In mid-June, leadership from Oregon Wheat Growers League (OWGL), National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), Columbia Basin Agriculture Research Center (CBARC) liaison committee, and staff from Senator Merkley’s office visited the CBARC and USDA- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center facilities in Pendleton to learn more about the critical wheat research underway at the site. The visit provided an opportunity to view the impacts of new funding provided through the Resilient Dryland Farming Appropriation (RDFA), investments into enhanced broadband capacities and the establishment of the Soil Carbon Research Center.
The increased federal funding provided by the RDFA and soil carbon center appropriations expands research work of these facilities on topics essential to Oregon’s dryland wheat producers. “CBARC and ARS has been, and will continue to be, crucial in meeting the needs for research in a manner that meets the economic and sustainability metrics for wheat producers. The researchers understand and recognize the regional differences in farming practices and know there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. Funding and improving our research facilities at CBARC is vital for continued efforts to ensure we, the farmers, can continue to feed the world. There is a great deal of importance of recognizing our early innovators and adopters – these are the original stewards of the land, ensuring sustainability for generations to come,” stated OWGL President, Clint Carlson.The tour highlighted the new lab robotics equipment, which facilitates increased analysis of sustainable agricultural systems, and the plans for even more research into precision agriculture, dryland farming techniques, soil and water conservation, and crop diversification in locations with limited winter precipitation and dry summers.
New investments reflect the status of the site as a key research facility with wide ranging expertise of faculty, partnered with close relationships to those early innovators and adopters: Oregon farmers. At the site, long term cropping system studies are established as far back as 1931. From this established research facility, dryland wheat producers have gained ground on cropping systems, but the site is faced with its next challenge: aging facilities. While the site benefited from a greatly needed first expansion in October, including the redesign of the microbiology laboratory and conversion of warehouse space to a laboratory, the space is only a fraction up the upgrades needed at this facility to continue and improve research for the producers. Longtime supporter of the research facilities, Nathan Rea, chairman of the CBARC Liaison Committee said, “The research conducted at CBARC is broadly relevant to dryland wheat growers throughout the Pacific Northwest. The economic sustainability of wheat production in the PNW is going to need a healthy research facility focused on challenges and opportunities facing our growers. We should all be proud of the long history and bright future of ag research at the Pendleton Station. For the diverse group of farmers involved in the grower representative Liaison Committee at CBARC, I think it has become clear that the quality and age of our facilities at the Pendleton Station is an issue in need of renewal. Our recent tour of the facilities reaffirms the need for new and sustained investments by the USDA-ARS and Oregon State University in the lab and office space so we can ensure continued relevance for generations to come.”
OWGL emphasized the need for facilities throughout the tour and also focused discussion regarding the need to assure state and federal policies related to ‘climate smart agriculture’ work for Oregon farmers. With NAWG’s CEO participating in the tour, the League had a willing ear in the discussion on advancing policies that meet the local environment. “This week, I had the opportunity to visit the CBARC station which is attracting leading talent in agricultural research and tour the facility. I was able to look at soil samples and learn about their tactics for researching the role nitrogen has in soil health,” said NAWG CEO Chandler Goule. “Being able to tour these facilities reinforces the critical research being done to support wheat growers in eastern Oregon. As NAWG continues its advocacy in support of ag research, this information is vital in helping NAWG educate lawmakers about the fundamental ongoing research at CBARC and how it benefits both the environment and the farmer.”
About the RDFA and Soil Carbon Center: Senators Merkley and Wyden, and Congressman Walden sponsored the Resilient Dryland Farming Initiative as a provision in the 2019 Agriculture Bill. With the team effort, an annual appropriation of $2 Million was added to the annual base budget of ARS at Pendleton. Year one funds with investment to equipment. Robots, etc. In 2020, an additional $1.5 million in resources were included to establish a Soil Carbon Research Center at the USDA Agriculture Research Services, Pendleton Agriculture Research Center.