CENTER
STRATEGIC PLAN
ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE TOGETHER
THE NORTH WILLAMETTE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER
DECEMBER 2010
CONTENTS
CONTENTS .................................................................................................................. 2
CREDITS ..................................................................................................................... 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 4
PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN ................................................................................... 8
SCOPE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN ...................................................................................... 9
PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN ................................................................. 10
CENTER BACKGROUND ................................................................................................. 13
CENTER DESCRIPTION AND ATTRIBUTES ........................................................................... 19
COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTRIBUTES ............................................................... 26
PARTICIPATORY PROCESS RESULTS ................................................................................. 30
CENTER PLANNING KEY CONCEPTS ................................................................................. 36
CENTER MISSION, VISION AND VALUES ............................................................................. 39
STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS .............................................. 41
SUMMARY OF STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................... 42
OVERALL CENTER GOAL ............................................................................................... 43
PLACE/LOCATION BASED GOAL ...................................................................................... 58
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AS USED IN THIS PLAN ..................................................................... 60
APPENDIX A .............................................................................................................. 61
APPENDIX B .............................................................................................................. 63
APPENDIX C .............................................................................................................. 65
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 70
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CREDITS
CENTER ADMINISTRATOR
Clark Seavert, North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC)
Center Administrator and Professor
PLANNING CONSULTANT
Mary Cook Swanson, Principal, Swanson Partners, LLC
CENTER ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Shelley Hughes, NWREC Administrative Assistant
CENTER STRATEGIC PLANNING PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE
Jim Azumano
Northwest Food Processors
Bob Boyle
Farm Credit Services – Salem
Jim Johnson
Oregon Department of Agriculture Land Use Planning
Dave Koellermeier
Oregon Agri-Business Council
Doug Krahmer
Blueberry Grower
Charlotte Lehan
Clackamas County Commissioner
Neal Lucht
Northwest Transplants
Lance Lyon
Industry Consultant
Deborah Maddy
Associate Director, OSU Extension Service and Associate
Provost, University Outreach and Engagement
Stella Coakley
OSU College of Agricultural Sciences – Associate Dean
Keith Diem
OSU Extension – Regional Director
Mike Bondi
OSU Extension – Clackamas County Staff Chair
Patrick Proden
OSU Extension – Washington and Multnomah Counties
Staff Chair
Robert McReynolds
OSU NWREC - Faculty
Jim Owens
OSU NWREC - Faculty
Wei Yang
OSU NWREC - Faculty
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This visionary document is meant to guide and direct the efforts of our North Willamette
Research and Extension Center; referred to as our Center throughout this document. The
scope of the plan is reflective of the rapid and deep changes taking place at Oregon State
University. While it is a strategic and high level plan that includes a mission, vision and values
statement, it is simultaneously directive and more specific where appropriate given the
dynamic circumstances. Turbulent times call for clarity of direction and taking action where
beneficial and timely while maintaining flexibility. This therefore, is not a traditional plan as
we live in times that are not traditional. This plan is the result of a careful, revitalizing, and
highly participatory planning process designed to chart the course for a new level of
excellence at our Center, during and after these challenging times.
Our Center requires reinvestment in terms of both human and financial capital. Reinvestment
requires that we build on our past accomplishments and create a unified Center concept to
enable future success that is more financially sustainable. Existing resources must be
leveraged effectively to generate new resources.
Our Center‟s success is important not only to current and future faculty and staff, but also to
current and future farmers and agribusinesses, the University and academic community, the
food and nursery industries, and state and global consumers of agricultural products. The plan
reflects and leads a cultural change at our Center to enable continued success. The biggest
changes embodied in this plan are changes in paradigm-level thinking.
Our challenge is to be both mission driven as a public institution and revenue driven to
support the needed work that sustains agriculture and its vital contribution to community,
environment and the economy. Collaboration created this visionary Center concept plan. Our
Center‟s faculty and staff are now more aware of our communities‟ needs and understand the
necessity of partnerships to provide resources. We must serve the needs of the University and
colleges as they too restructure.
Implementation requires meeting dual challenges: to create a new, more inclusive and
dynamic culture of opportunities and unify around the collaborative vision. This work requires
thoughtful, strategic and responsive action in accordance with an overall concept.
Implementation of this strategic plan will bring to life a new organizational model for our
Center. It will:
 Foster a “unified Center identity”.
 Improve awareness of our Center and the benefits or positive impacts of its
work within academia, and the agricultural and general communities.
 Provide a place where professionals are engaged in a teamwork and
multidisciplinary culture focused on addressing issues and providing relevant
and reliable information responsive to change.
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 Unify Extension and research functions while retaining a separate budget for
each. This will allow our Center to provide a set of unified services to
stakeholders while clarifying budgets to allow more clear understanding.
 Realistically focus greater awareness on the need to attract funding that is
sustainable to support our Center‟s mission.
Changes in our state government and OSU are providing us opportunities to reshape, rethink
and give direction to our future. We seek to continue our tradition of excellence in our
existing or core services of Extension and research and more ably adapt and grow to better
serve the public. Our existing or core services are highly valued. We call these our “core”
services because the term “existing” services changes over time. As we move forward, we
must increase our capacity and build on our strengths. We will increase our capacity to
educate the urban as well as the rural population about agriculture. We will enhance our
ability to increase awareness of agriculture to Oregon‟s voting population. This is paramount
to continued support for our contributions to OSU, its colleges and our stakeholders.
Focus Areas
Two focus areas are considered essential for our Center‟s future success. First is a focus on
the overall Center conceptual identity and function and the second is a focus on the location
of our Center and its sense of place.
The two focus area goals are:
 Overall Center Goal: Create a Center conceptual identity to maintain and build new
excellence in services while rebalancing the mixture of Extension and research
activities and secure necessary resources.
 Place/Location Based Goal: Best utilization of the site and our Center‟s location.
Recommendations
The recommendations made in this plan are presented in more detail beginning in the section
titled “Center Planning Key Concepts”. There are 9 categories of recommendations, they are:
New Mission, Vision And Values
New Center Name
New Administrative Leadership
Resource Development
Funding Supports Core And Expanded Services
Encourage Transdisciplinary Programs
Improve Program Impact Statements And Communication Efforts
Student Enrollment Increases
Center’s Location Bridges The Urban And Rural Populations
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Key Concepts
Balancing tradition and new opportunities for the future requires certain understandings.
Among the key concepts embodied in this plan are:
 Reinvention is necessary. The State of Oregon expects three biennia of declining
budgets as a result of the economy. Adaptation and evolution are keys to our Center‟s
survival. Reinvention will allow our Center to emerge as an increasingly valued and
supported service to agriculture, the economy, community and the environment.
 Balance and careful planning are important underpinnings of this plan. Our highly
valued traditional services are dependent on a new mix of services and a rebalancing
of resources. Interdependence is the key to success for all parts of our organization as
resources are constrained while effective and efficient delivery of services is required.
 The ability to fund and deliver traditional services to traditional stakeholders must
change or resources will continue to decline. This eroding of resources jeopardizes
our Center’s existence as it will be impossible to maintain the necessary critical mass
of Extension and research activities without sustainable funding
 A paradigm shift is required to preserve the traditional programs; as best we can.
New opportunities to serve and attract funds are a required part of reinvention and
refunding of our Center. It is incorrect to think that the traditional programs must be
preserved before change. Our best opportunities to preserve traditional programs will
result from investment in our Center Concept.
 Center programs are highly diversified, with each program focused on its own interests
and issues. Insistent focus on program only interests without funding of the overall
and collective Center’s interests will bring on the demise of our valued services.
Therefore this diverse agricultural community must unify around a new collective
interest that is inclusive of the many varied interests including their own programs.
Compromise and collaboration will be required in order to succeed. Agricultural
commodity group interests in the future will be best served through broader
cooperation across the community with interests in agriculture.
 The diversity within the broader community as well as the agricultural and nursery
industries both strengthens and weakens our Center. Diversity diminishes our sense of
common purpose and unity, a necessary part of creating a more recognizable
“identity”. At the same time diversity expands our reach and potential impacts which
could increase investment.
 The plan is not to minimize existing traditional research and Extension programs in
order to fund future and broader new opportunities; rather the future and new
opportunities are the key to reversing the decline and strain on resources required
so we can continue our important and valued services.
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 Current and future stakeholders often lack full awareness of the need and/or how to
fund our services and programs they value. They also often lack an understanding of
their interdependencies with the broader and urban community who share their
agricultural interests. In fact, this broader urban community provides much of the
needed funding through statewide taxation and other means.
 Remaining responsive and relevant to the needs of the agricultural and nursery
industries and the broader community requires our ability to expect and forecast
change. Improving our abilities in identity building, issue identification, marketing of
programs and impacts, and creating new and nontraditional partnerships will improve
our relationships with all of our stakeholders.
Our Center must conceptually become a place where diverse and independent interests are
unified around shared opportunities. The vision is to maintain excellence in core or existing
services, expand for new opportunities and rebalance the mixture of Extension and research
activities and funding.
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PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN
This plan is to provide ongoing and continuing guidance for the North Willamette Research
and Extension Center (NWREC). It sets forth our Center‟s new mission, vision and values
statements.
Work on this strategic plan began in January of 2009, before recent state budget constraints.
Our Center Administrator was asked in 2007 to “figure out the NWREC budget” dilemma as
county, state and outside funds to operate our Center had diminished over time. Our Center
Administrator was recognized in his 2008 PROF evaluation, for a key effort to develop a
method to allocate expenditures between research and Extension and show how revenue from
various sources flow to the Center. This started our effort to develop a clearly understood
plan to achieve sustainable funding for our Center.
Discussions began about how to adequately fund our Center in the long run. Therefore a
process and a plan was needed to allow a wide array of input from several stakeholder
groups, current and future, and lay out a direction that put our Center on a sustainable
funding path.
