The federal funds will be directed to the University of Oregon
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas and Val Hoyle today announced $2 million in federal funds for soil health programs on Oregon farms made available through the Inflation Reduction Act.
“Oregon is great at both growing things and adding value to them, but we need to make sure we do both in a sustainable way,” said Wyden. “I am always eager to support programs that tackle challenges farmers face while helping address the climate crisis, and I will keep advocating for more funding to support similar projects in Oregon.”
“Agricultural innovation strengthens Oregon’s rural economies and contributes to our state’s vitality for generations to come,” said Merkley. “Maintaining the health of our soil is beneficial not only for feeding the country but also for ensuring that our farming practices are sustainable in the fight against climate chaos. The CIG project by the University of Oregon, which is funded by the historic Inflation Reduction Act, sets a new standard for sustainable farming, strengthening our world-class Oregon agriculture industry.”
“Farmers and producers have valuable experience and can help develop conservation strategies to reduce carbon emissions and increase crop resiliency. I am thrilled that the University of Oregon has received more than $2 million from the Conservation Innovation Grants program to work with local hazelnut farmers on a soil health management system. This industry is an important part of Oregon’s economy, and the grant funding will bring in agricultural producers as active partners in managing healthy soil and addressing carbon pollution,” said Bonamici.
“Improving soil health will be critical for the long-term success of small family farms across Oregon,” said Salinas. “This grant funding will be used to partner with local hazelnut growers and demonstrate the many benefits of good soil management. It also goes hand-in-hand with legislation I’ve introduced that would invest in soil health education and reward growers who adopt healthy soil practices. As our climate continues to change, I’ll keep working with my Oregon colleagues to ensure our growers can stay profitable and resilient.”
“Oregon’s hazelnut farmers worked hard to bounce back from a blight that nearly destroyed America’s hazelnut industry. Now they are facing new threats of climate change,” said Hoyle. “This $2 million investment will support the University of Oregon’s partnerships with local hazelnut growers to improve soil health to help these crops survive. I am proud to have worked to bring these taxpayer dollars back to Oregon to support hazelnut growers.”
The $2 million in federal funds will be distributed from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Innovation Grants Program. Wyden created the soil health demonstration trials program and has a bill, the Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act to extend the program – with Salinas and Bonamici leading the effort in the U.S. House of Representatives. The University of Oregon will demonstrate this soil health management system at-scale across 20 farms representative of the larger Oregon hazelnut industry by providing incentives for adoption, providing technical support, and demonstrating the ecological and economic benefits.
“We are thrilled to receive the USDA’s support for our work to use native cover crops and basalt dust amendments to enhance soil health and carbon drawdown in hazelnut orchards. This is a great example of “win-win” science that benefits farm operations while supporting the long-term sustainability of the Oregon hazelnut industry. Healthy soils are a key element of climate resilience, and we are excited to apply this system at-scale to hazelnut farms across the state,” said Dr. Lauren Hallett, UO Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies.
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