Strategic Plan
Mission
Our mission is to contribute significantly to the sustainability of agriculture and the quality of life in southwest Oregon .
We accomplish this through basic and applied research and by delivering objective, research-based information to help
local citizens solve problems, develop leadership skills, and manage resources wisely.
Who We Are
The Oregon State University Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center (SOREC) is comprised of two units: the
Southern Oregon Experiment Station and the Jackson County Extension Service. Under one administrator, each unit has
its own staff and funding sources.
The Experiment Station unit of SOREC conducts applied and basic research in the areas of tree fruit pathology,
horticulture, and pest management (see Appendix 1, Organizational Chart). More limited research is also done in the
areas of winegrape production, alternative crops, and water use. Our programs directly benefit the fruit industry and the
public of southern Oregon and the Pacific Northwest . Knowledge developed in our programs is shared with producers
and colleagues worldwide.
The pathology-horticulture program at SOREC works on (1) problem-solving research and extension to develop
and implement strategies for dealing with diseases and disorders in fruit production with minimal use of pesticides, and
(2) opportunity-creating research to introduce new methods that can increase fruit quality, expand marketing, or
increase production efficiency
1. The integrated pest management program at SOREC focuses on the development of ecologically sound
methods to manage insect and mite pests. Alternatives to conventional broad-spectrum pesticides are fieldtested, and appropriate pest monitoring techniques are developed so that growers can make need-based pest
control decisions.
The Extension unit of SOREC offers research-based information and education in areas of relevant and practical
interest to citizens in the rural and mixed urban/rural environments of southern Oregon . Programs and program staff are
valued and trusted by the community because of their responsiveness to the issues that most strongly resonate within the
community and because of the relevance of the information provided.
Extension’s information is disseminated into the community via workshops and seminars, tours and demonstrations
together with the provisions of well-researched educational materials and training of volunteers for community service.
Extension programs cover the lifespan and meet the demand for easy-access, research-based education for an
increasingly diverse, growing and changing population .
Extension’s resources and programs center around building sustainable communities. The focus is on three areas:
strengthening communities and economies, sustaining natural resources and agriculture, and enhancing the health of
youth, families and the aging adult.
Programs include:

Youth development and 4-H activities that incorporate school enrichment, Hispanic outreach, natural resources
education, and the development of opportunities in business information technology for youth.

Family and community education across the lifespan, with specific emphasis on the nutritional, health and
disease management needs of the older adult.

Forest resource education that promotes sustainable forest management and improved public understanding of
forestry.

Commercial and urban horticultural education providing proactive educational and problem-solving support,
as well as volunteer development and training.
SOREC Challenges
Administration:

Increased need for Research and Extension external funding

Enhancing community understanding of Research and Extension’s relevance in a changing social
environment

Marketing Research and Extension’s impact and accomplishments

Making SOREC’s important role in the community r ecognized by community leaders

Creating awareness of agriculture as a community asset to political and community leaders
Research:

Respond to demand for increased research on water-related issues

Respond to demand for increased winegrape research

Assisting agriculture in urban/rural conflicts

Identifying alternative crops and management techniques
Extension:

Maximizing opportunities to educate using new technologies , together with print and visual media

Reliance on traditional audiences for primary support

Establishing and documenting measurable outcome/impacts

Competing educational environments, i.e. Rogue Community College , Southern Oregon University
SOREC Strengths
Research:

Experienced staff , skilled in specific research areas

Respected by and work closely with agricultural industry

Cooperative work in commercial orchards, vineyards, and packinghouses

Cooperative work with campus, other stations, and other states

Important role in the community, recognized by traditional community leaders and clientele

Strong external funding record , diverse funding sources

Close cooperation between research and extension units
Extension:

Experienced staff with diverse backgrounds; strong combination of established and newer staff

Strong support within traditional clientele base

Active pools of dedicated volunteers

Increasing visibility in the community; new community collaborations

Increased external funding sources

Successful outreach to Hispanic youth and families

Increasingly close cooperation between Research and Extension units
SOREC's Vision for the Future
The faculty, staff, and volunteers of SOREC will be recognized by stakeholders, peers, departments and colleges within
OSU, and other Centers and Universities as one of OSU’s top regional Centers for research and extension programs.
SOREC will do this by:

Utilizing advisory groups, funding organizations, program leaders, department heads, deans, and others to ensure
that SOREC is operating in support of OSU’s goal to be recognized as one of the top 10 universities in the nation.

Creating local and regional partnerships that take cooperative and collaborative approaches to problem solving,
outreach education, and external funding.

