The Lane County Master Gardener Association urges you to vote YES on Measure 20-380. This measure would provide Extension Service funding over the next five years, allowing the continuation of popular public support programs such as 4-H and Master Gardeners.
In 2025 alone, the Master Gardeners logged over 10,000 volunteer service hours. What were we doing? We worked with GrassRoots Gardens to produce more than 52,000 pounds of food for the community. Our Compost Specialists program processed 20,000 pounds of material while helping to improve local soils. At the Extension office in downtown Eugene, at special events, and over the telephone, we answered home gardening questions ranging from identifying insects to solving landscaping and lawn issues to helping people grow food for their families. We brought the mobile plant clinic to events from Florence to Oak Ridge. We conducted public workshops and presentations on pruning, composting, edible gardening, herbs & edible flowers, native plants, pollinators, adaptive gardening, weeds, etc. We offered free soil pH testing to Lane County residents, helping them have more productive gardens.
The Extension Service includes many other programs as well. Master Food Preservers answer food safety and preservation questions. The 4-H youth development program teaches leadership and responsibility as well as citizenship and communication skills. The Extension faculty educate farmers in sustainable practices for profitable farms, vineyards, and orchards. Master Woodland Managers help small woodland owners learn to manage their woodlands.
Multiply that kind of annual impact over the five years of the proposed levy, and you can see what a great investment the program represents. The Lane County Master Gardeners Association asks for your support, to keep us helping you. Please vote YES on Measure 20-380.
Lane County Master Gardener Association
Strata Chalup, President
Vote YES on Measure 20-380: Investing in Lane County's Future
Lane County's youth are thriving, but they need our continued support to keep the momentum going. Measure 20-380 is a vital investment in the leadership, character, and 21st-century skills of our next generation.
Exceptional Growth and Proven Impact
Since 2021, Lane County 4-H has seen an incredible 48% increase in membership. This growth is powered by our dedicated community; we now have 89 trained adult volunteers—a 51% increase since 2021—who provide the mentorship and safety our youth deserve.
Reaching Every Corner of Our County
By supporting new 4-H positions and expanded programming, we’ve moved beyond traditional boundaries.
Expanded Access: Two new satellite offices in Florence and Oakridge now serve over 500 youth in previously underserved areas.
Tripled School Presence: Our school-based programs have tripled in reach, engaging 500+ students in diverse subjects ranging from embryology and gardening to high-tech STEM fields.
Beyond Ready Programming: Lane County 4-H is home to the Adulting 101 Program, creating a space for youth to prepare for adulthood; and the Emergency Preparedness: Be Prepared, Not Scared Program reaching over 500 youth across the county by the end of 2026.
Why Your "YES" Vote Matters
Today's 4-H prepares youth for the modern workforce. Beyond animal husbandry, members master Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET), photography, and communication. According to Tufts University research, 4-H members are far more likely than their peers to excel as community leaders and dedicate themselves to public service.
By voting YES, you ensure our volunteers have the professional faculty support necessary to sustain this expansion. Let's tell our children that their growth and our community's future are worth the investment.
Vote YES on Measure 20-380 to keep 4-H growing in Lane County.
(This information furnished by Tiffanie Blake, Lane County 4-H Association.)
I am writing on behalf of the sixty-four Lane County Master Food Preservers volunteers to ask you to Vote Yes on Measure 20-380 for 4-H and OSU Extension Service in Lane County. We serve as an important role in Lane County’s food safety and security. The sixty-four active Master Food Preserver volunteers contributed 9,300 hours between 2023-2025. We offer a year-round Helpline for all questions pertaining to food safety and preservation. Master Food Preservers educate the public about the importance of preparing for emergencies with helpful resources and practical steps to be ready for any emergency.
Our classes teach the importance of preserving food without risking the health of those who consume it. The individual classes we teach for the public throughout the year on food preservation from canning, pickling, drying, smoking and freezing. Our outreach extends throughout Lane County, including Cottage Grove, Crow, Dexter, Eugene, Florence, Junction City, Oakridge, and Springfield.
We coordinate with the Master Gardener program for public outreach, tabling at the Home Shows, Farmers Markets, Lane County Fair and other community events sharing information about our resources and answering questions from the public. The free demonstrations at these events offer additional instruction on specific topics related to keeping food safe and healthy.
We offer classes at community gardens for seasonal preservation and fresh use of produce. We work with the 4-H Youth Program teaching teens food preservation, cooking techniques and emergency preparedness. Giving them tools for the future.
In 2024 and 2025, the OSU Extension Small Farms Program partnered with Lane County Master Food Preserver volunteers to offer a series of food preservation workshops for farmers, demonstrating preservation techniques and recipes for the purpose of selling value-added foods under Oregon's Farm Direct Marketing Law.
We ask for your support by voting YES on Measure 20-380. Help keep 4-H and OSU Extension Service and their volunteers working for you!
(This information furnished by Patty Driscoll.)