Rising wine — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 24, 2012

Design-build proposals will soon be accepted for construction of a Wine Science Center at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

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Report error — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 21, 2012

An EPA report saying dairies near Sunnyside are a likely source of nitrate pollution in ground and drinking water in the Lower Yakima Valley is "filled with considerable errors" and can't be "scientifically defended to derive at the stated conclusions," according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

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Biotech ballot — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 20, 2012

Organizers of Washington Initiative 522 requiring labeling of any genetically modified food sold in the state say they probably have the 241,153 voter signatures needed by Jan. 4 to get the measure before the Legislature in 2013 and on next fall's general election ballot if the Legislature takes no action.

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Feeding the hungry — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 19, 2012

The Beef Counts program has donated its 27,000th beef roast to Spokane's needy, said Bridget Coon, Washington Beef Commission consumer information director.

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Efforts joined — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 18, 2012

The Washington State Horticultural Association and Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association hope to combine their lobbying efforts before the state Legislature convenes on Jan. 14.

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Legislative hopes — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 17, 2012

Policies sought by the Washington State Farm Bureau may meet a more receptive audience in the upcoming legislative session, says John Stuhlmiller, director of government relations for the state Farm Bureau.

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Washington AgMinute for Dec. 14, 2012

The lone agriculture representative on Gov.-elect Jay Inslee's transition team says state Department of Agriculture Director Dan Newhouse has done an "excellent job" and that he has no hesitation recommending he continue in that role.

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Big apples — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 12, 2012

The Washington apple crop is now estimated at a record-shattering 129.7 million, fresh-packed, 40-pound boxes.

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Rolling in apples — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 11, 2012

The volume of processing apples — those going for juice, sauce and baked ingredients — could top 800,000 tons from this year's Washington apple crop. That's up more than 78 percent from the 2011 crop and well above levels seen for many years.

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Return of the wolf — Washington AgMinute for Dec. 5, 2012

Wolves are still active in northeast Washington even after state wildlife managers killed seven of the predators earlier this year.

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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.

AgMinute is sponsored by "Western Innovators," which is available at http://amzn.to/WesternInnovators. 

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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.

AgMinute is sponsored by "Western Innovators," which is available at http://amzn.to/WesternInnovators

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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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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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Apples for Asia - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 28

In early October, Gov. Chris Gregoire will lead a Washington state trade mission to India and South Korea. Representatives of the Washington State Department of Agriculture will accompany the governor in an effort to increase exports to those countries.

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Wolves killed - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 27

A Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife marksman has killed five members of the Wedge Wolf Pack, which has been preying on cattle in the area. The wolves were shot Sept. 25 and 26 near the Canadian border. The marksman was in a helicopter.

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Smoke in the orchards - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 26

Smoke from wildfires may have slowed Central Washington's pear and apple harvest already challenged by a shortage of pickers. Smoke has caused picker fatigue, which could increase as the smoke lingers, some growers said.

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Research funding dries up - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 25

The lack of a new farm bill in Congress will create a $4 million hole in Washington State University’s agricultural research budget for the coming fiscal year, a top WSU official says. Authorization for several research programs under the current farm bill expires Sept. 30.

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Great Wall for apples - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 21

China may be slipping as a growth market for Washington apples. China stopped issuing import permits for U.S. Red and Golden Delicious apples on Aug. 9 and still appears to be cracking down on the smuggling of other U.S. apple varieties from Hong Kong.

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Arab Spring wheat - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 20

Industry officials say they do not expect recent unrest in Egypt to affect that nation’s imports of U.S. wheat.

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The $7 billion apple - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 19

The Washington apple industry generated $7 billion in total economic output in the 2010-2011 sales season, according to a study recently concluded for the Washington Apple Commission. That figure includes all levels of production, packing, processing, marketing and research.

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To the juicer - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 18

Washington and East Coast fruit processors stand to get more volume from this year's Washington apple crop because of its huge size and significant hail damage.

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AgMinute for Sept. 17, 2012

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has slightly lowered its forecast for the nation's drought-damaged corn crop to the lowest yield since 1995.

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Fight for wheat - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 14

Washington wheat growers are among the farm representatives in Washington, D.C., this week to tell members of Congress that there is an urgent need for a new farm bill.

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Zombie farm bill - AgMinute for Sept. 13, 2012

U.S. farm policy could revert to decades-old legislation next month if the current farm bill is not extended or replaced, but experts say the complexity and expense of this outcome make its implementation unlikely.

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Rolling in manure - Washington AgMinute for Sept. 12, 2012

A company that sells composted cow manure says business is so good that it needs more manure — lots of it — particularly from dairies in Yakima County. Organix Inc., of Walla Walla, also is considering expanding into Idaho.

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Glyphosate battle - AgMinute for Sept. 11, 2012

The legal battle over genetically engineered alfalfa has again wound up before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The federal appeals court expects to hear oral arguments in San Francisco on Oct. 24 about the legality of USDA's decision to re-commercialize the transgenic crop.

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Wine, wine everywhere - AgMinute for Sept. 10, 2012

The Washington wine industry, second only to California nationally, continues to grow at a faster rate than the national industry.

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AgMinute for Sept. 7, 2012

A meat producers cooperative formed to process and market locally raised meat is selling shares. By the first of the year, the North Cascades Meat Producers Cooperative expects to be processing lamb, pork and beef.

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AgMinute for Sept. 6, 2012

Washington wildlife managers resumed efforts Wednesday to kill four wolves from the Wedge Wolf Pack in northeastern Washington. Wolves from the pack injured two calves from the Diamond M ranch last week, bringing the total number of injured and dead livestock from the herd since July to 10, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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AgMinute for Sept. 5, 2012

Each month, the Washivore.org website will feature a different crop grown in Washington state. It will start with apples and pears, then go to pumpkins in October. With more than 300 crops grown across the state, they are not worried about repetition.

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AgMinute for Sept. 4, 2012

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, which faces growing opposition among livestock groups, has several upsides. Critics say it has driven up the cost of livestock feed.

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AgMinute for Sept. 3, 2012

Washington State University Extension is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the land-grant university system with a Homecoming Tailgate Reunion.

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AgMinute for Aug. 31, 2012

Registration has begun for the second annual Inland Northwest Small Farm Conference. The conference will be Sept. 28-29 at the Spokane Interstate Fair and Expo Center. Organizers say the conference is designed to provide regional small producers with networking opportunities and a chance to update their skills.

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AgMinute for Aug. 30, 2012

A Washington state horse was euthanized this week after it contracted West Nile virus, and four other horses in Idaho and Oregon were diagnosed with milder cases of the disease.

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Washington AgMinute for Aug. 29, 2012

Washington livestock producers will have the opportunity this fall and winter to learn about direct marketing when Washington State University Extension offers a four-workshop series.

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AgMinute for Aug. 28, 2012

The blueberry harvest continues in Washington state, and year-to-year production continues to grow. Last year, growers turned out 61 million pounds; this year’s estimate is 70 million.

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AgMinute for Aug. 22, 2012

Washington apple growers should enjoy continued strong prices, if not their best ever, for the fourth year in a row. Washington expects another large apple crop this fall while spring freezes and other weather problems cause production to be down in the East, Midwest, Canada, Mexico and Europe.

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