Agriculture and Natural Resources

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 State vegetable breeder goes for the “Wow!”

When developing new vegetable varieties, Oregon State University's Jim Myers enjoys solving culinary problems that people with discerning palates didn’t even know they had. While disease resistance is always a concern, developing ...

Apr 2021 | 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 breeds new hops for craft brewers

The Pacific Northwest is an optimal location for hop production due to its unique terroir and irrigation resources. In Oregon, the Willamette Valley's rich soil, mild climate and abundant rainfall provide ideal conditions for ...

Jun 2021 | Impact Story

OSU creates new barley varieties for food, beer and forage

Barley has been an underappreciated cousin of wheat, even though it is one of the world's oldest cultivated crops. But that's changing amid a growing interest in microbrews and whole-grain diets. Helping lead the way is its ...

Feb 2019 | 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 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