The results of the 2009-10 Oregon Legislative session dramatically changed the state budget
system and budget forecasts predicted dire times as the US economy came to a halt. State
agencies were asked to significantly reduce their budgets. All three OSU Statewide Programs
faced significant cuts. Our Center receives funding from two of the three Statewide Programs;
namely the Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension Service. Current Center funding is
explained in the section of this plan titled, “Center Description and Attributes”.
A glossary is provided for the reader, to assist in understanding of this plan. It is intended to
clarify some of the terms as used in this plan while recognizing that the terms may be used
slightly differently or have different implications in other coontexts.
This plan is the result of a careful, deliberative and inclusive planning process. The process
was designed to build on the historical foundation of success at our Center while recognizing
its ongoing financial constraints. This requires a different and revitalized future vision for our
Center. This vision must respond appropriately to changing conditions.
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SCOPE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN
This plan is a significant organizational achievement. It is to be a useful tool to help people
focus together on the important work of our Center. It describes a robust and vibrant future
for the organization. It serves as a guide and will be interpreted with flexibility to best meet
the diversity of community needs.
This plan is high level and strategic in nature to enable transformative change. In addition to
setting overall direction, it strives to include specific directives more typical in a master plan,
where possible. The reality of the planning environment of rapid and deep change
characteristic of OSU‟s transformational change process, indicates further master planning of
Center and faculty programs and projects is needed for implementation that best achieves
plan goals. More specifically, our Center administration and faculty will implement this plan
through more specific master planning for existing and new programs and projects and
include additional measureable indicators for success. Allocation of necessary resources is
required for successful implementation of the Strategic Recommendations and Recommended
Actions set forth in this plan.
This plan is a living document that is expected to change as it is implemented. The
community based participatory nature of the planning process should enable greater support
for implementation of the plan and the work of the new Administration, new Advisory Board,
faculty and staff. Thorough and ongoing annual review of the plan is required for it to remain
a relevant guide and useful tool. A significant plan update is expected about every 5 years to
keep pace with community change.
This plan incorporates the successes of the past and sets the course for the future of this
organization.
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PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN
The planning process used to develop this plan was a highly relational process designed for
involvement that generates better understanding and improved support of the resulting plan.
The process began with consideration of the historic funding and operations of our Center.
The process was soon “put on hold” to allow faculty and staff needed time to absorb the
terrible impacts of the worldwide financial recession. Once the new realities were better
understood, the planning process was resumed with particular sensitivity and flexibility to
accommodate the “transformative change” necessary throughout the University. Although this
level of change is usually an indicator to wait for another time to pursue strategic planning,
the process continued for important reasons that included:
1. OSU leadership was supportive and understanding of the need for a proactive
approach.
2. Continuation of the status quo would likely further reduce funding for our Center.
3. The future of our Center depends in part on its own ability to articulate its value, in
terms of Extension and research activities, to the University, community, and existing
and future clientele and partners.
4. The community and clientele that are served by our Center were themselves
interested in securing the future of their businesses and communities.
5. The magnitude of the recession indicated that much of society would be preparing to
make difficult economic tradeoffs and decisions.
6. The wisdom gained from our considered and thoughtful process would enable the best
decision making during difficult times.
7. Other parts of the OSU and agricultural and urban communities would benefit from the
information and the relationships built through engagement to better serve all.
A steering committee was formed to bring together multiple parties with a variety of
perspectives and experience to provide advice and help guide the process. The planning
process was designed and conducted based on the experience and planning process relational
strategies framework of Swanson Partners, LLC.
The highly relational planning process is depicted in the following road map graphic.
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Focus groups were designed as a community interview process to develop greater involvement
from traditional and potential new clientele and partners. The focus group interviews were
designed to elicit ideas for consideration in the plan and strengthen community relationships
and understanding between our Center‟s faculty and staff and the community it serves now
and in the future.
Faculty and staff meetings and a community summit meeting were also held to gather ideas
and direction.
Draft plans were refined by review from the Steering Committee, the public, and OSU faculty
and staff. The final plan was adopted by our Center Administrator.
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Focus
Groups
Friends of
the Center
Summit
Participants
Steering
Committee
Individuals
Strategic Plan
Faculty and
Staff
The participatory planning process not only produced a plan for the future but also enhanced
faculty, staff and community/clientele capacity to effectively deliver the plan and achieve its
desired outcomes.
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CENTER BACKGROUND
Our Center operates as part of and in service to a diversity of organizations and people. This
organizational framework or background environment is essential to understanding the
constraints and opportunities identified throughout the plan. Below is a brief history,
followed by the brief description of those groups with important roles in our Center‟s success.
HISTORY
The following are milestones in the historical development of our Center. Knowledge of a few
important dates that lead to the 1957 and 1989 milestones are key to understanding the
impact and challenges of this 2010 plan making. The 1957 Station was a research-based
operation and did not include a significant Extension function. The 1989 Plan incorporated a
significant Extension component and a funding model through County Extension Offices. From
then on the funding model for research and Extension together has become an intricate and
difficult to administer model. With the economic crisis of 2009 putting additional pressure on
the structure, it is collapsing and requires a major reconstruction. The administrative model
in this plan strives to provide clarity and is described in the Strategic Recommendations in the
Overall Center Goal Section.
Land Grant
University System
Established
First Extension
Agent in Oregon
North Willamette
Research and
Extension Center
(Funding
Agreements)
1862
1911
1989
2010
Center Strategic
Plan
1868
1957
2009
Oregon State
University
Established
North Willamette
Experiment Staton
Established
Center Strategic
Plan Development
Began
OSU
Transformation
Change Movement
driven by "The
Great Recession "
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CENTER BACKGROUND 13
The following information is provided to help understanding of the primary roles and
relationships at our Center.
OSU Structure
OSU
Programs/Activities
Communities of
Interest
Center
Oregon State
University
Extension
Service
Counties
Administration
Oregon
Extension
Service
Research
Industry
Faculty
Oregon
Agricultural
Experiment
Station
General Public
Staff
Branch
Experiment
Stations
THE MISSION OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
As a land grant institution committed to teaching, research, and outreach and engagement,
Oregon State University promotes economic, social, cultural and environmental progress for
the people of Oregon, the nation and the world. This mission is achieved by producing
graduates competitive in the global economy, supporting a continuous search for new
knowledge and solutions, and maintaining a rigorous focus on academic excellence;
particularly in the three Signature Areas: Advancing the Science of Sustainable Earth
Ecosystems, Improving Human Health and Wellness, and Promoting Economic Growth and
Social Progress. (1)
THE MISSION OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE
The Oregon State University Extension Service engages the people of Oregon with researchbased knowledge and education that strengthens communities and economies, sustains
natural resources, and promotes healthy families and individuals. (2)
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THE OREGON AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
The Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station is the research arm of Oregon State University‟s
College of Agricultural Sciences. It has more than 400 scientists in 28 academic units in four
OSU colleges --- Agricultural Sciences, Health and Human Sciences, Science, and Veterinary
Medicine. They work on projects related to food and fiber production, processing and
marketing, wise use of natural resources, human nutrition, forestry, commercial fishing and
other topics important to the economic and environmental well-being of Oregonians. (3)
THE BRANCH EXPERIMENT STATIONS
Our Center is one of 11 Branch Experiment Stations (BES) located on 14 sites in the state of
Oregon, all part of the Oregon State University. According to our Center Administrator, the
BES promote the University‟s mission to enhance the economic, social, cultural, and
environmental progress for people across Oregon, the nation, and the world. The Branch
Experiment Stations serve as a network of community laboratories and regional hubs that
develop innovative technologies and model systems for agriculture and natural resources.
THE ROLE OF EXTENSION
The Extension service engages the people of Oregon with research-based knowledge and
education that focus on strengthening communities and economies, sustaining natural
resources, and promoting healthy families and individuals. Extension is the informal education
branch of Oregon State University. Extension programs provide unbiased research-based
information delivered using multiple methods to help stakeholders address problems.
Programs are conducted both on campus and off campus. Programs at our Center allows
faculty to work side-by-side with growers and industry to design problems-solving research
and educational programs to address local needs. OSU Extension is cooperatively funded with
county, state and federal dollars.
Programs are delivered in a collaborative model that aligns as needed with the federal, state
and local partners and serves the needs of the local community.
THE ROLE OF RESEARCH
Research in the agricultural, biological, social, and environmental sciences for the social,
economic, and environmental benefit of Oregonians is conducted through Oregon State
University on and off campus including at our Center.
THE ROLE OF COUNTIES
In order for local Extension services to be made available to the citizens of counties, the
counties are required to provide financial resources along with its state and federal partners.
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Historically, counties have not consistently provided the necessary funding through allocation
of general funds. Funding constraints resulted in a steady decline in financial support. County
Service District‟s provide property tax funding legally specified for the Extension mission and
its services in the counties where a County Service District has been formed.
We serve the counties of Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill, Polk, Washington, Multnomah, and
Columbia. All contribute funding to our Extension programs with the exception of Multnomah
County.
THE ROLE OF INDUSTRY
Industry is defined as agricultural and nursery growers or producers, processors, packers,
input suppliers, commissions, and machinery dealers engaged in agricultural production.
Industry assumes a variety of roles at our Center. They serve as volunteers, provide financial
support of events, pay fees for information services and are funding partners for all or part of
selected technician salaries, services and supplies.
All are expected to work in support of the adopted policies, management, and operational
expectations of both OSU and our Center.
THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC
The public is a collective term for a wide range of groups which usually have unarticulated
roles and responsibilities for the success of our Center. For example, consumers of
agricultural and nursery products, voters, suburban area residents, urban area residents, rural
area residents, and other groups are all part of the public, as the term is used in this plan.
Although not directly responsible for the activities at our Center, their significant indirect
role is of great consequence to our Center‟s success and related industry success.
