Northwest Farm and Ranch - Summer, 2013 by Moscow-Pullman Daily News

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Bonner

Spokane

Lincoln

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Boundary

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Latah Clearwater

Franklin Yakima

Garfield Columbia

Benton

Walla Walla

Nez Perce Lewis Asotin

Klickitat Umatilla

Wallowa

Morrow

Farm and Ranch Northwest

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Idaho

Union

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Inside this issue

Wheat exports difficult to predict Farm bill remains in limbo Risky business of farmers markets Produced quarterly by Tribune Publishing Company

SUMMER 2013

2 | Friday, June 28, 2013

Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

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Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013 Pend Oreille Ferry

Stevens

Bonner

Spokane

Lincoln

Grant

Boundary

Kootenai

Benewah Adams

Whitman

Shoshone

Latah Clearwater

Franklin Yakima

Garfield Columbia

Benton

Walla Walla

Asotin

Nez Perce Lewis

Klickitat Umatilla

Wallowa

Morrow

Idaho

Union

Farm and Ranch Northwest

Seeds of opportunity

WSU research to make quinoa more available in Pacific Northwest | 4

All in the genes

Researchers turn to genetics to reduce infertility in dairy cows | 6

Fickle weather

Area farmers faced with either too much or too little precipitation | 17 On the cover: Wheat exports will vary with the amount and quality of the current crops | 11

Northwest Farm and Ranch is published quarterly by the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News and printed at the Tribune Publishing Co. Inc.’s printing facility at 505 Capital St. in Lewiston. To advertise in Northwest Farm and Ranch, contact the Moscow-Pullman Daily News advertising department at 208.882.5561 or Advertising Manager Craig Staszkow at cstaszkow@dnews.com, or the Lewiston Tribune advertising department at 208.848.2216 or Advertising Director Kim Burner at kburner@lmtribune.com. Editorial suggestions and ideas can be sent to Lee Rozen at lrozen@dnews.com or Doug Bauer at dbauer@lmtribune.com.

Friday, June 28, 2013 | 3

Farm bill remains in limbo Farmers stand by need for government assistance By Dylan Brown for Northwest Farm and Ranch

arm bills have a five-year lifespan so farmers can plan ahead for the worst of what’s to come, but those plans remain in limbo as the U.S. House of Representatives struggles to pass the needed legislation a year after extending 2007’s bill. If Congress fails to act, commodity prices on essentials like milk could soar as the last permanent farm bill, passed in 1949, takes effect. Most of the contention surrounding the nearly $1 trillion bill is tied to food stamps, which make up the majority of both House and Senate proposals. But Congress also is looking to reform controversial farm programs, including subsidies, direct payments to agricultural producers, crop insurance and market development. The federal government has long had its hand in subsidizing agriculture, something Winchester, Idaho, farmer Bill Flory experienced first hand while lobbying in Washington, D.C. “Congress has found themselves needing to come up with disaster programs because of major weather events,” the Idaho Wheat Commission’s District 2 chairman said. The response has been myriad subsidies to secure markets, but one option, direct payments, is on the chopping block. Direct payments pay farmers raising specific crops — like the grains abundant in Flory’s area — a set amount of up to $40,000 per individual based on a per acre calculation, regardless of whether or not the farmers grow anything. The direct payment program also establish conservation requirements farmers have to meet in order to receive federal money. Many have complained the program has paid farmers for sitting on their hands, but Flory considers that a misnomer. “They’re not making anybody wealthy, they’re providing stability in local markets,” he said. While reforms can cut unnecessary spending, Flory said growers need to grow in order to keep their enterprise viable, and with commodity prices high, “who wouldn’t want to produce?” The goal when direct payments

were approved in the 1996 Farm Bill was to protect farmers against fluctuations in the market, but grain markets have thrived in recent years. Growers of crops like peanuts subject to huge price swings oppose eliminating the program, but so long as some sort of safety net remains intact, most Idaho growers are OK with the measure, said Idaho Grain Producers Association Executive Director Travis Jones. “They see the value of it,” Jones said. “We can’t justify (direct payments) in light of the nation’s budget deficit. We have to look for more reform-minded programs — not just free money.” A portion of the billions saved would be diverted to risk management programs like crop insurance. Flory said nearly every farmer, regardless of location, uses some level of insurance to protect themselves against financial losses exceeding the standards set by the private insurers for any farmer. “You’re a sheer, unabashed gambler if you don’t participate in risk management,” he said. The taxpayer money spent on crop

insurance — $89 billion in the Senate proposal — helps stabilize agricultural markets and maintain the nation’s food security, Flory said. However, he understands the argument made by House Republicans, including his own representative, Raul Labrador, who opposed the farm bill. “We have a deficit and we’re going to subsidize this?” Flory said, acknowledging the philosophical divide over how much of a role the government should play in controlling markets and when. Despite the stability at present, Flory said with the increasing demand from a burgeoning middle class around the world and the wildcard that is the weather, the U.S. should proceed with caution in letting markets dictate food security. “Producers would much rather have that but the country knows the vagaries of the weather,” he said. “Ag doesn’t exist in a vacuum. We need to be real careful — ag is cyclical.” Dylan Brown may be contacted at intern2@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2278.

