Newsroom

CORVALLIS - J.F. "Jay" Binder of Madras, an emeritus agent with the Jefferson County Extension Office, will be honored as a 2002 Diamond Pioneer Thursday, Oct. 17, by the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences.

He is one of 43 men and women being added to the college's Diamond Pioneer Agricultural Achievement Registry. The registry, in its 19th year, began when the college marked its 75th anniversary. The registry honors those 75 and older for their contributions to agriculture, natural resources, and OSU.

The 2002 class will be guests at a luncheon hosted by Thayne Dutson, dean of agricultural sciences, at the OSU Alumni Center. The featured speaker will be Gary Stewart of the Leadership Oregon Institute.

Binder began his Extension career in his native Kansas where he worked in Rush County from 1948 to 1951. In 1952, he was appointed to the OSU Extension staff in Jefferson County, working with livestock and 4-H programs, a position he held until retiring in 1976.

Shortly after his appointment, Binder began working with livestock producers to organize the Jefferson County Livestock Association in 1953. He worked with OSU animal scientists on finding a solution to white muscle disease in cattle.

Hundreds of 4-H members learned livestock judging techniques, how to shear sheep, and how to improve their horsemanship under Binder's guidance.

After his retirement, Binder worked with Century West Testing Laboratory in Bend and also for Basic Vegetable Products in the production of garlic. He is an active member of Lions, a past president of the Senior Center and served on the board of the Central Oregon Council on Aging.

Binder was nominated for the award by the OSU Jefferson County Extension staff, Jefferson County Livestock Association, and the OSU animal sciences department.

Others being honored are Marjorie Luce, Ashland; Forest Sneva, Burns; Fred Panusis, Central Point; John Adair, James Baggett, Norman Bishop, Dave Church, Howard Horton, Glenn Klein, Francis Lawrence, W. Orvid Lee, Robert Schoning, William Stephen and Maxine Thompson, Corvallis; Wren Case, Cove; E. LeRoy Stone, Eugene; Lyell Gardner, Gaston; Walt Schroeder, Gold Beach; Thomas Davidson, Russell Dorran and Charles Norris, Hermiston; Rob Hukari and Robert Nickelsen, Hood River; Bill Howell, Imbler; Henry Krebs, Ione; James Pitney, Junction City; Mary Fitzgerald, Lakeview; Stanley Christensen and W. Wayne Roberts, McMinnville; Hugh Kennington, Ontario; Darrell Maxwell, F. Vance Pumphrey and Charles Rohde, Pendleton; Broughton Bishop and Donald Ostensoe, Portland; Lyle Klampe and Kenneth Meier, Salem; E.E. Bonham, The Dalles; Bill McKee, Tigard; Hank Hess and James Wampler, Waldport; and Te May Ching, Fremont, Calif.