Throughout our planning meetings we heard about the need for more knowledge on the part
of the public about:
agriculture in general,
consumer behavior,
the role of research and education in producing food and protecting health,
and
public services funding.
We also heard from the public and consumers and our organizational partners in both the
private and public sectors that directly serve them, that there are important unmet needs for
education in the urban area. These are new opportunities for our Center to provide outreach
and education to the urban population.
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The future of our Center depends in part on the public and consumer education necessary to
ensure their continued public support in both behavioral and financial terms. Behavioral
support may be expressed:
at the market when purchasing nursery or food items,
at school when supporting education related directly or indirectly to
agriculture and/or OSU,
as voters when they influence who is elected to lead and fund state budgets,
create laws, decide programs and address land use issues,
and as taxpayers when they support tax funded public work in education or
agricultural production,
and others ways as well.
Our Center must work to secure its political and financial future by helping the public in
general to develop a more complete and mature understanding of the significant role they
play in the future of agriculture and our Center.
THE ROLE OF CENTER ADMINISTRATION
Our Center is currently managed by our Center Administrator – Superintendent and Staff
Chair. The Administrator is an OSU faculty member with responsibilities to our Center, the
College and the University. Our Center is managed to be accountable in its budgets, policies,
and operations to OSU.
Our Center Administrator provides:
Leadership for and support to all Center faculty and staff,
Vision, direction, and leadership regarding priorities,
Tracking of expenditures, contracts and reports of accountability for the
University and other funding sources,
Recruitment, orientation and retention services for diverse faculty and staff,
Management of Center land and facilities for priority program outcomes,
Leadership in the development of long-range plans.
THE ROLE OF CENTER FACULTY
Each faculty member at our Center has both a programmatic home at the Center and an
academic home with a College Unit. Academic homes currently include the Departments of
Agriculture and Resource Economics, Horticulture, Botany and Plant Pathology, and the
College of Forestry.
Individual faculty programs and plans of work are developed to meet clientele needs. Annual
performance evaluations are conducted by our Center Administrator in conjunction with the
academic home unit leader.
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Faculty members are promoted and tenured within their academic homes.
All faculty and staff at our Center are supervised by and report to the Center Administrator.
THE ROLE OF CENTER SUPPORT STAFF
Our Center operates with support staff for farm and office operations. Other support staff
directly serves within faculty programs and projects.
More details about Center administration, faculty and staff are provided in the next section.
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CENTER DESCRIPTION AND ATTRIBUTES
Our Center is recognized as a leader in agriculture related research and education. Its
education is delivered not only with the necessary technical expertise, but also teaching
expertise to “educate” the person so the learner develops the capacity to implement the
knowledge in a more ongoing way. That benefits not only the recipient of direct services but
also the capacity of the individual to be self sufficient and even improve the agricultural
community through their own actions and service.
Our Center provides real world learning experiences for undergraduate and graduate
students. Our Center also supports communication of new knowledge to all clientele and the
community to ensure wise utilization and sustainability of food and natural resources.
Our Center addresses the specific economic, social, and environmental needs of surrounding
local and regional communities.
HISTORY
Before the NWREC was established, the North Willamette Experiment Station was made
possible with a $50,000 appropriation by the 1957 Legislature and became a reality when
Clackamas County leased 52 acres of fertile Willamette Valley farmland to the University.
In 1965, the county purchased an adjacent 107 acres, expanding the experiment station to
159 acres. In 1987, the legislature provided $310,000 for additional office and laboratory
space to create what is now known as the North Willamette Research and Extension Center
(NWREC). Soon after the completion of the current office building, OSU Extension Service
district horticulture agents were transferred to our Center, allowing them to work alongside
their research counterparts and considerably expanding services to the agricultural
community.
LOCATION/SITE CHARACTERISTICS
Our Center is centrally located in Oregon‟s highly productive Willamette Valley, primarily
providing services to growers in 7 counties – Columbia, Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington,
Marion, Polk and Yamhill. Our Center is conveniently located between downtown Portland and
Salem, the grower community of the productive agricultural lands between Marion and
Columbia Counties, and a host of other entities that use our facility annually.
As shown in Figure 1, our Center is very close to the interchange of I-5 and Miley Road,
bordering non-agricultural neighbors of the Charbonneau District to the north and to the
west. Our Center is located in Clackamas County on property zoned Exclusive Farm Use
(EFU). This EFU designation means the land can only be used outright for agricultural
purposes. Our Center is located is some of the best agricultural lands in the state.
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We are one of a few branch experiment stations that border urban populations. This location
makes farming practices challenging at times while also creating educational opportunities for
the urban population.
Our research and Extension activities conducted on site also have far reaching impacts outside
of the northern Willamette Valley.
More detailed information about the facilities on site is provided in Appendix B.
Figure 1. Aerial View of NWREC Property (outlined in red), Neighborhoods, Boone Bridge & I-5.
Source: Clark Seavert, NWREC Administrator
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OUR CENTER’S BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS
THE TAIL OF TWO BUDGETS
As the section title suggests, two state budget lines fund our Center - Agricultural Experiment
Station and Extension Service. You will also learn that these budget lines do “wag the dog”;
which unfortunately disrupts programs and research efforts.
The recent economic recession had dramatic affects on both state budget lines. Our Center‟s
research budget was reduced by 9 percent from the 2007-08 biennium budget levels. This was
a reduction of about $45,000 from a $525,000 budget, leaving approximately $480,000. The
Extension budget from the College of Agricultural Sciences (CAS) was reduced by the same
percentage, which amounted to about $15,000.
Figure 2 shows how the two state budget lines and the county funding partners provide
funding to our Center. Black boxes indicated state or county organizations, green boxes
indicate other universities, and orange boxes indicate OSU and our Center.
Figure 2. Flowchart of State and County dollars that fund the Center.
Source: Clark Seavert, NWREC Administrator
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Figures 3 and 4 show the sources of funds and how each are used to pay for either faculty salaries and Other Personnel Expenses
(OPE), support staff and their OPE, or services and supplies for both the research and Extension budget lines.
Figure 3. Research Sources of Funds and Expenditure for Operations of the Center. Source Clark Seavert, NWREC Administrator
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Figure 4. Research Sources of Funds and Expenditure for Operations of the Center. Source Clark Seavert, NWREC Administrator
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OTHER FUNDING SOURCES
Individual faculty members fund their Extension and research activities primarily through
grants, contracts and fees.
Commodity commissions contribute to programs at our Center. These commissions include
the Oregon Strawberry Commission, Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission, Oregon
Blueberry Commission, Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission, Oregon Association of
Nurserymen, and the Oregon Fresh Market Growers Association.
Competitive grants are also a significant contributor.
Fees for service are a smaller source of funds.
CENTER STAFF CHARACTERISTICS
Center faculty and staff are essential to carrying out the work of our Center. All faculty and
staff at our Center operate with core values that ensure they are responsive to community,
industry, and University needs and embrace diverse relationships that foster undergraduate
and graduate education while supporting teamwork development.
The current faculty and staff structure, as of 9/1/2010 is presented in table form below as
provided by the NWREC administrator. This staffing structure will change as the organization
evolves with plan implementation.
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CENTER DESCRIPTION
AND ATTRIBUTES
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CHARACTERISTICS AND
ATTRIBUTES
COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTRIBUTES
Demographic trends are important for planning. Oregon‟s population has grown approxiately
46 percent since 1960. The highest growth has occurred in the urban rather than the rural
areas of the state. In fact, every 10 years, there is a one percent overall increase in Oregon‟s
population that resides in the three county Portland Metropolitan Area.
As Oregon‟s population is expected to increase by another million people within 3 decades, if
urbanization trends continue, a higher percentage of those people will live in the Portland
Metropolitan Area. That translates to a future wherein close to 50% of the total state
population lives in the metro area.
This shift towards urbanization could significanlty affect agriculture and our state.
Figure 5 shows the growth in Oregon‟s population since 1960, the increase in population for
the three metro counties – Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah – since 1990, and the
percent increase of the metro county‟s population as compared to the state total since 1990.
42%
43%
41%
Figure 5. Population of Oregon (1960 to 2009), Clackamas, Washington, & Multnomah Counties
(1990 to 2009), & Percent of Metro Area Population Compared to State Total.
Source: Clark Seavert, NWREC Administrator
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CHARACTERISTICS AND
ATTRIBUTES
CLIENTELE AND STAKEHOLDERS RELEVANT FACTS/CHARACTERISTICS
Our Center‟s clientele primarily are defined as agricultural growers, producers and to some
extent input suppliers. They are directly impacted by our work. Stakeholders are primarily
processors, packers, input suppliers, commissions, lenders and machinery dealers engaged in
agricultural production. They are more indirectly impacted by our work than our clientele.
Other clientele and stakeholders include but are not limited to:
Direct recipients of programs, materials and experiences,
Colleagues and faculty at OSU, other Land Grant Universities, and National Extension
and Research organizations,
Counties and County Service Districts including elected leaders, citizens and
taxpayers,
Partnering organizations that use our Center‟s facilities.
Other universities and audiences worldwide, K-12 school districts, businesses, nonprofit organizations, USDA and other government agencies, and other community
organizations,
Volunteers,
Colleagues and partners who deliver technical or related educational programs like the
Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
University and college students,
Landowners.
The diversity within the community in general, as well as the agricultural and nursery
industries, is an important consideration for our Center. This diversity is both strengthening
but also diminishes the needed sense of common purpose and unity to successfully create a
unified “identity” that attracts people‟s investments in our Center.
AGRICULTURAL AND NURSERY INDUSTRY
RELEVANT FACTS/CHARACTERISTICS
Our Center‟s location in the North Willamette Valley is situated in one of the nation‟s most
productive agricultural lands. Producers here can grow over 240 different crops and deliver
that product to commercial processors, packers, farmer‟s markets, CSA‟s and farm stands.
