Agricultural Research Foundation

The Agricultural Research Foundation (arf) was established in 1934 to encourage and facilitate Research in all branches of agriculture and related fields for the benefit of Oregon's Agricultural and natural resource industries. The Foundation is the custodian of privately and publicly donated Research funds as well as contract funds from commodity commissions and other producer associations. These funds are used to support work conducted in Oregon state university (osu) facilities in the corvallis area and throughout the state as well as some cooperative projects with university scientists in other states. In 2021-22 arf had $9.9m in gift and contract income and approximately $1.1m in investment earnings. $10m was spent on Research activities including approximately thru arf's competitive grant program. This program provides small grants to new scientists to help launch their Research programs and to established scientists to launch new activities. Research funded through arf ranged from work on plastic ingestion by marine animals to control of winter squash storage rots to fertilizer guidelines for hazelnut trees. Studies on crop production, plant breeding, livestock management, environmental toxins, and energy production were among the hundreds of Research projects active in 2021-22. The founders of the Foundation envisioned a strong, collaborative partnership between osu and Oregon's diverse Agricultural and natural resource industries. The Foundation has achieved that goal and works toward enhancements each year.