Supported by hatch capacity funding, and in close partnership with oregon's farmers, ranchers, growers, and rural communities, the oregon agricultural experiment station (OAES) at oregon state…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Oregon State University $5.287 million on October 1, 2025, under the Payments to Agricultural Experiment Stations Under the Hatch Act (CFDA 10.203), a formula grant funding agricultural research at state experiment stations.

The Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station (OAES) at Oregon State University conducts research-based activities across five theme areas: agricultural competitiveness and resilience, animal diseases and animal production systems, food innovation and market access, marine food systems, and working and natural landscapes. The award supports the development of digital decision-support tools, robotics, artificial intelligence, and other innovations for agriculture. OAES engages directly with Oregon farmers, ranchers, food entrepreneurs, and agricultural businesses through advisory boards and collaborative mechanisms to ensure research addresses their operational challenges and delivers timely, relevant solutions. Activities integrate research and education to prepare agricultural leaders and support safe food production, protection of the nation's food, fuel, and fiber supply, and expansion of market opportunities.

Performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027, with all work performed in Oregon. Under the Hatch Act formula, up to 100 percent of funds may be carried over for up to one year after the fiscal year of appropriation; no prior approval is required for carryover.

Supported by hatch capacity funding, and in close partnership with oregon's farmers, ranchers, growers, and rural communities, the oregon agricultural experiment station (OAES) at oregon state university delivers unbiased, research-based knowledge that drives innovation and keeps oregon agriculture at the forefront of productivity. OAES prioritizes research excellence and efficient use of resources to deliver high-impact solutions that directly benefit american farmers, ranchers, growers and agricultural businesses. Framed by a university strategic plan of advancing big discoveries that lead to big solutions our research efforts within the OAES are clustered within broad theme areas of agricultural competitiveness and resilience, animal diseases and animal production systems, food innovation and market access, marine food systems, and working and natural landscapes. We engage in interdisciplinary work to address critical issues and provide solutions that strengthen agricultural enterprises, enrich community life, stimulate local economies, sustain natural resources, and promote the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities throughout oregon. We actively engage with farmers, ranchers, food entrepreneurs, and agricultural business through advisory boards and other exchange mechanisms to ensure we are knowledgeable of the challenges they face and deliver relevant, timely solutions. Our collaborative approach effectively leverages additional resources and fuels innovation that supports the production of safe, healthy food, protects america's food, fuel, and fiber supply, and expands market opportunities. Central to our land-grant mission is the integration of research and education to prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders to address current and future challenges. Activities supported by hatch capacity funds at OAES enable the development of digital decision-support tools, robotics, artificial intelligence, and other innovations for agricultural production. We will breed resilient plant varieties including wheat, potatoes, and hazelnuts and create new livestock management tools; develop strategies to combat emerging plant and animal diseases (including honey bees and aquatic species); collaborate with food entrepreneurs, farmers, and processors to expand markets and enhance food safety; convert plant biowaste into sustainable packaging; create fire mitigation tools, including livestock grazing in forested ecosystems; and advance technologies for improved surface and groundwater management across oregon. This work, aided by hatch capacity funding, will enrich the lives of all oregonians by delivering research-based knowledge that will be amplified through a well-developed and strategically directed outreach, education, and extension community. These hatch capacity funds empower our researchers and to address contemporary and emerging needs faced by agricultural producers, agribusinesses, consumers, and communities, positioning oregonians at the forefront of agricultural resilience and productivity.