Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Tuesday that Oregon State University will receive more than $642,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build a tool that will detect plant diseases.

“Oregon’s thriving agriculture is under threat from pests and plant disease,” Merkley said. “This funding will help to keep Oregon’s world-renowned agricultural products healthy, which will not only benefit Oregon’s economy, but allow people in Oregon and elsewhere to continue to enjoy our state’s great products.”

OSU plans to use the $642,301 from the Department of Agriculture to expand CRISPR-based tools and develop web-based resources; the tool would diagnose invasive diseases in native plants, and OSU's findings will be developed into online tools for farmers to utilize to help prevent, detect and treat plant diseases early.

“Oregon is a leader in growing food and foliage that power and enrich our lives—from fruit, berries and hazelnuts to wheat, plant starts and grass seed,” Wyden said. “Countless Oregon-grown products are shipped all around the globe, and I am gratified to see federal funds go toward preventing and treating harmful plant diseases so Oregon’s world-class farmers can continue to support jobs and our state’s economic growth, benefiting Oregon families for many generations.”