Clearing the tap — Washington AgMinute for Nov. 30, 2012

To help clear a backlog of thousands of water right permit applications, independent contractors next year will supplement inspectors from the Washington Department of Ecology.

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Barberry banned — Washington AgMinute for Nov. 28, 2012

Landowners will be responsible for removing barberry bushes to stop the stem rust that attacks wheat, a Washington State University Extension specialist says. A yellow-wooded shrub, common barberry is a host for wheat stem rust.

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Organic testing mandate — AgMinute for Nov. 16, 2012

The USDA will require organic crops to be regularly tested to ensure farmers aren't treating them with conventional pesticides, over the objections of some certifiers who worry about costs. Starting next year, organic certifiers must collect and test samples from at least 5 percent of the farms they inspect.

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A feast of apples - Washington AgMinute for Nov. 9, 2012

The Washington apple industry has made a long-anticipated quantum leap in crop size. With harvest almost complete, the 2012 crop is now estimated at 121.5 million, 40-pound, fresh-packed boxes. That's up 11.7 percent from the Aug. 1 forecast of 108.7 million boxes.

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Man of the soil - Washington AgMinute for Nov. 5, 2012

Jim Harsh is the new chairman of Washington State University's Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Harsh, 61, previously worked on soil contamination projects, but has shifted to the way soils, plants, minerals and microbes interact, collaborating with other researchers about how nutrients move from soils into plants.

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FFA winners - Washington AgMinute for Nov. 2, 2012

FFA students from Stanwood, Wash., High School brought home several top awards from the organization's national convention.

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Aspiring water model - Washington AgMinute for Nov. 1, 2012

Researchers are looking for water users to help them as they model the major river systems in the Columbia Basin. Washington State University recently received a $1.4 million grant from USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop a computer model of water movement and quality.

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