OSU helps sustain success of Oregon’s onion industry

Rows of harvested onions lie drying on bare soil, their papery skins and stems curling in the sun.

Oregon ranks among the top three onion-producing states in the United States, cultivating over 1.5 billion pounds of onions in 2020 across approximately 20,000 acres, primarily in Malheur, Morrow and Umatilla counties. The Snake River Valley, encompassing Eastern Oregon and Western Idaho, is particularly notable, producing about one-third of the nation’s storage onions.

Collective efforts by OSU help onion growers in Oregon improve their practices, reduce environmental impact and enhance crop productivity.

In 2024, Oregon’s onion production was valued at approximately $260 million, marking a 10% increase from the previous year. The industry supports around 400 farms and numerous packing facilities, with the combined economic impact of the Idaho-Eastern Oregon onion sector estimated at $1.3 billion annually.

Oregon’s onion growers face several challenges:

  • Weather conditions and pests can impact onion yields, requiring ongoing management and adaptation.
  • Onion farming, especially with drip tape irrigation, generates a large amount of plastic waste. Finding sustainable ways to manage this waste is a growing concern.
  • Onions can be contaminated by pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli during growing, field curing and post-harvest handling. Recent outbreaks linked to onions have highlighted the need for better contamination control.

These challenges highlight the need for innovative solutions and support for the onion-growing community in Oregon. Oregon State University, through its Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) and Extension Service, helps maintain a robust and sustainable onion industry in Oregon, benefiting both the economy and the environment.

OSU Malheur Experiment Station in Ontario plays a crucial role in advancing agricultural practices in the region, including onion production.

Here are some key areas of OSU’s onion research and outreach in Malheur County and across Eastern Oregon:

  • The Malheur Experiment Station, starting under the leadership of former director Clint Shock in the early 1990s, has been at the forefront of drip irrigation research, helping Treasure Valley onion producers triple their acreage while reducing water use, pesticides, fertilizer and runoff. This research, which continues with Udayakumar Sekaran, assistant professor of irrigation and soil fertility management, has led to the production of larger onions, highly valued by the food industry.
  • OSU Extension engages with local growers to share research findings and provide practical solutions to common challenges. This collaborative approach strengthens the agricultural community and fosters innovation.
  • OSU regularly conducts onion variety trials to identify the best-performing varieties in terms of yield, quality, and disease resistance. This information is shared with local growers to help them make informed decisions and increase their profitability. This contributes to the economic stability of the agricultural sector in Oregon
  • Research at OSU includes studies on controlling pests like onion thrips and managing diseases that affect onion crops. This helps growers implement effective and sustainable pest management strategies
  • OSU studies on bacterial contamination and post-harvest practices enhance the safety of onions, ensuring that consumers receive high-quality, safe produce.
  • OSU chemical engineering researchers Skip Rochefort and Lucas Ellis are collaborating with the Malheur Experiment Station and onion growers on innovative methods to reduce plastic waste from drip tape irrigation. One promising approach involves converting plastic waste into diesel fuel through a process called pyrolysis.

These collective efforts by OSU help onion growers in Oregon improve their practices, reduce environmental impact and enhance crop productivity. The success of Oregon’s onion farming contributes to the state’s overall economy and can lead to job creation and economic stability, benefiting all Oregonians.