The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) filed temporary amendments on Apr. 3 with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office to help protect Malheur County and its onion industry from infestation by the Onion Maggot pest. The move comes after severe thunderstorms in July and August caused widespread bacterial rot in the 2025-2026 onion crop, resulting in an estimated 700-800 million pounds of cull onions requiring disposal.
The issue is significant because improper disposal of cull onions—byproducts rejected for size or quality—could lead to increased risk of Onion Maggot outbreaks, which can cause severe yield losses and financial harm to local growers. Limited county burial and solid waste capacity have made timely disposal challenging.
Under existing regulations, OAR 603-052-0360 requires that cull piles be disposed of or buried under at least 12 inches of onion-free soil by March 15 each year. Without changes, growers would not be able to lawfully dispose of large volumes within these constraints. The temporary amendments provide immediate relief by removing numerical limits on chopped or shredded onion debris returned to fields (as long as it is used at agronomic rates), and updating insecticide use guidelines so that growers may apply EPA-labeled products according to label instructions until proper disposal occurs.
The ODA Pesticides Program has identified several approved insecticides for controlling Onion Maggot in cull piles: AzaGuard (EPA Reg. No. 70299-17), Ecozin Plus 1.2% ME (EPA Reg. No. 5481-559), and Ecoworks EC (EPA Reg. No. 89152-4). Growers are encouraged to consult crop advisors or Oregon State University Extension for appropriate application rates, while questions about pesticides can be directed to ODA’s Pesticides program.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture supports the state’s agricultural sector through weed management initiatives, safety training, emergency preparedness, seed testing services, tractor safety training, pesticide licensing oversight, and biological weed management programs according to its official website. The agency also manages key elements such as oversight of the cannabis sector and provides resources for farm safety training and weather tracking statewide.
Lisa Charpilloz Hanson leads the department with experience in agricultural policy administration as detailed on the department’s website. The ODA serves family-owned farms producing a variety of commodities for both local consumption and international markets according to its official website, contributing significantly to community resilience across Oregon.