About 37% of the state's $4.1 billion farm and ranch sales in 2009 came from farm operations
within a 40-mile radius of our Center. Most of the state‟s food processors are also located
within 40 miles of our Center, which adds an additional $500 million of value by first
handlers.
Specialty crops are very important to our Center and account for 23% of the state‟s total farm
sales. These sales include greenhouse and nursery production ($623 million in farm sales, or
15% of total state farm sales), Christmas trees ($101 million, or 2%), and blueberries,
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CHARACTERISTICS AND
ATTRIBUTES
caneberries and strawberries ($66 million, or 1%), and fresh vegetable and specialty seed
production ($56.3 million or 1%).
This diversity is what makes Oregon agriculture resilient and lends itself well to smaller scale
agriculture. Tables A1 though A6 in Appendix A show that many small farming operations exist
in the state and in the Willamette Valley.
In fact, Oregon has over 38,000 farms according to the 2007 Census of Agriculture. Of those
farms, 46 percent (17,450) make less than $2,499 per year in gross farm sales (GFS). Looking
deeper into these numbers, 68 percent (26,035) of Oregon‟s farms sell less than $9,999 per
year in GFS. Moreover, the USDA classifies commercial farms as those operations having more
than $250,000 in GFS annually. Therefore, only 7 percent of Oregon‟s farms would be
classified as commercial operations.
These tables also illustrate that the farms in the Willamette Valley reflect much of the same
trends in farm sales as for the state. Forty-six percent of the farms in the Willamette Valley
have less than $2,499 per year in GFS and 69 percent have less than $9,999 per year in GFS.
Only 7 percent of the farms in the Willamette Valley have more than $250,000 in GFS.
The tables also show the average farm size in the Willamette Valley ranges from 46 acres to
133 acres (Clackamas to Polk County, respectively). Twenty-five percent of Oregon‟s farms
are less than 9 acres in size with an additional 37% between 10 and 49 acres. These data are
not much different on a county basis for those counties directly served by our Center. A very
small percentage of farms in the North Willamette Valley have more than 180 acres.
The other tables provided show the farming population is aging and are primarily composed of
land owners rather than renters.
Thus we can conclude from these data that most farms in the North Willamette Valley are
smaller (less than 49 acres) and are therefore classified by the USDA as small farms.
Importantly, more than half of these farmers say their primary occupation is something other
than farming. Also these farmers are nearing retirement and own most of their land.
These smaller sized farms would benefit from expanded small farm education creating an
opportunity for our Center.
Figure 6 shows a general categorization of farms, based on annual farm sales (not acreage)
from the 2007 USDA Farm Census. It shows that most (83%) of our farms are hobby and
lifestyle and the minority (17%) are classified as small, medium and large; our traditional
clients.
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CHARACTERISTICS AND
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Figure 6. General categorization of farming operations in the North Willamette Valley
based on annual gross farm sales from the 2007 USDA Farm Census.
Source: Beth Emshoff and reviewed by Nick Andrews, Oregon State University .
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Community need or demand for education and research services are significantly affected by
technological advancement in information services. As both a producer and provider of
information, our Center anticipates the integration of technological advancements will
continue to affect who our Center serves, what information is available and how it is
accessed. Effective and efficient provision of information is evolving with technological
change.
Building awareness of our Center through the appropriate use of information technology is
extremely important to the long term future of the organization. The planning process shows
that experience with our Center staff, information and education services develops supportive
clientele. Experience will increase through the use of information technology as well as face
to face interaction.
As people become more overwhelmed with the amount of available data and the fact that
some of it is unreliable or even harmful, they will increasingly rely on our Center for guidance
and reliable, relevant, and research-based information.
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CHARACTERISTICS AND
ATTRIBUTES
PARTICIPATORY PROCESS RESULTS
As stated earlier, the inclusive planning process included focus groups participants,
faculty and staff, steering committee members, summit participants and others. Detailed
results of many of those meetings are available on the Center‟s web site. This section
gives a brief overview of some of the highlights of the results as reported by Swanson
Partners, LLC.
STEERING COMMITTEE
Steering Committee meetings engaged participants in ongoing discussions to elicit
information and advice to help the plan be most effective and relevant. Steering
Committee members are listed in the credits section of this plan.
FOCUS GROUPS
The Center (NWREC) hosted a series of focus groups to gather qualitative data for the
development of the strategic plan. The focus groups were designed by Swanson Partners,
LLC to elicit responses from the community of interest, thereby generating qualitative
data for consideration in the strategic planning process.
More specifically, the goals or outcomes of the meetings were to:
Educate participants about NWREC and Oregon State University
Increase OSU knowledge about current and future clientele and stakeholder
needs
Garner support and understanding of clientele and stakeholders
Clarify NWREC “value” to the customer (perceived)
Develop funding capacity and ideas/mechanisms
Develop partnership potentials
A series of 19 focus groups were held between September 2009 and June 2010. The
groups were designed to include representation from those with current working
relationships with the Center as well as those who were not yet familiar with or working
with the Center.
Mary Cook Swanson of Swanson Partners, LLC, a planning firm, conducted each meeting
and the results of each meeting were verified by participants and are available in their
entirety on the NWREC web site. These learning discussions were very impor tant to the
development of this plan and will continue to serve the Center as a resource during
implementation and program planning.
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FOCUS OF GROUPS INTERVIEWED:
 Ornamental Nursery (4 Groups)
 Neighboring Industries
 Caneberries
 Specialty Seed Crops
 Blueberries
 Sustainable/Organic
 Strawberries
 Technology and Sustainability
 Fresh Vegetable
 OSU Faculty/Campus
 Christmas Trees
 Local/Regional Food Systems
 Processing and Value Added
Agricultural Industries
 Staff Chairs/Financial
 Commercial Landscape
 Input Suppliers and Consultants
VALUE AND COMPETENCY THEMES
The Center is highly regarded by participants. The Center‟s main attributes are the top notch
science and related reliable research-based information. It is also highly valued because it is
delivered well by skilled professionals who are responsive to client needs and take on the role
of problem solvers supportive of agricultural interests.
Core competencies relate to:
 Research
 Cooperation/Facilitation/Education
 Unbiased communication
 Work on issues
 Land grant mission
 Science education
 Team and interdisciplinary
approach
 Needed experts
 Positively perceived
DIRECTION FOR THE FUTURE THEMES
Participants expressed that the Center should build on its excellence and continue to improve
through actions directed according to the following themes.
 Create a unified Center identity
 Involve and educate decision
makers and policy through urban
and rural
 Use the site to host and educate
multiple groups
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STRATEGIC PLAN
 Build on independent intermediary
role between interests or groups
 Serve as informational
clearinghouse for applicability and
relevancy
 Use technology in all areas
PARTICIPATORY
PROCESS RESULTS
31
NEW AND INCREASED ROLES DESCRIBED
New opportunities were identified that fall broadly into the following categories. These are
very briefly described to help define the new ideas.
 Expand educational and convening
role
 Multidisciplinary approaches –
complementary expertise
 Anticipate and shape trends
 Multiple communication strategies
 Issues based work – apply to
multiple products
More specifically, a bigger and broader role in educating and convening people throughout the
region was strongly suggested. Those efforts would include traditional growers and new
growers who are unfamiliar with the Center and a variety of companies and institutions
related to agriculture. It also would include more students at OSU and other educational
institutions beginning in high school.
A major new opportunity was identified to educate and convene consumers and public and
private sector organizations throughout the urban, rural, and suburban areas with specific
emphasis on policy and financial decision makers. In addition, improve use of technology to
broadcast the events and learning opportunities to interests throughout the world was
identified as a major opportunity for a greater role in convening people in educational
forums.
Many focus group participants urged faculty and staff to place significantly more effort
toward anticipating and shaping trends that affect their local interests. The skilled
professional perspective in advance of or in early stages as relates to disease, pests,
environmental, consumer, regulatory, production, technology, and market related issues
could be greater than currently available and would be highly valued.
Participants strongly suggested more issues-based approaches to problems be used so that
multiple agricultural sectors or products could learn from one another to a greater degree.
Participants called for more multidisciplinary approaches from within OSU and working with
complementary experts in the public and private sectors to assist in providing relevant and
reliable expertise applicable to their needs.
Multiple communication strategies are essential given the diversity of audiences and methods
available for information to be received.
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FUNDING IDEAS
Every focus group included a discussion about funding. There was widespread acceptance of
the financial reality of the Center and the need to reconsider financial support mechanisms.
There was some variety in ideas about willingness to pay. No one idea or method emerged as
the favored solution; however the following attributes were supported by most.
The funding strategy attributes recommended include:
 Develop a shared, sustainable
funding model
 Continue to demonstrate value
 Articulate value to multiple
audiences
 Taxation – for production/land
and/or consumption
 Take multifaceted approach – And
consider
o Fee for services
o
Shared formula with
partners for both operations
and projects
 Formalize agreements
FACULTY AND STAFF
Faculty and staff were involved not only in the design of the focus group process and
customization of individual meetings, they were also interviewed independently using a
written format and participated in discussion based planning meetings.
A more detailed summary of that information is available on the Center‟s web site. Below is
a very brief summary of the findings. The Center has the following main strengths,
opportunities, and challenges to face.
CENTER STRENGTHS
Faculty and staff mentioned the following as major strengths of the Center.
