The Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center is a branch of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station of OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences. Jointly funded and staffed by OSU and Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center serves two major cattle-raising environments of the region: the sagebrush-steppe of the Great Basin and the inland coniferous forests. The mission is to develop agricultural and natural resource strategies that maintain or enhance intermountain forest and shrub steppe ecosystems for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Center's research program is unique in the integration of research about beef cattle, range, wildlife, watershed, and forest management.
The Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center (EOARC) provides information and research services for ranchers, public land managers, hay producers, environmental groups, and the general public. Dissemination of information is conducted via tours, field days, public presentations, individual contact, and this web site. The EOARC is one of the few organizations in Eastern Oregon capable of providing scientific literature and research summaries to interested individuals and groups.
The current program includes research on ecology and management of sagebrush range, juniper dominated sites, and riparian zones (stream sides); cattle/big game interactions and cattle/salmon interactions; management of flood meadows; and traditional livestock management. The overall goal of the program is to improve the health of range and meadow lands, improve the profitability of livestock operators, and reduce the level of conflict over land management. We are also actively involved in "working groups" where diverse interests come together in an attempt to solve land management disputes.
Funding for EOARC is split between the Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) . Ten full time scientists, two state and eight federal, are stationed at the Burns location. One EOARC scientist is stationed in Corvallis. Use the links to the left to find out more about the mission of the center, the scientists and staff at the center, organization of the research efforts, our partners in research, and monthly highlights of our activities at the center.