State Senate District 9

Seed to Supper helps Portland-area residents grow food and community

Many Portland-area residents face barriers to fresh, affordable produce, including rising grocery costs, limited garden space and lack of experience growing food in the Pacific Northwest. Seed to Supper helps residents grow food, ...

May 2026 | Impact Story

OSU research helps growers stay ahead of damaging flatheaded borers

Oregon produces the vast majority of the nation’s hazelnuts, and the industry supports family farms, rural jobs and local tax bases. The rapid expansion of new orchards over the past decade has strengthened the state’s ...

May 2026 | Impact Story

OSU facilitation of teacher-led Growing Healthy Kids program expands reach of farm-to-school concepts

Farm-to-school educational opportunities have been shown to result in positive impacts on young people, including introducing them to creative ways of learning about how to grow their own food and understanding a local food system....

May 2026 | Impact Story

AgVenture Days teaches Marion County students about local food system

Farm-to-school programs provide nutrition education, access to local foods, and agricultural education, serving families inside and outside the classroom. Classrooms that participate in farm-to-school programs, such as farm field trips, ...

May 2026 | Impact Story

Willamette River Basin symposium renews planning and collaboration

The Willamette River Basin is Oregon’s most populated watershed and supports much of the state’s agriculture, industry, transportation and fish and wildlife habitat. In the coming decades, the basin is expected to face increasing...

May 2026 | Impact Story

4-H partnership creates belonging for Oregon's military-connected youths

Oregon hosts U.S. Army and Air National Guard, Army Reserve and U.S. Coast Guard operations. More than 2,000 children with active-duty military parents and more than 7,200 children with parents in the National Guard or military ...

May 2026 | Impact Story

Wider spacing helps Oregon nurseries slow boxwood blight

Boxwood blight causes serious losses in nursery production by making plants unsalable and increasing management costs. Oregon is the nation’s leading producer of boxwood, supplying about one-fifth of the U.S. market, so disease ...

May 2026 | Impact Story

OSU builds high-tech tools for orchard growers

Pear, cherry and apple production are vital to Oregon’s rural economy, with cherry production valued at $68 million and pear production at $90.8 million. But the tree fruit industry faces growing pressure from climate change, ...

May 2026 | Impact Story

OSU, Forest Service find high wildfire risk for old forests where fire used to be common

Mature and old-growth forests are among the Pacific Northwest’s most valuable natural assets. They store large amounts of carbon, provide wildlife habitat, support water systems and contribute to recreation, tourism and other public...

May 2026 | Impact Story

OSU research cuts labor costs in blackberry production

Oregon is a leading production state for machine-harvested trailing blackberries, an industry that supports growers, processors and rural communities. ‘Columbia Star’ has quickly become one of the region’s most widely planted ...

Apr 2026 | Impact Story