Expert hire - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 31, 2012

A leading expert in tree fruit horticulture extension, Desmond R. Layne, of Clemson University, has been named to a new Washington State University endowed chair.

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Apple bonanza - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 29, 2012

More than half a dozen tree fruit companies say they likely will get all their apples harvested despite a shortage of pickers, the start of rain and freezing nights and the apparent largest crop on record.

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Forest alarm - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 26, 2012

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers believes members of the public would be outraged if they knew the state of America's national forests. The trees in one-third of all national forests are dead, diseased or insect-infested, McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., told the Society of American Foresters.

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Groundwater disputes - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 23, 2012

Three public interest groups are threatening to sue some big Yakima Valley farms over massive groundwater contamination in that agricultural region.

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Apple of my economy - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 22, 2012

Apples remained the leading agricultural commodity in Washington state for the seventh year in a row in 2011 with a value of $1.83 billion, a 19 percent increase from 2010.

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The sweetest harvest - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 19, 2012

Washington state sweet corn growers had a good year, and next year may be even better.

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Too few workers - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 16, 2012

The labor shortage in Washington's apple harvest appears worse than last year and some fruit likely is being left unpicked.

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Grazing for health - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 15, 2012

Ranchers from around Washington state will learn about holistic management of livestock and the land during workshops next month. Allan Savory, co-founder and president of the nonprofit Savory Institute and a biologist in Zimbabwe, travels the globe speaking with land and livestock managers.

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Korea fears zebra chip - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 12, 2012

South Korea has lifted a ban against Pacific Northwest-grown potatoes used for potato chips, but a ban on other fresh potatoes still remains because of a fear over a bacterium known as zebra chip.

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Wolves strike again? - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 11, 2012

Wolves are suspected of killing a year-old cow grazing near Colville, Wash., ranchers say. The remains were found Oct. 5 on Rocky Creek, 20 miles northeast of Colville. According to the Stevens County Cattlemen's Association, the yearling was part of an all-natural beef herd.

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Defending wolves - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 10, 2012

Sen. Kevin Ranker, of Orcas Island, says wildlife managers should have taken more steps before killing members of the Wedge Wolf Pack, which was preying on cattle in northeastern Washington.

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Small ranch education - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 8, 2012

The Spokane Conservation District will present a series of workshops for small-scale livestock producers on best management practices. The workshops are designed to assist livestock owners in using best management practices for animal health, efficiency, reducing dust and odors and handling manure.

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Paring down in the pear industry - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 4

With further consolidation of the Pacific Northwest canning pear industry this past spring, the Washington-Oregon Canning Pear Association is seeking comments from its members about its future.

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Air aware - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 3

Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Washington State Department of Agriculture is urging farmers to be careful when fumigating soil in much of Eastern Washington. Fumigant applicators are required to be aware of air conditions at a site before work begins and also be aware of weather forecasts.

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Indonesia at a crossroads on fruit imports - Washington AgMinute for Oct. 1

New import policies in Indonesia are all but shutting that market to U.S. apples, table grapes, frozen french fries and citrus. The policies, which go into effect Sept. 28, require product labeling of cartons in Indonesian.

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