Центр сельскохозяйственных исследований Орегонского государственного университета отметил 125-летие и укрепил позиции

OSU’s Eastern Oregon Ag Research Center turns 125 Published 3:30 pm Wednesday, August 26, 2026 Union, in Eastern Oregon, has more staff and research, upgraded facilities Oregon State University’s Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center in Union — the state’s first branch experiment station — is hosting a 125th anniversary celebration Sept. 14. The station is riding high in the saddle with more staffing and a research resurgence after decades of funding fluctuations, said David Bohnert, EOARC director. The facility nearly closed during the 1980s recession and more recent budget cuts limited research and outreach. A turning point came in 2021 when OSU conducted an assessment of the cattle industry. About 75% of Oregon’s 500,000 beef cows reside east of the Cascades Range, and are agriculture’s primary economic force in the region. The review determined ranchers needed more support, resulting in an influx of funding, the hiring of scientists and facility upgrades. The Union station now has 25 workers, including 10 seasonal hires, for its highest staffing level this century. “That directly translates into research funding,” Bohnert said. Infrastructure improvements also boosted capabilities. EOARC Union scientists now bring in about $500,000 in research grants annually. The station receives about $800,000 per year in state support and also generates $400,000 in livestock sales, a research byproduct. Cattle remain research focus OSU now has 11 experiment stations with 14 locations. EOARC includes the Union site and OSU’s experiment station in Burns, Ore. The two were combined in 1974 due to budget constraints but both are necessary with Eastern Oregon’s different landscapes, Bohnert said. Cattle production near Burns, Ore., typically occurs on rangeland. In Northeast Oregon, cattle roam through rugged timberland. The station’s focus from the start has been supporting beef production, but a variety of crops, wildlife and the environment also are research priorities. Current studies include rangeland and ripari an restoration, virtual fencing, mule deer population declines, Native American foods, pollinators and invasive crawfish. OSU ag students at nearby Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, Ore., also can pursue real-world learning opportunities and conduct research at EOARC Union. Key moments for EOARC Union According to OSU, land for the station was initially set aside for an asylum, but in 1901, Oregon’s governor proposed an agricultural college at the site. A bill failed but locals requested an ag experiment station for Eastern Oregon’s differing needs. The Oregon Legislature transferred 620 acres and $10,000 to establish the station. The station’s first publication, “Sugar Beet Speculation,” was released in 1902, and it held its first field day in 1910. In 1941, the 2,000-acre Hall Ranch was purchased, leading to some of the first research on integrated forest and cattle management. In the 1970s, the station partnered with the U.S. Forest Service and secured a 5,500-acre grazing allotment on the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range. Station researchers also collaborate with other agencies, tribes and conservation groups. Bohnert aims to maintain funding levels for EOARC, but that isn’t a given. With productive scientists helping key industries and the environment, he’s hopeful. For more information on the 125th anniversary celebration, go to https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/eoarc.