50 ...
Pesticides are commonly used in agriculture to manage serious pest problems. But not all pesticides carry the same level of risk. Broad-spectrum pesticides can affect earthworms, birds and other beneficial species. Some can also ...
Heat and drought stress are having several significant impacts on hazelnut growers in during the dry summer in Western Oregon. Increasingly hot and dry conditions are making water management more challenging. Hazelnut trees are ...