Chemeketa Community College prepares students and farmers for an electric future as Oregon's first fully electric agricultural program

Chemeketa Community College is celebrating a sustainability milestone as the first fully electric agricultural program in the state with support from Portland General Electric, and now it is looking to help electrify other local farms in Salem.

As of this month, Chemeketa Community College students are getting a hands-on experience at the school's fully electric farm, operating electric heavy-duty equipment including two tractors, a utility terrain vehicle, and a recently purchased pickup truck.

"The whole idea around our ag complex is to integrate technology into agriculture - this technology is what we want students to be aware of," said Tim Ray, Dean of Agricultural Sciences at Chemeketa Community College. "We would not have been able to do this as a college without the assistance of PGE."

Through PGE's Drive Change Fund, made possible by the Oregon DEQ's Clean Fuels Program, Chemeketa Community College purchased two electric tractors, one in 2022 and one 2024. The tractors operate at Chemeketa's main campus and its Northwest Wine Studies Center in Polk County's Eola Hills.

"The grant we got from PGE paid for the infrastructure to support the tractor long-term with two portable charging ports," said Ray. "PGE was very forward thinking in allowing us to use the tractor on campus and also getting it out in the community and in the hands of local farmers."

In addition to agricultural students using the tractors themselves at both Chemeketa's main campus and Eola campus, local farmers are also encouraged to try an electric tractor for themselves through the school's tractor loan program. The program offers small to medium sized farms the opportunity to use the tractor before committing to purchasing one.

Through PGE's Drive Change Fund, Chemeketa is able to make the experience as seamless as possible. PGE's support allowed school officials to purchase a trailer, which enables the school to showcase the tractors at local farms and community events.

"The [PGE] grant was very thoughtful on 'how do we make this as easy as possible for farmers to use with no barriers at all," he said. "Having this out at community events, allows us to talk about what the future may look like if we were electrified."

Benefits and cost savings

Electric tractors have many benefits compared to traditional diesel, including fewer maintenance costs, fuel savings and a quieter, more comfortable experience for operators, all while lowering carbon emissions and making local communities healthier.

Through the use of solar, Chemeketa Community College's Ag complex is net zero, meaning it generates as much electricity as it uses throughout the year. Now with a fully electric farm fleet, the agricultural program produces zero emissions.

"Power costs are minimal compared to diesel costs. The other important benefit is the carbon footprint. These tractors emit no carbon as they work," said Ray.

To learn more about Chemeketa Community College's tractor loan program, click here .

Applications for the 2026 Drive Changes Fund open in February. Click here for more information.

For the full list of 2025 Drive Change Fund recipients, click here .