Demonstrating and measuring impacts vs. investments as defined by OSU, OSU colleges and Extension Service.
The visions identified for the future by the two units within SOREC are further defined as follows:
Research:
1. SOREC will be a regional center for advancement of tree fruit pest, disease, and crop management with
emphasis on the economic and ecological sustainability of tree fruit production.
2. SOREC will be a regional center for research and extension to enhance winegrape quality and the economic
and ecological sustainability of winegrape production in southwest Oregon .
3. SOREC will be a regional center for research and extension to enhance the quality of natural resource
management at the farm, watershed, and regional levels, with emphasis on water.
Extension:
1. SOREC will be a regionally recognized center for the development of effective and innovative youth
programs , with specific attention to diverse populations, particularly Hispanic youth and families.
2. SOREC will be an initiator and/or a significant collaborator in the development and success of programs
addressing community food safety, food insecurity and hunger .
3. SOREC will maximize opportunities for small farm development through education and consultation with small
farmers raising specialty crops and will actively facilitate the connection between grower and food entrepreneur.
4. SOREC will continue to improve, and make more self-sufficient , its community and home horticulture role
and will increase the presence of high-profile community collaborations that address community interest in
sustainable gardening.
5. SOREC will be an initiator and significant collaborator in programs promoting improved forest practices and
forest sustainability, and a leader in the development of proactive approaches to fire risk.
6. SOREC will be the key provider of education and decision-making support for commercial agriculture in
southern Oregon .
7. SOREC will work with the community to address water quality , quantity and distribution through the
addition of additional staff resources.
8. SOREC will become the key source for landowner information on pasture management , riparian area
management , and the optimization of landowner production potential .
9. SOREC will use technology and telecommunications to deliver high quality and innovative programs that
increase learner access.
10. SOREC will improve its ability to identify the emerging needs of current and potential users of Extension
programs and services, and address those needs with technology-supported learning .
11. SOREC will take a leadership role in the community and work with other agencies to respond to the challenges
presented by an increasing population of older adults.
The impact of the programs described above and the anticipated output are summarized in Appendix 2. An overview
of regional characteristics and demographics is presented in Appendix 3.
Ties to University and College Thematic Areas
Research:
Accomplishments in the areas articulated in our Vision will be recognized regionally, statewide, nationally, and
internationally. These research areas follow the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Statement of Strategic Intent
through the thematic areas “Economic and environmental sustainability of Oregon agriculture” and “Stewardship of
Oregon’s land and water resources.” The College’s Strategic Vision further connects with the SOREC program:
“Through research and education, help assure that Oregon agricultural producers, processors, and agribusinesses will
stay competitive, and that Oregon agriculture will be economically and environmentally sustainable” and “Through
research and education, the College will advance the understanding and adoption of economically and environmentally
sustainable practices in agriculture and natural resource management.” In the College’s Proposed Strategic Emphases
overlay, the thematic areas “Ecological services” and “Water and watersheds” embrace the SOREC areas of emphasis.
In the OSU Strategic Plan , two of the five themes for the OSU focus of academic resources and investments match the
SOREC research plan: “Managing natural resources that contribute to Oregon ’s quality of life, and growing and
sustaining natural resource-based industries” and “Optimizing enterprise, innovation, and economic development.”
Extension:
The SOREC Extension plan follows the overall direction of OSU Extension , focusing on three of the five identified
thematic areas :

Strengthening Communities and Economies

Promoting Healthy Families and Individuals

Sustaining and Enhancing Natural Resources
We will deliver quality educational services in all of our Extension programs and contribute to southern Oregon ’s
economic, natural resource and social value, resulting in stronger communities. This will advance SOREC’s Extension
unit’s three thematic areas across both urban and rural communities in southern Oregon .
To further these thematic areas, we will:

Continuously engage learners to be responsible social contributors who build community sustainability.

Address relevant issues and concerns leading to better understanding, an improved quality of life, and a stronger
future.

Interface with a wide array of learners as a means of providing relevant social, economic, and natural resource
education.

Create dynamic and vibrant learning environments utilizing principles of adult and youth education; attract a
wide array of participants.

Pursue initiatives that promote co-learning with OSU.

Operate as an outcome-based educational organization.
How Do We Get There from Here?
The Research Unit will realize the key areas of emphasis in our vision through partnerships between the College,
Extension, industry organizations, and state/federal agencies and grants. It is important that OSU resources be leveraged
to encourage and balance participation by outside entities, and that pride of accomplishment be shared broadly. Current
programs in tree fruit pest, disease, and crop management will continue to receive support from existing and expanding
partnerships . Working with the Associate Deans, SOREC will develop proposals for priority staffing to initiate
establishment of positions to lead the new research areas in winegrape production and natural resource management.
The Extension Unit of SOREC will place a renewed emphasis on active collaboration within identified communities of
interest and with the community at large. The process for building collaborations will incorporate identifying and more
effectively using available data to understand changing demographics , socio-demographics and land use . Extension
will retain its role as a broker of information, continually seeking solutions and providing answers in as objective an
unbiased a manner as possible.
Extension will place continuous emphasis on the use of the advisory capacity of the community and on feedback from
citizens and community leaders. Extension programs will be developed with an eye to maximizing innovative,
outcome-oriented educational niches . The staff and volunteers will be expected to constantly leverage opportunities
for community impact. Staff and volunteers within Extension will be individually and collectively vigilant in increasing
OSU visibility within the community and consistently demonstrate the Extension contribution
Staffing Changes and Priorities 2004-2007
Successful programs need to continue with faculty supported as completely as possible. In the near future, the principal
investigator in the pest management program is expected to complete his doctoral degree . Creating a tenure-track
position for this program will strengthen the continuity and expansion of the program. Natural resources and
winegrape management positions are needed to expand the research and extension programs offered by SOREC.
The following positions will be sought in the next 3-5 years as additions to current staff:

Entomology, IPM all crops and structural

Water quality, quantity, management

Small farms management and food innovation entrepreneurship

Vineyard and wine business management

Pasture and livestock management
Priority staffing plans and justifications are presented in Appendix 4.