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4 | Friday, June 28, 2013

Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

Seeds of opportunity Washington State University research to make quinoa more available for Pacific Northwest farmers By Meredith Metsker for Northwest Farm and Ranch

he grain-like seed crop quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) could soon become more readily available for interested farmers in the Pacific Northwest, as a result of efforts by Washington State University researchers. Funded by a $1.6 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, WSU researchers have been planting, studying and cross-breeding many varieties of quinoa in several different states in the Northwest. Quinoa has become a high-demand crop because of its nutritional value and ability to grow in many different climates. Quinoa is a highly nutritious, highprotein and gluten-free alternative to grains and rice. WSU Crop and Soil Sciences researcher Kevin Murphy said quinoa is the only grain seed food plant that is a complete protein.

“It has all the amino acids in the right quantities that humans need to digest,” Murphy said. “It’s the only one, and it’s pretty amazing.” Because of the unique nutritional value, quinoa has also garnered interest from three WSU food scientists and their graduate students who will study quinoa nutrition, end use quality and taste. The countries that traditionally produce quinoa, such as Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru, are no longer able to keep up with U.S. demand, making quinoa an even more lucrative crop, Geoff Crimmins/Daily News Murphy said. Murphy and his fellow researchers Washington State University alternative crop breeder Kevin Murphy, left, and have been studying quinoa for about farmer Ian Clark talk about quinoa in a field near Albion on Monday. four years and this year planted 33 different varieties in 20-foot plots on ferent shades of quinoa seeds. the same time as his family’s canola a small patch of Clark Farm land, Ian Clark of Clark Farm also harvest. Because quinoa seeds are north of Pullman. planted the cherry vanilla variety of similar in size to canola seeds, Clark While most of the quinoa variet- quinoa on the same patch of land. He said he plans to use the same combine ies on the Clark Farm produce white said he planted on April 25 and plans to harvest both, a Case International seeds, Murphy said there are 60 dif- to harvest in late August, around 8010 combine with a standard

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Quinoa plants are seen in a field near Albion on Monday.

Friday, June 28, 2013 | 5

Geoff Crimmins/Daily News

35-foot header. Murphy said Murphy said while Colorado has been quinoa grows well in growing quinoa for 30 the Pacific Northwest, years and is the only the seeds can be diffistate that has been cult and expensive to growing it for longer obtain. Clark said he than a few years. paid $72 per pound WSU is workand planted about ing with Utah State three or four pounds University and Oregon per acre. Clark said State University on he thinks he planted the USDA granttoo heavy. funded project. The “It’s really hard majority of the quiKevin Murphy to get a low density, noa field trial plots in WSU researcher small seed into the Washington, Idaho, ground, and have it Oregon and Utah are be at all consistent,” Clark said. grown on organic farmers’ land. Murphy said another change he The only non-organic farm involved and his fellow researchers will make in the project is Clark Farm. Murphy next year will be to use a precision said researchers don’t want to breed seeder. quinoa just for organic farmers, but “Figuring out all that agronomy, rather for organic, non-organic, no-till just the general farming, is a big chal- and other farming systems. lenge. It’s a brand new crop,” Murphy “We want to know about varieties said. that do well under all different kinds

“

Figuring out all that agronomy, just the general farming, is a big challenge. It’s a brand new crop.”

of farming systems. Farming systems play a huge role,” Murphy said. In addition to being a money-making crop, Murphy said another incentive for regional farmers to grow quinoa is that it is a low-nitrogen plant and highly drought-tolerant. “There’s some growers, especially in the drier regions of the Palouse, that are really interested in it for those reasons,” Murphy said. Murphy also said many large organic growers struggle to get enough organic manure and nitrogen for their fields because it’s expensive, so they often fertilize at half the recommended rate. “Quinoa can handle that, no problem, without major yield hits,” Murphy said. Murphy said some farmers in the Yakima valley and Utah are interested in it because it’s saline tolerant and can even grow and produce seeds in seawater. Another challenge of growing quinoa is most varieties’ seeds are covered in a soapy film called saponin, which makes the seed taste bitter. Murphy said there are a few varieties that are saponin-free but they are very difficult to acquire. Murphy said there are about a dozen seed providers in the U.S. that can sell seeds in different portions,

Meredith Metsker can be reached at (208) 8834628, or by email to mmetsker@dnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @MeredithMetsker

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from small packets to up to 50 pounds. Murphy said the best providers he’s found are Wild Garden Seed, owned by Frank Morton, in Philomath, Ore., and White Mountain Farm in Colorado. “Anything from Wild Garden Seeds does really well out here,” Murphy said. Representatives from Wild Garden Seed and White Mountain Farm will be among the many researchers from around the world converging at WSU in Pullman Aug. 12-14 for the International Quinoa Research Symposium 2013. The event will include hands-on demonstrations at local field trials, current research updates and it will coincide with the United Nations’ declared International Year of the Quinoa. Murphy said many researchers from South America will attend the symposium, bringing with them a wealth of quinoa growing knowledge. To find more information about or to register for the International Quinoa Research Symposium, visit https://www.etouches.com/ehome/quinoa/117552/.

