Gilliam County in north-central Oregon is one of the state’s leading dryland wheat-producing regions and part of the Columbia Plateau’s grain belt. The county’s rolling wheat fields support a large share of its agricultural economy. These producers rely on timely research-based guidance to manage pests such as the Mormon cricket, adopt new technologies and maintain profitable operations.
By combining compliance education, innovation support and direct troubleshooting, Skyler Palmer helped people protect crops, evaluate new tools and solve problems before they became more costly.
Pesticide applicators who serve these farms must earn continuing education credits to maintain their licenses, and local needs assessments showed they wanted help understanding herbicide regulations, preparing for licensing exams and managing herbicide-resistant weeds.
At the same time, producers are being asked to evaluate new tools such as drones, auto sprayers and virtual fencing. These technologies may offer benefits, but high costs and uncertainty can slow adoption.
Many residents and producers in this frontier county also benefit from in-person help solving immediate problems, from crop concerns to tree decline to poor backyard garden performance.
These needs created demand for practical Extension support that combines education, innovation and direct assistance to meet a wide array of needs.
Skyler Palmer, general agriculture educator in Gilliam County for Oregon State University Extension Service, provides local education and troubleshooting to help producers and residents respond to these challenges.
In 2025, Palmer organized a pesticide exam preparation class in Condon that helped nine adults prepare for licensing. He also led the Gilliam County Winter Pesticide Training in Condon, where seven adults earned continuing education credits while learning about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency herbicide strategy, herbicide-resistant weeds and zinc seed treatments that can improve wheat competitiveness.
To provide timely in-season information, Palmer shared multiple stripe rust updates from March through May 2025 and an email update on soilborne wheat mosaic virus in April 2025.
New tools reduce uncertainty
Palmer also helped producers evaluate emerging technologies. He organized the Gilliam County Crop Tour in Condon, which reached 20 adults and highlighted fertilizer products, Oregon State cereal variety trials, locally grown wheat varieties, the performance of sulfentrazone, an herbicide used to control weeds, and a producer’s use of a Weed-It spray system.
He also participated in a drone workshop for wheat producers that reached 50 adults and helped producers better understand current drone capabilities and how they might fit into wheat production systems.
To support longer-term innovation, Palmer advanced an artificial intelligence drone and auto landing pad effort. The drone was built and is operational, with additional testing planned after drone licensing requirements are completed.
Palmer also contributed to a virtual fencing effort by sharing information on integrating cattle and virtual fencing into wheat-fallow systems at a Gilliam Soil and Water Conservation District meeting. He also presented research on cattle impacts on soil properties during fallow and shared a planning framework to support the county’s virtual fencing grazing management plan.
One-on-one help solves problems
Palmer also provided direct assistance through field visits, sampling and follow-up recommendations.
For a landowner experiencing juniper die-off, he inspected the site, identified beetle larvae as the likely cause and recommended removing and burning dead or dying trees to slow further spread.
For a wheat producer concerned about a struggling section of crop, Palmer collected plant samples, consulted with other Oregon State faculty and submitted samples to a pathology lab. No abnormalities were found, giving the producer confidence that the rest of the field was not at risk. Later in the season, the affected area performed well.
He also helped a resident with a struggling vegetable garden by collecting soil samples, reviewing results and recommending lime to address highly acidic soil.
Results strengthen decisions
These efforts helped pesticide applicators maintain their ability to legally apply herbicides while staying informed about changing regulations and integrated pest management practices.
They also increased producer awareness of emerging technologies and reduced uncertainty about how tools such as drones, auto sprayers and virtual fencing might fit into local operations.
Direct assistance helped producers and residents make informed decisions, avoid unnecessary inputs and respond more effectively to local problems. Together, these services strengthened trust in OSU Extension as a reliable source of practical, science-based support.
Public value
This work helped producers and residents in Gilliam County make better decisions with less risk.
By combining compliance education, innovation support and direct troubleshooting, Palmer helped people protect crops, evaluate new tools and solve problems before they became more costly.
That kind of timely, local assistance supports farm viability, responsible pesticide uses and stronger community confidence in research-based guidance.