Marion County has the highest value of agricultural production of any county in Oregon.  The estimated gross cash income of all commodities, including farm forestry, was approximately $614 million in 2007. For more information on agriculture statistics, see the following website http://oain.oregonstate.edu/

Tom Silberstein, Field Crops faculty in Marion County covers the commodities of grass and legume seed, grains, hops and mint.  Faculty in surrounding counties cover livestock, pastures, tree fruits and nuts, Christmas trees, vegetable crops, dairy management, and small farms. Faculty housed at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora cover berries, wine grapes, fresh vegetables and ornamental horticulture, the largest value commodity in the county. For more information on OSU’s agriculture research efforts, click on Oregon Agricultural Progress Magazine.

Oregon ORS regulate the certification of grass, legume and other seeds.  The authority for this is delegated to the Dean of the College of Agriculture at OSU and is operated through the Extension offices.  The Marion County office prints 1.3 million tags each year for certified seed that is shipped all over the world.  The field crops Extension faculty in Marion County manages the certification program along with technicians located here by OSU.