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6 | Friday, June 28, 2013

Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

It’s all in the genes

WSU, UI researchers turn to genetics to reduce infertility in dairy cows By Anthony Kuipers for Northwest Farm and Ranch

ertility rates for dairy cows are declining, and a team of researchers from Washington State University and the University of Idaho are using the latest technology to do something about it. Recent studies show that the conception rate for an average herd of dairy cows is currently at 35 percent. This is a 15 percent decrease from the 1980s, or roughly a 1 percent drop per year. Infertility is a costly issue for local farmers in terms of both time and money. A cow that is believed to be infertile must be culled from the herd and supported until infertility is confirmed. Then it must be replaced. In addition, if cows can’t be bred, then milk production suffers and so does

the U.S. dairy market. Joe Dalton, a professor for the UI Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, said numerous studies have shown a correlation between higher milk yield and lower fertility, but he said there is still not enough evidence for scientists to pinpoint the actual cause. So Dalton, along with WSU Department of Animal Sciences professors Tom Spencer and Holly Neibergs, are turning to genetics to solve the problem. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture has awarded a five-year, $3 million grant to WSU, UI and the University of Florida to address cow infertility and improve the sustainability of the U.S. dairy industry. Spencer, Neibergs and Dalton are currently collecting cattle DNA and blood samples from dairy producers in

order to analyze the gene regions associated with fertility. So far, Neiberg said 2,200 blood and DNA samples from heifers in southern Idaho have been collected. She said they plan on collecting somewhere around 7,500 samples from both heifers and lactating dairy cows by the end of 2014. The goal, Neibergs said, is to use the information gathered from these samples to help producers select the right cows to breed, so they are not wasting time or money trying to “trying to get a cow to conceive that won’t conceive.” “You can look at different regions associated with fertility … then you can select sires and females that have the regions that encourage them to be more fertile,” Neibergs said. University of Florida animal scientist Pete Hansen will work with John Cole, a research geneticist at the

USDA Agricultural Research Service in Maryland, to identify the factors in a sire’s genetics that lead to daughter pregnancy rates. Dalton said this type of study has never been done before. While pharmaceuticals have been used to control estrous cycles and time of ovulation in cows, scientists have yet to research how to address the problem with genetics, he said. “This particular question has not been asked,” he said, mainly because the technology to perform such research did not exist until now. If researchers are able to identify and isolate the genes associated with fertility, their next step, Dalton said, will be to “get the results of the research into the hands of the producer so that it is usable.” That is why part of the grant money will go toward an outreach program led by the UF Department of Animal Sciences. They will evaluate the efficiency of using genetics to

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Fertility rates are dropping for dairy cows, which could become a costly issue for local farms in terms of both time and money. increase fertility, then make those evaluations available online. Dalton said there will be online workshops and written articles that will help producers decide if genetic enhancement tools make sense for them. They can also use an online library called DAIReXNET to find out about potential genes scientists have associated with fertility. In addition, Dalton said dairy producers can send off hair follicles and blood samples from their cows to companies that specialize in genomic testing, like Pfizer Animal Health. According to Pfizer’s website, the samples will be analyzed, then the evaluation of their findings will be sent back to the producer so they can make “informed decisions about sire selection, reproductive strategies and overall herd manage-

ment.” Ideally, Dalton said producers will be able identify and keep the heifers that have the right genes to reproduce, then decide whether to keep the infertile cows. With this new research and the right breeding management, Neibergs said cows that have the fertility gene will be able to pass those traits down to their offspring. Then, dairy producers can put the brakes on the rising infertility rate. “If you can gain 5 percent in fertility over five years, that would be a good thing,” Neibergs said. For more information, contact Neibergs at neibergs@wsu.edu or Dalton at jdalton@uidaho.edu. Anthony Kuipers can be reached at (208) 8834630, or by email to akuipers@dnews.com.

Farm and Ranch SUMMER 2013

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Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

Barry Kough/Tribune

Washington State senior Victoria Barth worked with the Thought for Food Challenge competition this year.

Food for thought Washington State University students look to improve education and help feed Earth’s growing population By Elisa Eiguren for Northwest Farm and Ranch

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eeding the predicted 9 billion people who will inhabit Earth by 2050 is a challenge agriculturalists around the world are working to overcome, including three Washington State University students. WSU senior Victoria Barth and juniors Brandon Nickels and Ellen Robertson competed in the 2013 Thought for Food Challenge — a competition in which students developed a business plan and solution to feed the increasing world population. “More food will have to be created in the next 50 years than in the past 10,000 combined,” Barth said. “It’s a daunting thing, especially considering many countries don’t have the agricultural security of the U.S.” Barth, an integrated plant sciences major, said she found out about the contest from her International Development Club adviser Colleen Taugher. As Barth and her partners pondered ideas, agricultural education stood out as a key component of each

plan, which sparked their project: Food, Responsible Education and Sustainable Habits for the Future. “The idea is that with agriculture integrated into K-12 education more students would be passionate about agriculture and equipped with the knowledge to understand how important it is in our society,” Barth said. It wouldn’t be feasible, Barth said, to replace entire courses with agricultural education, so F.R.E.S.H. for the Future would integrate agriculture into each subject. Students could write research papers in English class on the differences between genetically modified and organic crops, or participate in a crop growth competition in a science class. “Through these challenges they would be learning and understanding the deeper principles of agriculture,” she said. Nickels, an agricultural economics and food business management major, said his family of generations of dairy farmers and involvement in 4-H and FFA influenced his decision to major in an agriculture-related field. “It fostered my passion and the idea that maybe I could pursue a future

Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013 career in agriculture,” and donors to fund Nickels said. their project and lobby Nickels said less their ideas to legislathan 2 percent of the tors in Olympia. population is directly Robertson, an ecotied to food production, nomics major, said but the other 98 perF.R.E.S.H. for the cent is responsible for Future would not voting on legislation have an immediate that affects agriculeffect. However, she ture. Education is an said if it was impleimportant component mented eventually of ensuring children an entire generation understand agriculwould be educated Brandon Nickels ture’s role in society, about agriculture and WSU student Nickels said. able to make sustainBut children aren’t able decisions with the only ones who need to be educated the resources at hand to feed the entire about where food comes from. Nickels population. said he has worked with adults who Barth said 85 percent of urban childon’t understand an entire hog can’t be dren think food comes from the grocery cut into bacon. store, not farms, and feeding more peo“Our project doesn’t have all the ple will require everyone to understand answers, but it’s a small piece of help- agriculture at a basic level. ing solve the problem,” he said. “Maybe not every student would Barth said the team developed a major in agriculture, but every field mission statement, goal, project plan would have at least the basic underand made a video to demonstrate their standing and the U.S. would be able idea to viewers. They made it past the to stand for agriculture in the fields of initial cut to 25 teams, but did not prog- business and politics and farmers and ress to the final round of five teams. teachers,” Barth said. Although they weren’t finalists, Barth said once classes resume in the Elisa Eiguren may be contacted at intern1@ fall she hopes they can look for grants lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2270.

“

Our project doesn’t have all the answers, but it’s a small piece of helping solve the problem.”

Friday, June 28, 2013 | 9

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Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

Getting in the game

The risky business of farmers markets By Brandon Macz Daily News staff writer

armers markets have seen a resurgence in the Northwest over the past 10 years as increasing regulations and large competitors forced many small and mid-sized growers out of grocery stores. At the same time customers have become more keen to know where their food is coming from and what agricultural practices went into producing it. Jeff Aichele of Aichele Farms started modestly with two markets six years ago. His father grew potatoes most of his life before large producers butted in and forced a change. Aichele said he turned his focus to berries on 20 acres of land in Stanfield, Ore., which are always a popular sell at farmers markets. Adding two to three markets every year, Aichele Farms now only sells at farmers market — up to 17 and growing. “It wasn’t working for the smaller guys anymore,” Aichele said. “This is kind of a way that we have a little more control and, actually, we prefer it.” The trick to making farmers markets profitable for growers is for them to find an absent product and fill the demand, said Aichele, while being the conduit between your products and the customer – always taking their feedback to heart. Coming to a market with a product already provided by multiple other farms creates competition new vendors would find difficult to contend with among the long-time vendors who have already established their produce with customers there. “That just turns into a nightmare of too many peo-

Dean Hare/Daily News

Becky Barry, right, of Moscow, holds fresh asparagus sold by Durfey Farm, of Pomeroy, Wash., during the Moscow Farmers Market on June 1. ple selling the same perishable products,” said Kole Tonnemaker of Tonnemaker Hill Farm in Royal, Wash. “It’s a very capital-intensive way to earn a living. You have to have land and some form of equipment. It’s easy to get over your head in a risky way of making money.” Tonnemaker splits up the 20 farmers markets his farm sells at between him and his brother, Kurt, who takes those west of the Cascade Mountains. Starting in the 1980s, Tonnemaker said there was a slow decline at markets during the following 20 years as farmers retired and family members pursued other interests. “In the last 10 years, we’ve added quite a lot of farmers,” he said. “There seems to be a resurgence of farmers growing at a small scale.” In reaction to lesser standards in produce at grocery stores, many of which have

policies against buying local, demand is up at farmers markets, said Keri Wilson of Wilson Banner Ranch in Clarkston, Wash. “If you’re on a small farm and you’re trying to sell locally, a lot of avenues are shut down,” Wilson said. She said Wilson Banner Ranch wants to stay local, targeting six markets within a 50-mile radius of the farm. “You need to do your closest farmers market first,” she said. “You don’t need to be traveling anywhere. The point of growing food is to feed your neighbors.” “It’s become important for people to have some connection to where their food is grown,” Tonnemaker said, “and I think that’s great.” Competing by way of offering the freshest produce, means picking it within a day of sale. That can add to overhead because a farmer needs to hire more help to expand, so

farmers recommend starting small. Anything that doesn’t get sold at market becomes a loss. Aichele recommends tracking sales and reacting to each market that way. “People are getting berries that are less than 24 hours old,” he said “This year we’ve planted double our golden raspberries mainly because people always want them, and we’re always running out.” “We sometimes have to wait until the end of the week to find out what we can harvest and how we split it up,” Tonnemaker said. “Every place has its own character, without a doubt.” Wilson said it’s also important to be aware of what the regulations are for produce at each market and to acquire some form of liability insurance in the off chance someone claims to have gotten sick from your product. Most markets have hold-harmless agreements.

Because farmers markets focus on fresh produce from the farm, Wilson said many markets also require those farmers to be there at the time of sale. She splits up the six markets per week with her mother, father and her sister. “That’s a huge amount of pressure and it’s not easy, and a lot of those farmers markets fall on Saturday,” she said. Farmers expanding to other markets need to be aware of taxation, added Wilson. Washington doesn’t tax food, she said, but states like Idaho do, so pricing should also reflect that. “Either way, you have to remit tax on your produce,” said Wilson, “and that needs to be noted for farmers on the border lands.” Some successful farmers will get approached by markets to join, but Tonnemaker said it isn’t always feasible. “Some markets are very expensive to go to,” he said. “In some cases, we’ve actually had some markets we’ve declined to go to because the fees are really high.” Many markets allow walkons and Tonnemaker said its a great way to test products without committing time and money to a seasonal spot, which is how he got started at the Moscow Farmers Market. “Start small and really test it to see if it’s right for you,” Wilson said, adding the commitment is massive and means forfeiting weekends. “There’s no such thing as a hungover Saturday.” Those worried about losing perishable produce can use it to create added-value products, such as jams, cheese, pies, sausages, spices and so on, which are very popular these days, Tonnemaker said. Brandon Macz can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to bmacz@ dnews.com.

Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

Friday, June 28, 2013 | 11

Wheat exports difficult to predict Experts weigh things like weather, world consumption and current events By Elisa Eiguren for Northwest Farm and Ranch

cott Yates said wheat prices are expected to drop between harvests, which makes it difficult to analyze how exports have been affected by uncooperative weather or the discovery of genetically modified wheat in Oregon. “It’s that time of year between old and new crops when shipments are slow anyway,” said Yates, Washington Grain Commission director of communications. Yates said weather has been a negative factor this year in several states, including the top wheat producing states of Kansas and North Dakota. An early frost damaged crops in Kansas while North Dakota has had too much rain. Wheat fields in the Northwest have also been affected by inconsistent weather. Yates said an early frost followed by 85 degree weather on Mother’s Day have made it doubtful whether Washington will yield even an average crop this year. The below-normal rainfall is also a hardship since most wheat farms in Washington rely almost solely on rain for crop moisture. Intangible factors such as corn prices are also considered in wheat exports. Yates said corn is thought to influence wheat prices because if corn prices get too high or if there is a shortage then wheat is purchased instead of corn. Yates said corn prices will always be cheaper than wheat and with a huge corn crop predicted for the U.S. this year marketers are already looking for wheat prices to fall. Despite the uncertainty around prices,

Yates said a certain amount of wheat is grown each year and over time all of it will be exported. The top three export markets for white wheat in 2011-12 were South Korea, Japan and the Philippines. Although Indonesia is sixth on the list, Yates said it’s a bright spot among the export markets. Indonesia relies on rice as its main source of sustenance, but rice consumption is only growing by 1 percent each year. However, Yates said wheat consumption rates have been increasing 7 percent each year in Indonesia. More than 46 percent of U.S. white wheat is grown in Washington, and Oregon and Idaho combined with Washington to produce 92 percent of U.S. soft white wheat in 2012. Increasing exports to Indonesia is a positive outlook for the U.S. wheat market, Yates said. The Washington Grain Commission is also targeting Latin American countries as export markets. Yates said WGC has hired a consultant to scientifically show Latin American farmers how blending hard wheat with soft white wheat can improve their product. Since the finding of the biotech wheat in Oregon, Japan suspended some imports and South Korea said it would increase its inspections of U.S. wheat imports. Yates said it’s too soon to know the full effect of the biotech wheat on exports, but it’s not a positive incident. Yates said American consumers trust food suppliers because of organizations such as the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, but other countries don’t have similar safety protocols. APHIS declared the biotech wheat an isolated occurrence on a single farm, and Yates said wheat growers need to convince customers that’s what it was. Elisa Eiguren may be contacted at intern1@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2270.

Barry Kough/Lewiston Tribune

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Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

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Marketing Washington wheat Grain commission surpasses million-dollar mark

tion to potential buyers in these Asian markets. According to Squires, 90 percent of he Washington Grain Commission the wheat grown in Washington is sold (and its precursor, the Washington overseas, and the U.S. market sells 50 Wheat Commission) budgeted $1 percent of its wheat overseas. “The domestic market is not large million in marketing for the 2012-13 year, the first time it hit the seven-figure enough to consume all the wheat,” said Squires. “In other countries, like Asia, mark in the history of the commission. The decision was made last spring they don’t grow wheat or they don’t grow enough.” to allocate 18 percent The grain is sent of the commission’s to Portland and then budget for marketing is shipped overseas. — a growing goal of the “All grain that goes organization. to Portland is shipped “We’re the marketing overseas,” Yates said. organization for wheat Marketing funds and barley,” said Scott were used to spend Yates, director of comtime with consumers munications. “Wheat is explaining the qualessentially what we are ity of the wheat both responsible for.” to buyers inside and The budget for outside the country. marketing has been The Washington Grain increasing in the last 10 Commission also has years. Last year’s budtrade teams working get for marketing was with other countries to 17.5 percent of the budsell the wheat. get, said Glen Squires, “I was on a trade CEO of the Washington team to Taiwan, Korea Grain Commission. and Indonesia,” Yates “The money going Glen Squires said. The trade teams to marketing has been Washington Grain meet with customers to slowly increasing,” Commission CEO talk with them about Squires said, noting the the wheat and to thank increase is due to differthem. Trade teams also look at the ent projects that needed to be funded. “A big one this year was money for overseas facilities and then they bring the information back to the commission. soft white wheat,” Squires said. The Washington Grain Commission Yates also said that trade teams from discovered that a baker in Latin America other countries come to the U.S. According to their website, www. was blending soft white wheat with hard red. The commission began to blend the wawg.org/wgc, the Washington Grain soft white wheat and the hard red on its Commission is a self-governing agency of the state of Washington. The own and sell it in Latin America. “We have a consultant that works Washington Grain Commission gives funds to enhance the production and with us, not for us,” Yates said. Plans are also in the works to sell marketing of Washington wheat and this product in Asia. “You can blend 30 barley through wheat research, market to 60 percent soft white wheat, equal to development, education and informaor better than just hard red, and it sells tion. “We produce a crop. It’s important at a discount so you can save money,” that we have a market for our crops,” Yates said. Also for the first time this year the Squires said of wheat production in Washington Grain Commission held Washington. “The commission felt it a marketing conference for Japanese, was not only important to develop and Korean and Taiwanese buyers, Squires grow wheat but also have markets to said. The conference provided informa- purchase wheat.” By Kaylee Brewster