 Faculty
 Stakeholder support
 Location
 Access to and support of the
university
 Site attributes and
facilities/equipment
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CENTER OPPORTUNITIES
 Expand identity for awareness
 Conduct large scale projects
 Increase relevance to urban
population
 Increase staff and faculty
resources
 Create educational coalitions
 Use site for a center for learning
(Many good options given)
 Create more funding partnerships
CENTER CHALLENGES
 Reduced funding
 Over allocated positions
 Lack of long term operational
funding structure
 Location on/off campus impacts
dialogue
 Lack of “identity”
 Not enough connection to general
public
 Diversity of stakeholders and
needs
 Unification of interests
 Subject specialization
 Need to better demonstrate,
document, and communicate
impacts/value
 Some OSU administrative
requirements
SUMMIT
The summit was an open invitation for the entire community to come together to learn more
about the Center and engage in the strategic planning process. Information sharing and
guided dialogue resulted in:
 Consensus about the new draft Mission, Vision and Values for the Center
 Support for a new name, which varied somewhat depending on demographic
profile of those voting
 Improved awareness of the challenges of engaging such a diverse audience with
such complex and challenging issues and support for smaller, ongoing educational
dialogues
 Identification of the need for additional master planning (faculty programs) to
refine specific ideas about scope of services, programs, and initiatives; with a
particular emphasis on need for a unified Center concept and clear and strong
leadership to enable change and growth.
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 Demonstration of strong support and interest in the work done at the C enter
 A “Friends of the Center” contact list for those who would like ongoing
communication
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CENTER PLANNING KEY CONCEPTS
This strategic plan provides a road map for the next 1 to 5 years that serves a broader 10 to
20 year Center concept. The road map reflects and leads a cultural change at our Center to
enable continued success. The biggest changes embodied in this plan are changes in
paradigm-level thinking, not in our core services.
We seek to continue our tradition of excellence in our core services of Extension and research
and more ably adapt and grow to better serve the public. As we move forward, we must
increase our capacity and build on our strengths. We will increase our capacity to educate the
urban as well as the rural population about agriculture.
Our core services are highly valued. We will enhance our ability to increase awareness of
agriculture to Oregon‟s voting population. This is paramount to support for our contributions
to OSU, the College and our stakeholders. Changes in our state government and OSU are
providing us opportunities to reshape, rethink and give direction to our future. The new
paradigm requires us to change some of our thinking.
Key planning concepts are outlined below followed by a brief summary of the new
organizational model.
Balancing tradition and new opportunities for the future requires certain understandings.
Among the key concepts embodied in this plan are:
 Reinvention is necessary. The State of Oregon expects three biennia of declining
budgets as a result of the economy. Adaptation and evolution will be key to our
Center‟s survival. Reinvention will allow our Center to emerge as an increasingly
valued and supported service to agriculture, the economy, community and the
environment.
 Balance and careful planning are important underpinnings of this plan. Our highly
valued traditional services are dependent on a new mix of services and a rebalancing
of resources. Interdependence is the key to success for all parts of our organization as
resources are constrained while effective and efficient delivery of services is required.
 The ability to fund and deliver traditional services to traditional stakeholders must
change or resources will continue to decline. This eroding of resources jeopardizes
our Centers existence as it will be impossible to maintain the necessary critical mass
of Extension and research activities without sustainable funding.
 A paradigm shift is required to preserve the traditional programs; as best we can.
New opportunities to serve and attract funds are a required part of reinvention and
refunding of our Center. It is incorrect to think that the traditional programs must be
preserved before change. Our best opportunities to preserve traditional programs will
result from investment in our unified Center concept.
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CONCEPTS
 Center programs are highly diversified, with each program focused on its own interests
and issues. Insistent focus on program only interests without funding of the overall
and collective Center’s interests will bring on the demise of our valued services.
Therefore this diverse agricultural community must unify around a new collective
interest that is inclusive of the many varied interests including their own programs.
Compromise and collaboration will be required in order to succeed. Agricultural
commodity group interests in the future will be best served through broader
cooperation across the community with interests and emphasis in agriculture.
 The diversity within the broader community as well as the agricultural and nursery
industries both strengthens and weakens our Center. Diversity diminishes our sense of
common purpose and unity, a necessary part of a more recognizable “identity”. At
the same time diversity expands our reach and potential impacts which could increase
investment.
 The plan is not to minimize existing traditional research and Extension programs in
order to fund future and broader new opportunities; rather the future and new
opportunities are the key to reversing the decline and strain on resources required
to continue relevant services.
 Current and future stakeholders often lack full awareness of the need and/or how to
fund our services and programs they value. They also often lack an understanding of
their interdependencies with the broader and urban community who share their
agricultural interests. In fact, this broader urban community provides much of the
needed funding through statewide taxation and other means.
 Remaining responsive and relevant to the needs of the agricultural and nursery
industries and the broader community requires our ability to expect and forecast
change. Improving our abilities, including identity building, marketing of programs and
impacts, and creating new and nontraditional partnerships will improve our
relationships with all of our stakeholders.
Implementation of this strategic plan will bring to life a new organizational model for our
Center. It will:
 Foster a “unified Center identity”.
 Improve awareness of our Center and the benefits or positive impacts of its
work within academia, and the agricultural and general communities.
 Provide a place where professionals are engaged in a teamwork and
multidisciplinary culture focused on addressing issues and providing relevant
and reliable information responsive to change.
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CONCEPTS
 Unify Extension and research functions while retaining a separate budget for
each. This will allow our Center to provide a set of unified services to
stakeholders while clarifying budgets to allow more clear understanding and
accountable reporting. This will allow budgetary changes to be transparent
thereby allowing better knowledge of the funding status by our partners and
stakeholders; increasing their willingness to invest time and money in our
Center. This will also ensure that a budget reduction for one function will not
reduce the budget of the other.
 At our Center, faculty funded by either the Extension budget or the research
budget will conduct programs in accordance with the purpose of that budget.
 Realistically focus greater awareness on the need to attract funding that is
sustainable to support our Center‟s mission.
This plan is to address challenges to current funding and service levels and to meeting
sustainable funding and service levels. In order to adequately finance our Center‟s future, its
mix of services must respond to the changing needs of the community. Our Center‟s faculty
and staff are now more aware of our communities‟ needs and understand the necessity of
partnerships that will provide resources. We must serve the needs of the University and
colleges as they too restructure.
Our Center must conceptually become a place where diverse and independent interests are
unified around shared opportunities. The vision is to maintain excellence in core services,
expand for new opportunities and rebalance the mixture of Extension and Research activities
and funding.
This plan is both responsive and proactive.
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CENTER PLANNING KEY 38
CONCEPTS
CENTER MISSION, VISION AND VALUES
A new mission, vision and values statement guides our new Center concept. The concept is a
result of new understandings from existing and new community relationships. Responsive
program planning will help attract the needed funding to support our Center as a mission and
vision driven organization.
CENTER MISSION
STRENGTHENING RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES
THROUGH AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
CENTER VISION
TO IMPROVE PEOPLE’S LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS
BY LEADING AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
AND ENGAGING THE REGIONAL COMMUNITY
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VISION AND VALUES
39
CENTER VALUES
Values establish the foundation for how our Center will be managed and operated. They
reflect and inform how faculty and staff work. These values were defined during the planning
process and reflect past areas of organizational strength and new principles for the future.
Our values guide what we do and how we do it.
WE VALUE
THE OPPORTUNITY OUR LOCATION OFFERS
AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES OF OREGON.
THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY
AND THE VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF AGRICULTURE TO OREGON’S ECONOMY.
THE ENGAGEMENT OF BOTH THE URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES
IN THE FUTURE OF OREGON’S FOOD AND AGRICULTURE.
OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT ACCESS
TO RELIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT AGRICULTURE.
THE SUSTAINABILITY OF COMMUNITIES,
THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE ECONOMY.
SCHOLARSHIP AND SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY.
THE MISSION OF THE LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY
IN EXTENSION, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.
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STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Our Center‟s Strategic Recommendations and Recommended Actions support its mission,
vision and values articulated as a result of the planning process.
OSU‟s strategic transformation and restructuring will continue to be a major influence on this
plan. The significant level of change and speed of those changes will require more frequent
reviews of this section to maintain functional alignment with the overall University and
Colleges structure. Allocation of resources will drive plan implementation and successful
achievement of our Center‟s mission.
FOCUS AREAS
Two focus areas or themes emerged from the planning process that are considered essential
for our Center‟s future success. First is a focus on the overall Center conceptual identity and
function and the second area of focus is on the location of our Center and its sense of place.
The two focus area goals are:
 Overall Center Goal: Create a Center conceptual identity to maintain and build new
excellence in core services while rebalancing the mixture of Extension and research
activities and secure necessary resources.
 Placed/Location Based Goal: Best utilization of the site and our Center‟s location.
Each of these goals is supported by Strategic Recommendations. Each Strategic
Recommendation is made to enable outcomes described in the shaded box.
Next, a Situation Statement provides some contextual information; particularly important
given the significant and rapid changes in the planning environment. The statement includes a
brief summary of relevant focus group results that informed our work.
Recommended Actions are provided within each Strategic Recommendation. This plan
provides a customized blend of strategic planning and master planning. The number of
recommendations and actions was determined not by a pre-conceived number, but rather
reflects organizational and community needs at this time.
This document is organized to help the reader process the many ideas generated in the
planning process and recommendations that resulted.
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STRATEGIC
RECOMMENDATIONS
AND RECOMMENDED
ACTIONS
41
SUMMARY OF STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS
1) NEW MISSION, VISION AND VALUES
2) NEW CENTER NAME
3) NEW ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP
4) RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
5) FUNDING SUPPORTS CORE AND EXPANDED SERVICES
6) ENCOURAGE TRANSDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS
7) IMPROVE PROGRAM IMPACT STATEMENTS AND COMMUNICATION EFFORTS
8) STUDENT ENROLLMENT INCREASES
9) CENTER’S LOCATION BRIDGES THE URBAN AND RURAL POPULATIONS
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SUMMARY OF
STRATEGIC
RECOMMENDATIONS
42
OVERALL CENTER GOAL
The Overall Center Goal is to create a Center concept that builds on our strengths while
balancing the mixture of Extension and research activities and secures necessary resources.
