Marion

Women Farmer Networks build connection, confidence and careers

Across the United States, the number of women in agriculture continues to grow. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 1.2 million women now make up 36.3% of all U.S. farm producers. In Oregon, that number is even ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

BEPA 2.0 has students stepping up their physical activity

Data show that among school-age children, low physical activity, poor diet, and extended periods of inactivity are associated not only with poor health but also with poor educational outcomes. In 2007, Oregon passed a law ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

Innovative harvest system reduces labor costs and boosts competitiveness for Oregon’s blueberry industry

Oregon and Washington produce more blueberries than any other region in the world. In Oregon alone, growers harvest approximately 150 million pounds annually, with a farmgate value exceeding $120 million. A large share of this ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU study identifies optimal forest management practices for carbon sequestration

Forest managers in the Pacific Northwest face the challenge of balancing timber harvests with maximizing carbon storage. Carbon stored in forests helps offset climate change — U.S. forests absorb about 13% of the country’s ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU Extension helps Oregonians respond to avian influenza outbreaks

When highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was first detected in Oregon in May 2022, commercial poultry farms were forced to cull infected birds, backyard chicken owners worried about their flocks, and 4-H members faced ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU Extension trials expand drought-tolerant plant options for Oregon’s nursery industry

As climate change transforms the weather in Western Oregon, more nursery owners, landscapers and home gardeners are looking for plants that are fully drought tolerant and cold hardy. Development of genuinely low-input landscapes will...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU hop research supports craft beer innovation and farm sustainability

The Pacific Northwest is one of the best regions in the world for growing hops, thanks to its unique terroir and access to irrigation. In Oregon, the Willamette Valley’s rich soil, mild climate and consistent rainfall create...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU research enhances landslide hazard assessment following wildfire

Landslides, often triggered by extreme events such as heavy precipitation, wildfires and earthquakes, pose significant environmental, societal and economic risks. In the mountainous, forested terrain of the West, including Oregon, shallow...

Dec 2024 | Impact Story

New online tools simplify native bee identification in Pacific Northwest

Bees and other animal pollinators enhance the reproduction of nearly 90% of the Earth’s wild flowering plants, in addition to many food crops, and are an essential component of biodiversity. However, identifying native bees, ...

Dec 2024 | Impact Story

Oregon State research guides fertilizer use in berry crops

Over the past two decades, the Oregon State University Extension Service and the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station have focused research on fertilizer practices for blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and kiwiberries. ...

Dec 2024 | Impact Story