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Friday, June 28, 2013 | 13

Strawberry season arrives in Washington Bumper crop is showing up in farmers markets, you-pick fields, grocery stores and farm stands

weren’t out yet and we were short on pickers. After all these years of raising berries, it’s still an unpredictable venARLINGTON, Wash. — It’s ture.” The Biringers have the sort of heavy Snohomish County’s best strawberry crop not seen in about five years, she season in years. That’s the word from farmers and said. “On sunny days, our you-pick fields farming experts who say this year’s warm spring helped produce tasty ber- are out-of-control busy,” Biringer said. ries on a more seasonal schedule, mean- “That’s good because we really need a good season.” ing in June. As do many area Cold, rainy springs farmers, the Biringers in 2011 and 2012 made grow the Shuksan it rough for some farmvariety, which was ers. The berries were bred for the region, as late and not as big. their primary JuneA bumper crop this bearing strawberry. month is showing up They grow a number in farmers markets, of other strawberry you-pick fields, grovarieties as well. cery stores and farm Benedict, the WSU stands throughout the crops expert from region. Bellingham, said that “For generations, ever-bearing strawberSnohomish County’s ries, what are called fertile farmland has “day-length neutral” been home to some of varieties, are becomthe best strawberries ing more popular with around. It’s evident in farmers in Snohomish, the abundance of flaSkagit and Whatcom vor in a fresh-picked counties. local strawberry,” said Chris Benedict “In many farmers Snohomish County agriculture coordina- of the WSU Extension office in Everett markets you are going to see strawberries tor Linda Neunzig. “Today those fields are more productive all summer long,” Benedict said. “And than ever, with the cool rains and warm because of better temperatures, these days we’re getting, they are in peak pro- berries are going to taste really good.” There are many small farms throughduction right now.” Drew Corbin at the Washington out Skagit and Island counties that grow State University Extension office and sell strawberries, raspberries, bluein Everett and his colleague, Chris berries and others. At Gil Schieber’s farm near Benedict in Bellingham, said Northwest Washington’s strawberries truly are bet- Snohomish, it’s the farm’s second season for strawberries. ter this year. “Our mission here is to be part of a “Last year was one of the worst berry growing years that people can remember. string neighborhood organic farms that This year, we got that early warm up this people can walk to. Last year, our berspring, got good pollination and have had ries got in the ground at the end of May, good temperatures this month,” Benedict so they came on later in August. People said. “June-bearing strawberries will be said they hadn’t tasted anything like going for a few more weeks. We will look them since the 1970s,” Schieber said. “We are on a hill, so we had a little bit back at this season as a good year.” At Biringer Farms of Highway 530 of late frost this spring. We grow mostly near Arlington, farmers initially were ever-bearing, so it’s still early in the seacaught without enough berry pickers, son for us.” For Biringer, too, it’s just the start of said Dianna Biringer, whose family owns summer. the farm. “We have raspberries coming on “It’s been crazy. We are so swamped,” Biringer said. “The crops came on about already,” she said. “It’s going to be a good a week earlier than expected. Schools one.” By Gale Fiege

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Last year was one of the worst berry growing years that people can remember. This year, we got that early warm up this spring, got good pollination and have had good temperatures this month.”

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Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

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teve Lyon started his career as a wheat breeder and commercial farmer on the Palouse. Now he works in Mount Vernon as a senior scientific assistant and plant breeder for Western Washington crop variations. Next spring he will make his return to the Palouse in a way he never expected — as the namesake for a new variation of barley modified to grow particularly well on the Palouse. WSU barley breeder Kevin Murphy chose the name for the new variation. He said Lyon was a great influence while he was pursuing his graduate Lyon degrees at WSU and he felt naming a breed after Lyon was a great way to honor him. “Steve was really the lead technician the whole time I was a grad student (at WSU) for both masters and Ph.D. … and has just had a huge influence on agriculture on the Palouse and I just thought it would be a good way to honor him by naming the variety after him,” Murphy said. Murphy said the process for naming new crop variations is up to the breeder. Breeders can choose to name their crops after anything ranging from birds and animals to places and people. “I was influenced by Steve Jones who always named his varieties after people, and particularly people involved in Washington agriculture in some form or another, particularly with wheat,” Murphy said. “All of his varieties were named after people who he wanted to honor with a name, and so I just continued that tradition with Steve Lyon.” Murphy has been the WSU breeder for two years and as a result, the new Lyon variation is only the second one he will release. Lyon said he was honored and surprised by Murphy’s decision, which he found out about when Murphy led graduate students on a tour of classes at the WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center where Lyon works. “I was quite surprised especially because it’s barley because I’ve worked in wheat my whole life,” Lyon said. “It’s always nice when someone recognizes the work that you’ve done. It’s very rewarding.”

