Benton

OSU Extension meets growing demand for safe home food preservation

Nearly all U.S. households use some form of food preservation to extend the shelf life of perishable foods, stretch food budgets and prevent waste. A 2024 nationwide survey found that 49% of households preserved food through ...

Mar 2026 | Impact Story

OSU builds forest biodiversity data through community science

The Oregon State University College of Forestry owns and manages the McDonald-Dunn Research Forest, an 11,500-acre, heavily visited forest north of Corvallis. After three years of collaboration among scientists, educators, tribes and ...

Mar 2026 | Impact Story

OSU Extension develops roadmap for Oregon organic orchards

Oregon’s tree fruit and nut industries are a cornerstone of rural economies, supporting farm jobs, packing and processing and regional supply chains. Pears, apples and sweet cherries alone totaled $227.9 million in farm gate ...

Mar 2026 | Impact Story

OSU research shows smarter ways to manage a costly berry pest

Spotted-wing drosophila is a small fruit fly that can ruin berries right before harvest. Unlike the fruit flies many people know from kitchens, it can lay eggs in firm, ripening fruit still on the plant. The eggs hatch into...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

Co-created wildfire guide helps Spanish-speaking renters prepare

Wildfire risk continues to increase across Oregon, but access to preparedness education is not evenly distributed. Spanish-speaking renters, farmworkers and forest workers often face barriers that limit their ability to prepare for, ...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

OSU tests vineyard spray to help protect wine grapes from wildfire smoke

Wildfire smoke is a growing risk for wine grapes in Oregon and across the West. When smoke reaches vineyards near harvest, grapes can take in smoke compounds that later affect wine flavor and aroma. In bad years, growers ...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

OSU-USDA research leads to change in clover seed weevil management

Oregon produces more than 90% of the nation’s white clover seed, supporting forage systems, soil health and agricultural productivity. Clover seed weevil is a serious insect pest that impacts the Willamette Valley’s white clover...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

Heat dome canopy damage mapped to inform Northwest forest decisions

The 2021 “heat dome” brought record heat to the Pacific Northwest, stressing forests at a scale few managers had seen before. Extreme heat can scorch foliage in the forest canopy, reducing photosynthesis and leaving trees ...

Feb 2026 | Impact Story

OSU Extension aids vegetable farmers exploring Asian crops

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 ...

Dec 2025 | Impact Story

Master Gardener volunteers grow food, knowledge and community across Oregon

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, ...

Nov 2025 | Impact Story