Skillful teamwork is required with Center leadership, faculty and staff, Center Advisory
Board, stakeholders, partners and the public all working for the betterment of our collective
future. We strive to carefully and methodically proceed toward fulfilling the mission and
vision of our new Center.
Strategic Recommendation #1: NEW MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES
This recommendation enables further development of a shared sense of
mission and vision; essential to creating a new Center identity. Values shared
by faculty and staff within the organization show pride and integrity in our
work for clientele, partners and community members.
Situation:
Our Center‟s new mission, vision and values were developed through a highly participatory
process and endorsed and well supported at the Summit by attendees using real time
responders. They were developed by the Steering Committee after considering work done as
a whole body and in subcommittee. An analysis of all the focus groups and faculty and staff
input were considered and helped set the direction. This consensus building work about such
important organizational attributes is a significant achievement.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
Current Center Administrator formally adopts the Mission, Vision and Values
Statements with a written declaration to the College and Extension Central
Administration.
Distribute by email, flyers and post on website the new Mission, Vision and Values
Statements to all participants in the planning process and OSU and community leaders.
Use multiple methods to distribute the messages to multiple audiences.
Engage faculty and staff in an educational process to assist in understanding the
Mission, Vision and Values and successful adoption methods.
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Strategic Recommendation #2: NEW CENTER NAME
This recommendation further enables creation of a new identity in so far as it
is acceptable to many who we already have a relationship with and ALSO is a
name that people who do not yet have a working relationship with our Center
will also identify with. Our name reflects our mission and articulates who we
are to an urban audience unfamiliar with us.
Situation:
The current name is not very descriptive of what we do or the outcomes we generate that are
relevant to the non-agricultural community. When faculty and staff tell a citizen outside of
our current network of clientele that they work at the North Willamette Research and
Extension Center they most likely will be asked “What kinds of things do you do there?”
Existing clientele know very well what is done but very few others know what services are
offered. We acknowledge the need to expand our services to new stakeholders and to
educate the urban population about agriculture and why growers perform the operations and
apply certain chemistries to feed the world and fuel the economy.
The name of an organization should be concise and descriptive so that a person can
understand easily and quickly where you work.
Focus Group participants were mixed in their interest in renaming our Center. Most people
indicated some interest or at least willingness to change the name if it mattered to others
and a minority indicated some reluctance to change the name, as it seemed to be descriptive
and familiar to them.
Summit participants indicated overall support through a somewhat flawed polling process.
The results indicated overall support with the least support from members of the OSU
community and much greater support from the non-OSU participants at the Summit.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
The new Center Advisory Board‟s initial, high priority task will be to propose the final
name.
Center Administration, after receiving recommendation of the Advisory Board, will
make a formal request to the Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences to change
the name of our Center.
Set aside funds to change business cards of faculty and signage.
Change websites and letterhead to reflect the new name.
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Strategic Recommendation #3: NEW ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP
This recommendation enables our Center to be aligned with the University, its
colleges (including the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry) and
Extension Administration policies as described in transformation documents.
The new administrative leadership seeks to maximize programs, provide more
integrated programs and minimize administration. The administration leaders
personally possess the needed skills and qualities that enhance success of our
Center.
An Advisory Board provides regular and ongoing input to our Center
administration. The Board will receive information and provide advice
regarding, but not limited to, funding strategies, communications,
identification of new programs and positions, and implementation, evaluation
and modification of this strategic plan.
University administration and stakeholders see a clear financial and
operational structure that better delineates the internal research and state
and county Extension funding, functions and missions. At the same time high
quality services are seamlessly delivered externally.
Center administration implements the Strategic Recommendations and
Recommended Actions in this plan. Faculty programs are initially reviewed and
revised as needed based on thorough and careful consideration of the results
of each planning process focus group and this plan. In addition, an ongoing
master plan guides overall implementation of all Center programs and
projects with appropriate structures, scope and content.
The adopted final administrative model provides greater integration of
county, campus, NWREC, and Portland metro area/Food Innovation Center
programs, as indicated in the recent leadership models report described
below.
Situation:
The interim administrative model will continue the current leadership model until the College
of Agricultural Sciences and Extension Administration completes their work to refine and
select the best alternative for administration and leadership of our Center in the future.
At the time of adoption for the strategic plan, five possible administrative structures remain
under consideration. The new administrative structure will be developed with consideration
given to the report on “Alternative Leadership Models for the NWREC Center” presented to
College of Agricultural Sciences and Extension Administration and shared with this plan‟s
advisory Steering Committee. As stated in that report, “the proposed model will be successful
when:
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The Center develops new and integrates existing programs into the theme of Urban –
Rural Landscape, Farm and Food-Systems for the northern Willamette Valley and the
Portland Metropolitan Area. Programs will be integrated across teaching, research and
Extension.
A culture of cooperation and team work exists among the faculty and staff at the
Center, with other counties in the region, and campus-based faculty and results in a
positive, more collaborative, synergistic relationships and teams.
Faculty at the Center will bring in additional funds that enhance the current support
of our Center and their programs, and the Center will balance the budget through
increased revenues and decreased costs.
The Center and its faculty will be accountable to its funding partners and will
communicate outputs and impacts on a regular basis.
The land use will be optimized with sufficient revenue generation to offset operational
costs.”
The administrative structure operates in conjunction with the personal skills and qualities of
the administrative leadership. The Strategic Planning Steering Committee provided direction
regarding desirable qualities of future Center administration personnel. Focused at the time
on the idea of one administrative leader, the Committee recommended that the leader be a
talented communicator, able to develop and maintain successful working relationships not
only with Center staff and OSU campus personnel, but also partners in the counties and urban
area. They recommended a blend of political, administration and natural resources skills are
more important than technical academic or research skills; although some knowledge about
research and Extension needs to be included. The leadership needs to be a unifying champion
of all the elements of the strategic plan, not selective sections or ideas. The leadership must
understand the urban and rural interface and resource development. In summary, the leader
needs to be a “unifying champion” of our Center and this plan.
Focus group and faculty and staff input clearly indicated support for a structure that
continues the delivery of reliable research-based information to the agricultural community
as well as clear communication to multiple audiences; including those within the OSU
organization, other public and private organizations, and a wide range of public audiences.
Furthermore, focus group participants indicated enthusiastic and eager support for a
structure that allows the opportunity for dialogue about important issues at our Center. The
groups indicated strong interest in continuing the approach taken through the planning
process through an ongoing Advisory Board and ongoing public forums. The Summit
participants also indicated that smaller and ongoing dialogue would be more helpful than
occasional large forums with complex agendas due to the diversity of participants and issues
that need addressing that make a large single group process less satisfying for all.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
3.1
Recruit and retain highly skilled administrative talent with leadership qualities for
success in the new role. The administration will provide positive leadership,
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3.2
3.3
3.4
communicate effectively with multiple audiences, enjoy working with high public
visibility, and focus on resource development activities with multiple existing and
potential funding partners. Most importantly, the leadership of our Center will exhibit
high level administrative skills that support the other research and technical experts
at our Center, while simultaneously focusing on long term and short term goals.
This administrator will need to be a unifying leader adaptable to changing OSU
structures, have the ability to manage multiple faculty members and develop
multidisciplinary and issues-focused approaches all while fostering a collaborative and
highly communicative and unified team environment. Understanding of Extension and
research services in agriculture is important, although direct experience in either is
not necessary.
Establish and support an ongoing Advisory Board to provide advice and support to our
Center Administration. The Board will include current and future stakeholders with
diverse interests in regular meetings and communications. Form an ongoing Board
subcommittee to clarify and provide advice about the budget.
Establish a structure to enable Center Administration to implement the Strategic
Recommendations and the Recommended Actions in this plan. This work will include
all actions in the plan as well as a focus on the following:
A) Implement and update this strategic plan with Advisory Board. Due to OSU
changes, updates to this plan are expected with relative high frequency in the
initial implementation years, and at least every 5 years thereafter.
B) Secure services for planning coordination and communications and marketing plan
to educate Oregonians about our Center.
C) Work with faculty to develop a Center master plan for existing faculty programs
and projects, new programs and projects and implementation measures in this
strategic plan. The master plan will include careful consideration of each of the
focus group reports and include measureable indicators for success.
D) Provide annual goal setting and/or impact assessments for our Center overall and
with each faculty member.
E) Establish process for resource development and professional development needs at
our Center.
As positions open or new positions are identified by our Center Administration, with
consideration of Advisory Board recommendations, they will be forwarded to the
University hiring process with a recommendation that they be considered for top
priority. One likely example of this type of position is the Food and Farming Specialist
position described by our current Center Administrator.
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Strategic Recommendation # 4: RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
This recommendation enables our Center to develop more sustainable funding
for the future of our work in accordance with this Strategic Plan. All Center
staff operate for the public purposes of the University while partnering within
the public sector and with the private sector where supplemental funding and
appropriate shared goals are determined.
Situation:
Resource development for sustainable funding of current and future staff, contract personnel,
and project and program needs is of paramount importance.
As the College of Agricultural Sciences plans for their transformation, the Dean stated that
stakeholders that benefit from our research will be asked to contribute 25 percent of our
research base budget that will be considered a „Value Proposition‟.
Although this strategic plan was initiated with the intent to “fix the funding model” as it
existed for our Center, as time went on and the University sought transformational change in
response to continued economic constraints, the goal of this plan shifted to: fix the existing
funding to the extent possible while developing the working relationships and mutual
understandings needed to affect improved funding outcomes in the longer term. In response,
the University has considered input from this strategic planning process in its planning process
and the community has increased its funding capacity, specifically but not limited to, long
term reinvestment in our Center from two partnering counties.