Murphy said he thought about the fact that Lyon had worked primarily in wheat, but felt the influence he had on Palouse agriculture as a whole was more important than the breed he worked with. “I named the barley variety after him because I’m the barley breeder at WSU so I don’t release wheat varieties,” Murphy said. “A wheat might be more appropriate but I don’t have the luxury of naming wheat varieties.” Lyon worked in the winter wheat breading program at WSU for 10 years and was the senior scientific associate and lead field technician until 2010 when he was transferred to Mount Vernon. “Previous to that he’d been a farmer as well so he knew Palouse agriculture really, really well, and he played a really key role in a lot of winter wheat varieties that were developed through that winter wheat program,” Murphy said. Lyon barley was developed to grow well in a variety of environments and rainfall zones, which makes it an ideal variation for the Palouse. Murphy said he felt it was appropriate for a Palouse variation to carry Lyon’s name since he no longer lives in the region. “He’s lived here so long and it’s just a reminder since he doesn’t live here anymore his influence is still with us here,” Murphy said. Lyon barley is a two-row spring feed barley with several distinct features that set it apart from other variations. The variation has a high yield in a variety of landscapes, excellent stem rust resistance and plump, high protein kernels. “Farmers all over Eastern Washington can grow this variety,” Murphy said. “A lot of varieties will grow well in one area but this is a variety that grows and has a high yield in many different areas.” Although Lyon has technically been grown on the Palouse for 10 years as it has been developed by breeders at WSU, it is not yet commercially available, and no farmer has actually been able to use the crop. “It takes about 10 years for a variety to be created, to be developed,” Murphy said. He said a variety release committee comprising scientists, breeders and farmers has tested and observed the variety as well as many others as

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they’ve been developed on the Palouse. He said that although distributors and growers have yet to get their hands on the variation, they know what it is and are anticipating its release, set for early spring 2014. “The folks that are excited about this one are the growers because it is quite high yielding,” Murphy said. Although the variation won’t grow near Lyon’s new home in western

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Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

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Genome study looks for keys to persistence of piroplasmosis By Erik Fink for Northwest Farm and Ranch

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ashington State University scientists recently finished sequencing the genome for a costly pathogen spread by tick bites to horses, mules, donkeys and zebras. Theileria equi is an intracellular protozoan parasite and causes piroplasmosis in its host. Animals with piroplasmosis can develop anemia and show symptoms like fever, jaundiced mucous membranes, swollen abdomens and labored breathing. In less severe cases, the host might show mild symptoms like fatigue and a lack of appetite, causing its owner to misdiagnose the disease as something less serious. Kelly Brayton, associate professor in the WSU College of Veterinary medicine, and a team of scientists working to understand how this pathogen creates a lifelong persistent infection in animals led to the completion of the T. equi genome. Having a genome does not give you a vaccine, she said, but it allows other work to be done. While creation of a vaccine that would be effective in preventing infection is a long-term prospect, said Lowell Kappmeyer, geneticist and first author of the team’s T. equi genome paper, there could be a vaccine sooner that would suppress the severity of infection in animals, causing a decline in the spread of the infection. The genome could also help discover existing drugs that could be used immediately to treat infected animals until a better solution is produced, he said. T. equi was first introduced to the United States in the 1960s and was eradicated from the country at a cost of $12 million. The pathogen reappeared three years ago at the King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas. It is still unknown how the pathogen was able to re-enter the country. Brayton said testing can’t catch every infected animal that comes into the country. She said since the virus

is mainly spread through tick bites, an animal can come into the country and live a while without spreading the disease. Brayton said if left unchecked, the pathogen could establish a solid foothold by spreading any place in the United States with ticks. Infected animals can die, Brayton said, adding that the animals that recover still have the disease but will seem like regular healthy animals. They become what is known as an independent carrier. Over time, more independent carriers enter the country and inevitably spread the T. equi pathogen and the disease. Many of the animals at the ranch were moved to other states, and the question is whether animals coming out of the ranch were infected, and, if so, where did they go. Brayton said most of the organisms she works with that establish lifelong persistence change the proteins on their surface to disguise themselves from the animals’ immune system. “Which is a really foxy thing to do, but this organism is really a conundrum because it doesn’t appear to do so,” Brayton said. She said after completing the genome, the team was able to confirm 10 protein representatives in the gene family, where before they only knew of three. Now that the surface proteins of the organism are known, in depth study by graduate students can begin. Kappmeyer said that since this organism has a limited repertoire of proteins it can use to hide from immune systems, the proteins may make different combinations allowing them to potentially portray millions of different looks to the immune response. Current research is meant to discover if that is the case. The completion of the genome was a nationwide team effort with input from as far away as Washington, D.C., Kappmeyer said. Erik Fink can be reached at (208) 883-4686, or by email to fink7635@vandals.uidaho.edu

Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

Friday, June 28, 2013 | 17

Farmers and the fickle beast known as weather

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he rain comes in sideways, then vanishes; a string of 80degree days is followed by frost — farming is a fickle business, even in relatively hospitable north central Idaho. The weather, particularly precipitation, is critical for farmers like Kendrick dryland grower Robert Blair in a region where irrigation is almost nonexistent. “It all gets back to weather,” he said. Blair collects his own weather data at his farm between the Clearwater and Blair Potlatch rivers, and prior to a downpour in mid-June, there were some concerns out in “farm country.” “Nobody’s losing sleep at this point in time. You live with it,” he said. “There is some uncertainty as to what our production will be this year — average yields.” The spring for Blair’s acres of winter and spring wheat, peas and alfalfa was forebodingly dry. His winter wheat — a top crop in a region famous for its grain — was bypassing the “blue” stage and showing signs of the yellows and browns of water stress. From January to May, Blair had only received 5.8 inches of precipitation, compared to 12.5 inches in 2012. “And then add to it last fall — 84 days without moisture,” he said. The totals for 2012 — a bumper year across the region — weren’t extraordinarily high either as Blair received more than 9 inches in both 2010 and 2011. That drying trend held true in the lowlands around Lewiston. The 2.3 inches in the period from March through May was the eighth driest since 1948, according to National Weather Service data. The differences between the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, the Palouse, Camas Prairie and the rest of the area University of Idaho cropping systems extension educator Doug Finkelnburg covers become readily apparent when rainfall is in

