Agriculture and farming activities are of central importance to the Grande Ronde Valley. There are about 680 farms in Union County. Approximately one-third of the farms produce livestock and another third grow field crops. The final third are involved in farm forestry, fruit production, or other types of agriculture. Our valley is famous for its high quality production of several types of turf-grasses.
Timber is another primary industry in Union County.
The Boise Cascade Corporation has a major presence in the valley and operates mills in La Grande and Elgin. Higher education plays a significant role in Union County with La Grande being home to Eastern Oregon University, the only four-year institution east of the Oregon Cascades. Oregon's statewide telecommunications network allows us to lead the way in distance education for students and citizens in our area. We are pleased to welcome you to our community and are eager to play a role in this exciting research study. We currently have 13 out of the 30 subjects enrolled.