EUGENE, Ore. — Lane County’s food system is vibrant, creative and full of people who care deeply about how food is grown, shared and enjoyed.
OSU Extension serves as a trusted connector in Lane County’s food system, participating in coalitions and working groups that bring together farmers, agencies, local businesses, nonprofits and community partners.
A food system is the journey food takes — how it’s grown, processed, distributed, sold, shared and eaten. It includes farmers, schools, food banks, markets and all of us eaters who rely on them. When these pieces work together, communities become healthier, more resilient and more connected.
Oregon State University Extension Service plays a behind-the-scenes but essential role in Lane County’s food system. OSU Extension supports farmers, expands food access and builds community partnerships.
This work makes a clear impact from farms and schools to kitchens and community tables. Think of Extension as the root system beneath the soil — often unseen but stabilizing and connecting everything above ground.
Supporting local farmers and farm viability
Extension’s Small Farms Program in OSU’s Center for Resilient Agriculture and Food Systems, works directly with the farmers, ranchers and rural land stewards who grow local food. It offers one-on-one support and a network of collaborative partners to help producers succeed.
“I’m working with small-scale farmers and ranchers to produce locally grown and raised food, and ideally keep it in Lane County,” said small farms educator Melissa Fery.
That support goes far beyond answering questions. Farmers can tap into personalized technical assistance and connections to regional partners, including the Oregon Farm to School Network, to help producers navigate markets, regulations and new opportunities. One example includes connecting producers to one another through farmer networks so they can address equipment and distribution challenges collectively.
Extension also helps farmers explore agritourism — anything that brings the public to the farm. From farm stands to educational events, these experiences can diversify income while giving the community a chance to see how food is grown and learn about practices such as organic production and animal welfare.
Extension is also a resource for value-added products such as pickles and jams. The Small Farms Program and Master Food Preserver volunteers have offered workshops on Oregon’s Farm Direct rules to help farmers understand how they can safely process and sell jams, pickles, dried goods and other products that extend the season and reduce waste. These efforts bring more delicious, shelf-stable foods into the local food system.
On March 7, at Junction City High School, the Small Farms Program hosted a full day of workshops for rural residents called Rural Living Day. Classes included opportunities to learn how to produce more food on your land and how to preserve it.
Expanding food access and nutrition education
Extension’s Family and Community Health Program focuses on making healthy, local food accessible to everyone. For more than 20 years, Extension has partnered with Food for Lane County, the region’s primary food bank. Volunteers provide recipe sampling in food pantries to encourage shoppers to take home more fresh produce. Staff have also co-taught classes, cross-trained nutrition educators and collaborated on the Cooking Matters series.
“We’ve had a really strong partnership with Food for Lane County,” said Family and Community Health educator Jillian Drewes. “Our volunteers have been doing recipe sampling in pantries for over two decades.”
Extension also plays a key role in farm-to-school efforts. In the Bethel School District, Extension has supported the district’s school farm for more than a decade, helping with field trips, summer camps and nutrition education.
Using the Growing Healthy Kids curriculum, Extension supports 50–100 classrooms each spring and provides weekly tastings of locally grown produce. These efforts connect students and families with local farmers and help build lifelong healthy eating habits.
Food preservation and reducing waste
Food preservation is another essential part of a resilient food system. Extension in Lane County has one food preservation outreach specialist and three additional educators serving rural communities such as Florence and Oakridge. Their work helps residents, gardeners and producers reduce food waste, preserve seasonal abundance and navigate food-safety regulations.
Trained volunteers staff the food safety preservation hotline, 800-354-7319, from summer through fall so community members can get their questions answered. This work also supports farmers interested in value-added products that can extend their income beyond the growing season.
Coalitions, working groups and community navigation
OSU Extension serves as a trusted connector in Lane County’s food system, participating in coalitions and working groups that bring together farmers, agencies, local businesses, nonprofits and community partners. One example is the Grow Lane County Food Security Coalition, which includes work groups focused on farms and food, processing and infrastructure, health and food-security mapping.
“Part of our role is staying informed and being a connector when the community needs it,” Drewes said.
All of Extension’s programs touch the food system in one way or another, and this collective work delivers real impact: more local food grown, more families fed and a more resilient food system for Lane County.