short supply. Finkelnburg said the drier regions in the low country see increased incidents of soil-borne diseases and other pathogens with less precipitation. “You’re going to see stress in combination with other factors,” he said. “That one-two punch extenuates problems from water stress.” John Livingston, the meteorologist in charge for the Spokane office of the National Weather Service, said the regional differences stem from the “up-slope effect.” When air containing enough moisture rises, condensation turns it into precipitation. This means higher elevations receive more moisture than lower elevations like Lewiston. “It doesn’t benefit in any way from up-slope,” Livingston said. Most of the rainfall in Lewiston usually comes from widespread systems that pass over the region. “That’s when you guys get your rain,” he said. “Some places will get more, some places will get less.” The timing of the 12-13 inches Lewiston usually receives annually is the critical element. A wet May and June has made for big yields the past two years for growers like Blair. While it may have come too late for some growers in low-lying areas, the system that swept through earlier in June brought “a million-dollar rain” just in time for growers on the Palouse and Camas Prairie. The more than an inch on June 19 alone took Lewiston’s total, as of June 24, to 1.36 inches for the month — 0.35 above normal — and the total on the Palouse is also above average. Despite a wet June, Lewiston is still 0.67 inches behind the average for the “water year,” which began Oct. 1, 2012, according to Livingston. While farmers may be resigned to accept the yearly or monthly precipitation totals, they do call Livingston during harvest or other critical moments of the year. “They look at the forecast at these critical times,” he said. “But, big picture, they take what they get.” Brown may be contacted at slee@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2278.

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Projects turn sun and waste into electricity By Ryan Tarinelli for Northwest Farm & Ranch

s the 2013 Farm Bill makes its way through Congress, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., has cosponsored a provision, which would reauthorize several renewable energy grant programs. If passed, the programs would continue to invest in small rural businesses and communities, helping fund renewable energy and energy efficient projects through grant funds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This legislation supports their innovative ideas that can reduce operating costs for our farmers while expanding Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supply of clean energy,â&#x20AC;? said Cantwell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By supporting clean energy development, we can create jobs and opportunities in rural communities across the country.â&#x20AC;? The Rural Energy for America Program is one program that was first authorized as a part of the 2002 farm bill, then revamped in the 2008 and given a new name, said Brian Buch, a USDA rural energy coordinator. He said that the REAP has been a popular program, and is one of the major programs that would be reauthorized by the act. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nationwide itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been over subscribed, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a lot of demand for the program. In Idaho, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had the same experience,â&#x20AC;? Buch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen a lot from renewable energy, of just about every type, to energy efficiency.â&#x20AC;? The REAP aims to invest money into renewable energy projects, and energy saving techniques to reduce energy usage in rural areas. He said a local example of a REAP investment is when solar panels were installed on top of a winery in Moscow, where they can now massproduce wine using solar energy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These investments will not only help our farmers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs, but also provide a new potential revenue source and stabilize their operationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bottom lines,â&#x20AC;? said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Buch said the dairy industry that has benefitted from investments in anaerobic digestion, which help with waste management. It not only saves energy, but also allows farms to sell their excess energy to others. Edaleen Cow Power LLC is a small power company in north-

ern Washington that is harnessing energy using an anaerobic digester that breaks down biodegradable material by microorganisms. Edaleen received a loan and grant money from the REAP, which helped it sell its excess electricity to a utility company. Edaleen predicts it will produce 4,635 megawatt hours of electricity per year. Since REAP was authorized by the 2008 farm bill, the program has funded over 6,800 energy project ranging from energy audits to renewable energy projects. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We see a diverse number of applications in demand and, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fund them all,â&#x20AC;? Buch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If there is a failure, its just that the demand right now for this type of activity is really high.â&#x20AC;? Unfortunately, not all projects turn out to be a success, said Buch. He said occasionally businesses that do receive a grant cannot implement the plans they had, and the plan is not completed. The act would reauthorize other investment programs including the Biorefinery Assistance Program that provides loans for the construction, retrofitting and development of biorefineries. The program aims to have an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, and create jobs and biorefinery infrastructure in rural communities. The provision would also reauthorize the Biomass Research and Development Initiative that would offer grant money to further the development and technology of advanced biofuels and biomass-based energy. Buch said rural small businesses are eligible for grant money. He said agriculture research organizations also can apply for the program, but residential groups cannot. Although the deadline for grant applications passed in April, the USDA is still accepting applications for guaranteed loans until July 15. The act has drawn support from other Democrat senators from states with large agriculture businesses like Sherrod Brown from Ohio, Tim Johnson from South Dakota and Dick Durbin from Illinois, who, along with Cantwell, have cosponsored the act. Ryan Tarinelli can be reached at (425) 999-1993, or by email to tari0408@vandals.uidaho.edu.

Northwest Farm and Ranch | Summer 2013

Friday, June 28, 2013 | 19

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