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

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

Online classes assist Oregon's $328 million wine industry

When Oregon's 1,200 vineyards need the latest information on growing grapes, they've been able to get it from online resources offered by Oregon State University. The number of vineyards in Oregon has doubled since 2005, and ...

Feb 2021 | Impact Story

Oregon IPM Center leads the way to better pest management

Pesticides are important tools for farmers around the globe—ask anyone who has contemplated a hundred acres of cabbage aphids. However, some pesticides are significantly more hazardous than others. Broad-spectrum pesticides carry risks...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story

Oregon Sea Grant research cruises hook students on marine science

To keep pace with the workforce demands of the 21st century, there’s a growing need to provide students with immersive STEM experiences, including in marine science. To meet this need, since 2016 Oregon Sea Grant has been ...

Apr 2024 | 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

OSU educates growers about invasive, fruit-damaging fly

Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is a notorious pest that feeds on ripening soft-skinned fruits such as blueberries, cherries, and peaches. Controlling it is difficult for a host of reasons, including its short generation time, wide ...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story

OSU establishes demonstration orchard for state’s growing cider industry

Oregon’s cider industry is growing rapidly and the state is emerging as a national leader in craft cider production. The Pacific Northwest is home to one-quarter of the nation’s cider-makers. Interestingly, most of the cider ...

Jan 2021 | Impact Story

OSU helps Oregon's forest products industry remain competitive

About 80% of Oregon’s forestland is classified as “timberland" – forestland that can productively grow commercial-grade timber. From the end of World War II until 1989, timber harvests in Oregon generally ranged from 7 ...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story

OSU helps Oregon’s dairy industry develop new products

The Oregon dairy industry has an estimated value of more than $2.6 billion statewide and is responsible for more than 12,000 jobs and $500 million in wages, according to the 2019 Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council’s annual ...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story