Focus Group participants support the need for a shared funding model that works sufficiently
for all parties. They stressed that the Center must build an organization that is economically
feasible. They supported overall, the concept of a multi-faceted funding model that includes
fees for services in research and Extension programs, new taxation for production or
consumption, and more shared-funding models for all the industries and partners to help pay
support through more formalized agreements. These agreements could include project costs,
including faculty and overhead. They stressed that further building a “Center Identity” and
demonstrating and calculating the value of services to a variety of audiences will attract
needed funds. Focus group participants were varied in their recommendations about how to
develop needed financial capacity. They were however, highly interested in working toward
financial strength for the Center to continue and grow services they value.
Focus group and summit participants all expressed that clearer budgeting and reporting will
be helpful to build both understanding and trust.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
4.1
Consider revising the property lease with Clackamas County to continue access to the
site to complete our Center‟s mission.
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4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
Develop a well-delineated Center budget that is sustainable and inclusive of internal
and external resources to support separately funded, yet collaborative and unified
programs and operations.
Provide annual reviews with our county partners showing sources and expenditures of
funds are spent as intended.
Improve financial reports about Center finances to all stakeholders. Include detailed
reports as well as general information about funding models such as the loss of
traditional public funding and new options for public and private funding.
Evaluate and possibly adjust support services such as IT program, facility and
maintenance and office support staff to better align with new administrative and
budget structure.
Design a minimal maintenance landscape that requires little assistance to maintain,
with OSU Master Gardeners or others with OSU related expertise.
Obtain the services of an outside landscape company to maintain lawns, shrubs, and
other landscaping to create a more positive and professional environment for our
Center.
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Strategic Recommendation #5: FUNDING SUPPORTS CORE AND EXPANDED
SERVICES
This recommendation enables Center activities that help stabilize support for
existing services that are effectively and efficiently provided, our core
services, while fostering continued adaptation to changing community needs.
We call these our “core” services because the term “existing” services changes
over time. New ideas for services foster human and capital investment to
support the capacity of our Center to evolve with implementation of this plan.
Situation:
Our Center serves 7 counties, 6 of which are funding partners. Both Marion and Polk Counties
have increased their funds allocated for our Center due to the communication and
partnership development aspects of this strategic planning process. Two of our current county
funding partners, Marion County and Washington County, lack a service district for funding
services. At this time, only Marion County is considering service district formation for funding
in the near future and may include Center services and funding in its proposed district plan.
Focus Groups support the Center developing itself for long term success. They stressed that
further building a Center identity and demonstrating and calculating the value of services to a
variety of audiences will attract needed funds. They want more formal and carefully
constructed partnerships to enable them to more certainly invest the resources they need to
share for mutual success.
Partnership development that is mutually beneficial and formalized for specific success is
correlated with increased communication and more collaboration and access to OSU.
Similarly, communication and collaboration activity will enhance successful working and
funding relationships with community, government and business partners in the urban and
rural areas.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
Faculty, in addition to our Center Administration, communicates about program
impacts to constituents, with Extension administrators of partnering counties and
elected officials in each of the 7 counties served directly by our Center.
Increase educational and marketing efforts using multiple media methods to the
agricultural and nursery industries about the benefits of our work and opportunities for
collaborative partnerships.
Increase educational marketing efforts using multiple media methods to the public,
business, government and community groups, in the rural through the urban areas.
Include information about our Center, services to counties and options for support
including funding, voting, partnerships and others.
Expand and formalize partnership agreements to develop more sustainable funding
partnerships to include Soil and Water Conservation Districts, cities and other
municipalities, and industry.
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5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
Work with all OSU divisions and department heads to develop broader internal working
relationships.
Expand and formalize partnership agreements with other educational institutions such
as Portland State University, Portland Community College, Clackamas Community
College, Chemeketa Community College, Mt Hood Community College, and Oregon
Institute of Technology, to better meet the needs of agriculture for services and
human and financial capital.
Design and conduct bi-annual OSU focus groups to identify issues and partnership
opportunities with our Center thereby allowing our Center to remain organizationally
relevant and nimble to address upcoming issues.
Secure professional planning services, by contract or hire, to develop and coordinate
partnerships and improve awareness through marketing and communications about our
Center‟s importance in both the rural and urban areas. This position is to forward a
number of the recommendations in this plan, as they relate to developing awareness
and strategic alliances and partnerships with the decision makers, public and
community groups, governments agencies and business groups, and our current and
future funding partners including the counties.
Work with counties to assist in their efforts to secure funding, especially through
creation of new or expanded County Service Districts that include and support our
Center.
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Strategic Recommendation #6: ENCOURAGE TRANSDISCIPLINARY
PROGRAMS
This recommendation enables our Center to responsively increase its role in
the agricultural and nursery industries and throughout the community.
Essential to organizational success is the ability to adapt and serve the
growing needs of the larger community. The locally adapted and delivered
programs will have increasing relevance and impacts to the national and
international communities. Demand for our Center’s excellence in providing
reliable research-based information will increase as will the need for
transdisciplinary approaches to solve complex societal problems.
This recommendation enables our Center to evolve with the changes of our
clients and the citizenry of the State. For example, a focus on food and the
nursery industry, judicious use of our natural resources, smaller operations,
locally grown products, farmers markets, organic practices, CSA’s and
sustainable farming are all major issues for Oregonians and the Colleges of
Agricultural Sciences and Forestry.
A Food and Farming Specialist helps Oregon consumers in their food buying
decisions and strengthens the agricultural community with a population more
educated about their food, fiber and green industries. Additional small farm
educators help hobby and lifestyle farm operators understand the necessity to
use resources wisely and strengthens OSU’s presence in the surrounding
counties. An outreach program on pesticide applications and management
expands the IR-4 program that informs the non-agricultural community about
pesticide use and practices.
Situation:
The need for our Center to be educating both the rural and urban populations about
agriculture and our natural resources was a common theme of many of the 19 focus groups.
Participants commented that the Center should be educating the urban population about
what agriculture does, why certain operations are performed, responsible use of inputs such
as chemicals, water, fertilizers, and other related topics. People in these groups felt that
because of the Center‟s unique location, reputation as a reliable resource of information,
research and Extension programs demonstrating the wise use of natural resources, and
diversity of agricultural cropping systems in the Willamette Valley, the Center could provide
even more valuable service to agriculture by expanding its interaction. In addition, our Center
would add additional value to the agricultural community by reporting back to the growers,
processors and input suppliers about what consumers are demanding and wanting to know
about their food system.
Our planning process included people familiar with our Center and new people who now have
greater access to participate in and support the work of our Center. A major theme expressed
throughout the planning process was that the people at the Center matter. In particular, the
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faculty is respected for their trustworthiness, expertise and talent, and applied methods
which translate to helpful outcomes. Our Center‟s recommended strategies support
maintenance of those positive characteristics while growing its ability to provide expanded
service.
The value placed on high quality faculty by participants in all focus groups, faculty and staff,
summit and Steering Committee meetings was extremely high. They have high regard for the
work of the Center which is a strong foundation to build on with an even more robust pool of
faculty.
While people‟s access to the amount of information has increased, the quality of that
information may be inadequate or even inaccurate. Focus group participants predicted a
growing role for the reliable research-based information provided by our Center‟s faculty and
staff.
New positions could provide leadership and design programs targeting the urban population to
have a better understanding of commercial agriculture, its use of natural resources, vital
contributions and role in the economic and personal health of the State. As a result of these
positions, Oregon‟s urban population will make better choices concerning food purchases,
food consumption, and plants in landscapes.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
6.9
6.10
Leverage existing faculty‟s expertise for use beyond a single commodity or issue
through the development of a collaborative „Issues‟ model.
Support faculty disciplines while incorporating a cross commodity services approach.
Develop “pilot projects” to enhance the potential for long term agreements and
investment in services.
Perform feasibility studies where prudent, to measure investments against predicted
outcomes. Use this information for long term planning and investments.
Formalize partnership agreements to develop more sustainable funding that lead to
transdisciplinary work.
Build capacity and partnerships for multiple disciplines to focus on industry issues of
significant concern.
Build capacity to focus on specific county issues funded by that county.
Create an internal “Issues Team” committee that works collaboratively with the
Advisory Board to identify new and emerging issues that could be addressed at our
Center. The “Issues Team” will be innovative and forward thinking and strive to shape
the discussions and approaches to problems. This “scholarship of engagement” or
collaboration and innovation will require risk and some acceptance of both success and
lack thereof.
Host and facilitate periodic (multiple times per year) work sessions with faculty and
staff to identify and develop a prioritized work plan to solve relevant issues. The
sessions should be both with other academic institutions as well as within OSU.
Develop a liaison relationship with county small farm faculty to support their efforts to
serve the local non-commercial farmers in the area.
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6.11
6.12
6.13
Collaborate with other colleges at OSU and other universities to expand the scope of
programs conducted at our Center.
Develop additional sustainable and organic production systems to extend knowledge
toward a more integrated model with conventional agriculture.
Expand pesticide awareness and management practices including the IR-4 program and
build an even broader set of pesticide related programs.
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Strategic Recommendation #7 IMPROVE PROGRAM IMPACT STATEMENTS
AND COMMUNICATION EFFORTS
Investment in our Center increases with greater understanding of our impacts.
Well developed and broadly and consistently communicated impact statements
improve our identity and funding. This recommendation enables clear
communication plans and actions that show updated and useful information
presented in various formats and delivered to multiple audiences.
Communication tools and methods effectively used by all Center faculty and
staff are aligned with this plan and its recommendations and resources.
Improved understanding of impacts from faculty programs foster financial
investment in our Center. Additional investment and attention to the work
already being done enhances our Center’s future success.
Faculty members are respected for their trustworthiness, expertise and talent
and applied methods which translate to helpfulness. The capacities for people
to access, participate in, and support the work of our Center staff increases as
investments in people to conduct programs increase.
Situation:
Well developed and broadly communicated impact statements of our work will lead to greater
understanding and improved investment in our Center. As clientele expand and increasingly
interconnect, technology allows more and more information sharing. As information sharing
increases so does the need to know if the information is research-based and relevant or not.
