Extension Service

The Oregon State University Extension Service provides practical, research-based information and engages learners, partners, and volunteers in communities across Oregon to meet local challenges and help every Oregonian thrive.

Our programs, partnerships and volunteer opportunities are focused on:

  • Healthy communities and economies
  • Resilient and productive forestry and natural ecosystems
  • Sustainable agriculture, food systems, and gardening
  • Thriving youth, individuals and families

Extension hosts 4-H Summer Wednesdays in Washington County

Busy work schedules, limited child care availability and fees for program registration pose challenges to families looking for opportunities for youths to explore new interests. In response, Kristen Moore, Oregon State University ...

Oct 2024 | Impact Story

OSU Extension Fire Program fosters place-based partnerships

As a land grant university, Oregon State University takes research and innovation out of the labs and puts them into practice in the communities and landscapes around the state through Extension programs. While OSU’s influence ...

Aug 2024 | Impact Story

Elementary AgFest 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, ...

Aug 2024 | 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....

Aug 2024 | Impact Story

Be Well Project helps Oregonians learn about contaminants in their well water

Approximately 25% of private wells in the United States that are used for drinking water contain contaminants that are known to increase the risk of chronic diseases. Arsenic and nitrate are the most frequently detected ...

Jul 2024 | Impact Story

Culturally respectful food preservation program builds trust in Warm Springs

Oregon State University Extension Service’s traditional foods preservation program at its office in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs community has been a highly desired and appreciated program for decades. It has focused on...

Apr 2024 | Impact Story

More than 800 Douglas County fifth graders learn importance of Oregon’s forests

Oregon’s forests, an economic and recreational powerhouse, can be a topic of contention. Information – and sometimes misinformation – filters down to children, who when misinformed may grow up with distrust in the state’s ...

Apr 2024 | Impact Story

OSU Extension Seed to Supper offers resources for growing food on a budget

Seed to Supper is a free, comprehensive, six-week beginning gardening course that was co-created by the Oregon Food Bank and the Oregon State University Extension Service. Seed to Supper focuses on serving communities who have ...

Apr 2024 | Impact Story

Exploring biochar as an alternative sudden oak death treatment

Sudden oak death disease has killed thousands of tanoaks on Oregon’s south coast. Since it was detected in Oregon in 2001, the standard practice to help slow the spread of the pathogen that causes the disease has been ...

Apr 2024 | Impact Story

First aid training helps North-Central Oregon farmers prepare for accidents

Research has shown that the estimated costs for agricultural injuries are a surprisingly high economic burden. Farm owners and farm workers need specialized first aid training to deal with severe traumatic injuries that have the ...

Apr 2024 | Impact Story