North Willamette

$1 billion Oregon nursery industry benefits from OSU plant trials

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

Sep 2020 | Impact Story

Research shows quinoa has potential to be a viable crop in Oregon

Quinoa has been grown for millennia in present-day Peru and Bolivia. Farmers there have cultivated thousands of varieties to provide consistent harvests in their diverse growing regions. The quinoa plant is a nutritious food, with...

Mar 2022 | Impact Story

Developing Oregon’s winter vegetable market project fills need

Winter squash is a delicious and nutritious vegetable. Pacific Northwest retail winter squash sales peak in October/November and decline through April when almost all the squash sold in Oregon is imported from California or Mexico....

Apr 2023 | Impact Story

Urban cosmetologists raise money for Hopkins Demonstration Forest

Private family forests often border the cities where most Oregonians live, but public understanding of management practices is lacking. It is an ongoing challenge to sustain private woodlands and engage urban audiences in ...

Mar 2020 | Impact Story

Oregon State entomologists develop organic product to control fruit pest

The invasive spotted wing drosophila (SWD) first arrived in Oregon in 2009. While its fruit fly cousins lay their eggs in overripe fruit, this insect lays eggs in berries, cherries and other soft fruits as they begin to ...

Aug 2019 | Impact Story

OSU Extension provides leadership for statewide Outdoor School

Outdoor School is a transformative, immersive experience that instills environmental literacy and positive learning behaviors in students. It also encourages a belief that Oregon is a special place, with ecosystems they can enjoy and...

Mar 2024 | Impact Story

Juntos program empowers Latino families around education, earns accolades

Nearly 25% of Oregon's public school students are Latino. In an environment where Latino students experience persistent disparities in high school completion and college access, it is imperative to offer pre-college support that ...

Jan 2021 | 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 spending too much time being inactive are not only associated with poor health, but also with poor educational outcomes. In 2007, a new Oregon law...

Oct 2022 | Impact Story

Oregon Wine Research Institute helps state's vineyards and wineries stay competitive

Oregon's $271 million wine industry is based on producing premium-quality wines, not mass quantities. If wineries want to compete with premium regions around the world, they know that research is necessary to keep them on the ...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story

Organic farmers save money on fertilizer with OSU Extension tool

Farmers must walk a fine line when applying nitrogen fertilizer. Too little affects yield. Too much wastes money, makes crops more susceptible to some pests and threatens water quality. Managing nitrogen is especially complex for ...

Mar 2022 | Impact Story