Focus Group participants regularly expressed the need for data and reports that document
the benefits of our Center‟s services and a return on investment in terms that are both
quantifiable and non-quantifiable. These impacts should express benefits to managers and
those with financial decision making authority to encourage investment in our Center.
Focus Group participants indicate communication is highly valued by existing clientele and
strongly sought by potential new partners and clientele. The overall message in focus groups
was to use multiple methods to engage multiple audiences about multiple topics. The
communication that does occur from our Center is highly valued but it is not enough or always
most effective. The following list summarizes participants‟ ideas as to the most effective
methods to consider retaining or adding to Center communications: conduct field visits,
answer inquiries made by phone and electronically, refer to reliable resources, host meetings
with honest dialogue like these, create a well designed speaker series, host trainings,
networking events, demonstrations, and produce more and varied materials.
Participants in focus groups indicated awareness of the impacts of the nontraditional grower
on the success of their business and the work of our Center. Specifically mentioned needs and
skills included political awareness and communication skills to nontraditional audiences about
the importance of agriculture and reliable research-based information to their personal
health and success and the health and success of their communities. The absence of such
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communication leaves an important gap in awareness and support that our Center and
agricultural and nursery industries need for continued success. Focus groups and faculty and
staff meetings all produced comments about the need for additional technical support for our
Center.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.9
7.10
Develop a communications strategy and master plan for our Center to effectively
develop a brand and identity putting together messages to build awareness of our
Center. Information should show the value of our Center services and calculate the
tangible and intangible benefits of our services. What value do we produce at our
Center that impacts people‟s lives and livelihood?
Increase the number of publications and communications distributed, especially; to
decision makers in the agricultural and nursery industries, and the public sector
including OSU, policy makers and others involved in allocation of public resources.
Secure marketing services needed to develop basic “branding image” and a set of tools
and materials to use for communication by all levels of the organization that clearly
articulate “the meaning of our Center”.
Show impacts of programs and research in measurable terms. Extend the information
out to stakeholders and funding partners.
Secure and maintain technology for communication with all stakeholders and
audiences, building and maintaining an electronically linked network.
Develop working agreements with faculty and staff to develop and use new
communication tools and methods.
Hire an outreach and program development facilitator that coordinates the „fee for
service‟ activities at our Center and perhaps for other county Extension service
offices.
Work with OSU and surrounding counties to partner and collaborate for needed
services such as marketing.
Expand pesticide programs and management practices beyond the IR-4 program by
hiring or securing the services of people to educate current clientele and urban
population about pesticide use and applications.
To successfully obtain the necessary funding for these positions, new partnerships will
be created with Portland metro area cities, Oregon Agribusiness Council, and other
organizations.
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Strategic Recommendation #8: STUDENT ENROLLMENT INCREASES
This recommendation enables more high school and community college
students to attend OSU because of the faculty’s effort to reach out to educate
them about agriculture, sciences, research techniques, and Extension
activities.
Situation:
The development of a qualified work force was a major theme in the focus groups and
community interviews.
Focus groups regularly mentioned the importance of developing the next generation of
scientists and agricultural and nursery industry professionals. They stressed not only the need
for increased recruitment within the traditional fields of horticulture, soils, and others, but
also the integration of business, communications, political science, and engineering students
with agriculture.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
Foster students‟ interests and inform them of the opportunities for employment in
agriculture.
Work closely with County Extension programs and County Fair participants to foster
student development and support for our Center.
Work closely with high schools and participate in high school career days.
Work closely with community colleges to create partnerships for trainings and support
development of educational opportunities that foster community college transfers to
OSU.
The Food and Farming Specialist position creates new venues that attract students
with interests in technology, sciences, and related areas; possibly through „Research
Summer Camps‟ or programs like „Explore Oregon‟s Agriculture‟. Students might work
alongside faculty, technicians and others to learn more about how to conduct research
or deliver Extension programs.
Attract and train graduate students through the multiple disciplines needed to serve
agricultural and nursery industries.
Support expanded opportunities for practical learning through agricultural and nursery
industry internships for OSU students from multiple disciplines.
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PLACE/LOCATION BASED GOAL
The Place/Location Based Goal is to best utilize the site and our Center‟s location.
Strategic Recommendation #9: CENTER’S LOCATION BRIDGES THE URBAN
AND RURAL POPULATION
This recommendation enables us to best use our unique location to increase
our capacity to serve stakeholders and the public. As we engage and serve
both urban and rural communities with access to facilities, tours and open
houses, funding opportunities increase.
Situation:
The 160-acre Center site supports many objectives of our Center and this plan. Our location
at the intersection of the urban and rural areas, presents us with an opportunity to build
mutual understanding and solutions to agriculture and food issues throughout the state. The
internal qualities at our site, with its controlled and well-understood environment, provide an
excellent living laboratory for high quality experimentation. The site‟s designation as the
finest quality farmland in the state facilitates outstanding demonstration and education
opportunities for agriculture and its practices. The facilities on site serve the needs of faculty
and staff and support the extension of their knowledge and educational services throughout
the world. Appropriately applying technology can increase local and global awareness of our
Center and expand our impacts.
The focus group participants often suggested in a variety of ways that our Center should
develop itself as an “identity center”. The faculty were particularly energized by the ideas of
offering some integrated and comprehensive programs and provided some well thought out
ideas for exploration during our planning meetings. The summit participants were also
intrigued, although much more vague, about ideas for a convening and educating at our
Center. All groups indicated the need for continued discussions and development of ideas into
a clarified proposed concept draft for further refinement and evaluation. In general, a lot of
enthusiasm was shown for the unique properties of the site and its opportunities.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
Increase amount and type of educational events hosted at the site to better serve
the communities of interest and increase awareness about our Center.
Consider building a larger educational room to enable hosting of larger events,
either through remodeling or additional building.
Develop a site plan to improve the visual appeal of our Center thereby enhancing
its identity as a “World Class Research Center”.
Work with the OSU community to develop awareness about our Center‟s site assets
and benefits to them and the Portland metro area. This work will help diversify our
OSU relationships beyond that of the College of Agricultural Sciences and the
public.
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9.5
9.6
9.7
Foster a culture of shared objectives and interests among sectors of the
agricultural community.
Explore the possibility of building and developing an “Agriculture Learning Center”
on site that will demonstrate appropriate low impact building and land
development techniques for the agricultural and nursery industries while housing
and uniting Oregon‟s commodity commission offices and agricultural related
organizations. In addition, our Center could provide plant demonstration plots and
demonstration areas for aquariums for fish commissions, videos of livestock or
crops or agricultural practices not appropriate for location at our site, to be used
for education on TV and other viewing media.
Revise the lease with Clackamas County to support the full implementation of this
strategic plan and enable its intentions and concepts including Extension activities
as well as research.
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS AS USED IN THIS PLAN
Agricultural: Our Center plan refers to agricultural and agriculture in its broad sense and
includes nursery and specialty crops.
Clientele: Our Center‟s clientele primarily are defined as agricultural growers, producers and
to some extent input suppliers. They are directly impacted by our work.
Stakeholders: Traditional stakeholders are primarily processors, packers, input suppliers,
Commissions, lenders and machinery dealers engaged in agricultural production. They are
more indirectly impacted by our work than our clientele. This plan is to foster relationships
with additional stakeholders to include the public, consumers, leaders in the urban, suburban
and rural areas, and others.
Core Services: Extension and research activities, including most existing services. It is
preferred because it is not a time sensitive word choice.
Traditional Programs: Our traditional programs include but are not limited to the Vegetable
Programs, Small Farms Programs, Nursery Programs, Berry Programs, and Pesticides Program.
Commodities served: The Commodity Commissions served directly include but are not
limited to the Oregon Strawberry Commission, Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission,
Oregon Blueberry Commission, Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission, Oregon Association
of Nurserymen, and the Oregon Fresh Market Growers Association.
Industry: Industry is defined as agricultural and nursery growers or producers, processors,
packers, input suppliers, commissions, and machinery dealers engaged in agricultural
production.
Community: Community is used to describe a group with common interests. In this plan it is
used most often to mean the entire “public” in Oregon who have common interests in
agriculture despite varied levels of awareness. In other contexts it refers to a community of
interest, say the agricultural community, those directly engaged in agricultural activities.
Marketing and Education: Marketing is a set of activities to raise awareness and visibility. In
some cases it is limited to presentation of branding slogans and graphics. Sometimes it is
expanded to include education and more detailed information to generate understanding of
key issues. In this plan, the terms also overlap, and should be understood in its context.
Strategic and Master Planning: A strategic plan is high level and through the mission,
vision, and values, sets the direction and aligns the overall work of the organization through
recommendations made from a long term perspective. It is the bigger picture. A master plan
is more refined and focused more on work in the shorter term (1-5 years). The Center master
plan will be more specific about faculty programs and projects to further develop the
organization to align with the strategic plan. It will be more specific about scopes of work,
resources, timing and sequencing, personnel, budgets, policies and practices.
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS
AS USED IN THIS PLAN
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APPENDIX A
Demographics of Agriculture, Oregon and North Willamette Valley.
Source: USDA 2007 Census of Agriculture
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APPENDIX B
Description of Long-term Assets and Utilization of Buildings, Fences, and
Land at Center.
Table B1. Description and value of buildings, fences, roads and long-term equipment at the Center.
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APPENDIX B
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Table B2. Total acreage and use of land at the Center.
Table B3. Land used for research purposes by program at the Center.
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APPENDIX B
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APPENDIX C
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APPENDIX C
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APPENDIX C
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REFERENCES
(1) http://oregonstate.edu/mission. Page 1
(2) Oregon State University Extension Service Strategic Plan, September 2004 (Updated
December 2005), A. Scott Reed, Dean and Director, Page 4.
(3) http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/research. Page 1
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