Northwest Forage & Livestock Systems Research and Education Center Request Submitted To: USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Submitted By: Thayne Dutson, Dean College of Agricultural Sciences Oregon State University

Description A Northwest Forage and Livestock Systems Research and Education Center is proposed to: 1.Provide support to the region's forage and livestock producers. 2.Provide answers to the economic and environmental problems now facing land managers. 3.Focus multi-disciplinary and multi-agency activities on this enormously important component of agriculture in the region. 4.Link these activities with efforts in other parts of the US and the world.

Rationale Forages are the number one agricultural commodity in the Northwest. In Oregon alone, forage value exceeds $500 million per year for hay, silage, and pasture. Budget cuts and attrition over the last 15 years have crippled the capacity of the land grant university and Extension service to provide effective research and education programs to assist forage and livestock system producers and other land managers working with grassland resources.

Rationale (continued) During the same period, economic, social, and environmental pressures on farmers and ranchers and their communities have dramatically increased. These pressures and the underlying problems require system-based approaches and solutions. Forage & livestock - based agricultural systems research and education programs are needed to provide timely and sustainable solutions for this enormously important portion of northwest agriculture and land use management.

Approach An agroecozone approach will be used to maximize efficiency of resources and increase the potential for extrapolating research and education programs to similar climate, soil, and production areas within the region. This approach will also allow greater benefit from activities conducted in similar agroecozones in other parts of the nation and the world. Center activities will provide a progressive approach to forage-livestock systems leading to profitable and environmentally sustainable practices.

Approach (continued) These activities will result in continued supply of renewable grassland resources that create renewable wealth and foster economic development in the region. Increased interdisciplinary and interagency activities will be encouraged with a "mini- grants" program. This Northwest Forage and Livestock Research and Education Center will be a unique model for the nation, as it will be a partnership of the USDA CSREES, other federal and state agencies, organizations, farmers and ranchers, and private industry.

Partnerships and Collaborations USDA CSREES funds requested are to establish the Northwest Forage and Livestock Center. The Center will be a collaborative project of faculty at Pacific Northwest and western region universities working in partnership with: other federal and state agencies, farmers and ranchers, and private industry.

Matching Funds Research and Extension scientists will conduct the research and educational programs proposed using University and ARS salary dollars attached to those positions. Additional faculty and support staff will be requested through established state legislature procedures and ARS budgets. Additional support dollars will be sought from extramural grants and project partners.

Relevance to OSU’s Mission The prime mission of Oregon State University and the College of Agricultural Sciences is education. OSU is Oregon’s principal source of knowledge relating to agricultural and food systems and a major source of knowledge regarding environmental quality, natural resources and life sciences.

Relevance to OSU’s Mission (continued) A Northwest Forage and Livestock Systems Research and Education Center will provide support to the region's forage and livestock producers and answers to the economic and environmental problems now facing land managers and Oregon’s rural communities. Properly managed forage and livestock systems offer long-term, environmentally sound, economically sustainable solutions to many of these problems.

Value to Programmatic Goals OSU scientists in many disciplines are working toward providing solutions to the economic and environmental problems facing Oregon’s natural resource managers. Scientists and extension educators in other western states are engaged in similar efforts. This Center will focus multi-disciplinary and multi-agency efforts on finding solutions for Northwest Forages and livestock systems and will link these activities with efforts in other parts of the US and the world.

How the Project Serves a Long-standing Regional Need Budget cuts and attrition over the last 15 years have crippled the capacity of the land grant university and Extension service to provide effective research and education programs to assist forage and livestock system producers and other land managers working with grassland resources. During the same period, economic, social, and environmental pressures on farmers and ranchers and their communities have dramatically increased.

How the Project Serves a Long-standing Regional Need (continued) These pressures and the underlying problems require system-based approaches and solutions. The Center will address the long-standing issue of supporting the Pacific Northwest forage and livestock producers and emerging issues such as endangered species stabilization and recovery, water quality protection and restoration, and economic sustainability of farming communities.

Determination of the need for federal funding USDA CSREES funds are requested to initiate Center activities. On-going funding will be needed for basic center operations. Extramural funding will be sought for specific program development and implementation. Core support is needed to leverage other funding sources.

What will happen that otherwise wouldn’t happen? Establishing a Northwest Forage & Livestock Systems Research, Education and Extension Center will lead to: Additional faculty and support staff. Additional funding within AES budgets. Greater potential for extramural funding. Greater cooperation on and off campus. Greater cooperation of various organizations and agencies. Greater support for you!

For More Information A description of the value of Forages to Oregon is on the Forage Information System at the following URL: You may also contact:  Mylen Bohle  David Hannaway  Wayne Mosher  Gene Pirelli

What can you do? If you would like to see more research, extension, and teaching activities related to forage & livestock systems, you can: Express your opinion both verbally and in writing to: the OSU CAS and Extension administrative teams (Thayne Dutson and Kelvin Koong) your Oregon legislators your US senators and representatives Work together with the livestock organizations, encouraging their support