CORVALLIS, Ore. — In counties across Oregon, semi-trucks stacked with hay bales are pulling into Oregon State University Extension Service facilities.
We need to keep going as long as there’s demand. We’re asking people how much they lost, how much they need and what they need. We’ve become a very good nexus for helping people.”
They unload much of it by hand for ranchers who lost feed in the September wildfires.
“I saw a picture on TV of a hay barn burned down,” said Sam Angima, associate dean for Extension in OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “It got me thinking about the best way to help. I figured, ‘Why don’t we concentrate where we have a footprint in the state? We help people grow hay and grass. We would not be talking to people we don’t know. We had to step in.’”
Angima called on Extension agricultural faculty to coordinate moving donated hay and other feed to those in need. He quickly connected with the Oregon Farm Bureau and learned that while they had spent a day organizing hay deliveries, they didn’t have the staffing or infrastructure to sustain the effort.
The next day, Alexis Taylor, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, called Angima to discuss Extension’s role. Together, they determined that Extension was well positioned to take on the role of statewide coordinator.
Within weeks of starting the program, 500 tons of hay had been moved, Angima said, and the project is expected to continue for at least three months. Extension, the Oregon Farm Bureau, the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association and other partners put the word out to their networks, directing people to an online Extension resource where they could indicate if they needed hay or other feed, and how much. Those able to donate could also offer transportation services.
Feed and trucks weren’t the only needs. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management provided ropes, tarps and other equipment. Without tarps, hay can mildew in the rain and become unsafe for livestock. Only high-quality hay is accepted.
Coordinating supply and demand
At the center of the system is Melody Larson, administrative assistant to the associate deans of Extension and academics in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Larson maintains the spreadsheet of supply and demand. Hay is being moved to three main locations: the North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC) in Aurora, and fairgrounds in Central Point and Roseburg.
In Union County alone, more than 100 tons of hay have been donated, according to Darrin Walenta, associate professor in cropping systems pest management and Extension agronomist in Baker, Union and Wallowa counties. One shipment was 85 tons; another was 24 tons.
“We have a good network of contacts and we have utilized everyone’s resources to get this stuff where it’s meant to be,” Walenta said. “A lot of folks were able to get connected and get it there quickly. Transportation is definitely the hardest part.”
Tracking needs at NWREC
Jenifer Cruickshank, Extension faculty specializing in dairy management in the Willamette Valley, coordinates the program at NWREC. She is overseeing an exit survey, accessed via QR code, to determine if more hay is needed and to prevent excess from piling up and spoiling.
Need is keeping pace with donations so far, Cruickshank said.
“As we worked on this, it became obvious that those who lost hay have hundreds of cows,” Angima said. “There won’t be any feed in winter, so we need to keep going as long as there’s demand. We’re asking people how much they lost, how much they need and what they need. We’ve become a very good nexus for helping people.”
Previously titled Extension coordinates hay donations to relieve those affected by wildfires
