2008 Projects
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2006 Projects
2005 Projects
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2005 FRG Survey Executive Summary
2005 FRG Survey Report
2005 Funding Status Report
2000 FRG Highlights
2000 Field Report

2006 Funded Proposals

Alaska | California | Colorado | Guam | Idaho | Micronesia | Montana | Nevada | New Mexico | Northern Mariana Islands | Oregon | Utah | Washington | Wyoming

Alaska

Research and Education Grant: SW06-011, Fruit and Berry Tree Crop Trial Program for Native Alaskan Rural Communities in Interior Alaska, Bob Wheeler, principal investigator, Alaska Cooperative Extension, P.O. Box 756180, Fairbanks, AK 99775, (907) 474-6356, ffraw@uaf.edu. Western SARE funding: $193,324

This research project will investigate the potential for the production of domestically grown fruit and berry crops in native Alaska villages in the interior region of Alaska. Villages throughout this large geographic region are located within Zones 1 or 2 hardiness zones. Recent research with cold hardy fruit (apple, plum, and pear) and berry crops at Canadian and other research sites has developed several varieties that have potential for success in Interior Alaska. Given that most rural villages in the interior are not on the road system and depend on imported high-cost foods, there are high rates of unemployment and low average incomes per household. The high incidence of Type 2 diabetes from diet and life style has led to a critical need to provide sustainable, lower-cost, locally grown fruits. This trial is intended to provide critical information and training on cold hardy varieties and the use of high-tunnel technology to promote survival, yield, and flavor. The research site in the village of Nenana has been provided by the village council and will be protected by a moose-proof fence. A community workshop and public school education program will be developed in conjunction with the trial program to engage their support and provide education on the science of fruit production. A Cooperative Extension Service publication will be produced that provides guidance on the care of cold hardy varieties and general orchard management.

California

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-304, Using Molasses as an Attractant for Concentrating Grazing on Medusahead, Morgan Doran, project coordinator, Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension, 501 Texas Street, Fairfield, CA 94533, (707) 435-2459, mpdoran@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $3,479

Medusahead, an invasive noxious annual plant from Eurasia, infests 5 million acres of California rangeland and millions more in other Western states. Severe medusahead invasions can reduce grazing value by $20 an acre each year, reduce recreational value, and inhibit biodiversity. A team of University of California researchers addressing medusahead invasions has found that control can be achieved with high density grazing. The project will test the method of focusing a high density of sheep on medusahead infestations without the expense of building fences. It will test this by spraying varying concentrations of a molasses and water mixture directly on the medusahead during the plant boot stage to entice sheep to graze it. Project coordinator Morgan Doran, working on the ranch of Jim Yeager of Putah Creek Dorsets, will measure the shifts in botanical composition, forage utilization, and nutritional quality from the sheep grazing.

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-308, Conservation Tillage Forage Production in California's San Joaquin Valley, Jeff Mitchell, project coordinator, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, 9240 S. Riverbend Avenue, Parlier, CA 93648 (559) 646-6565, Mitchell@uckac.edu. Western SARE funding: $9,400

California's dairies require year-round, inexpensive locally produced forage. Current practices involve growing a series of forage crops, with significant tillage passes between harvest of one crop and the planting of the following crop. These production systems lend themselves to a variety of conservation tillage approaches. Farmers have showed increased interest in conservation tillage, which, if adopted in dairy forage systems, could reduce the time between harvest of one crop and the planting of the next crop. It could also reduce costs and lessen dust emissions by two-thirds compared with today's standard practices. This project will evaluate and refine several conservation tillage practices, including strip till and no till for corn forage production and no till for winter forage planting. It will also determine whether the practices improve producer quality of life by increasing profits and easing time and labor constraints. Information from the project will be disseminated widely to other Central Valley dairy farmers.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-038, Grazing Strategies to Control Medusahead in California, Emilio Laca, principal investigator, Department of Plant Sciences, One Shields Ave., University of California, Davis, CA 95616, (503) 754-4083, ealaca@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $138,539

Medusahead, an invasive noxious grass from Eurasia, infests 5 million acres in northern California and has extended south to Ventura county. In the Western U.S., 62 million acres are at risk of medusahead invasion, which can cause a loss of $20 per acre per year in grazing capacity, loss of recreational value, obliteration of biodiversity, and increased fires. Medusahead threatens the ecological and economic integrity of rangeland ranching, a major California industry. A core team of ranchers, farm advisors, extension specialists, and professors will develop, test, and disseminate precision grazing and revegetation strategies to control medusahead without the use of chemicals, fire, or costly investments. This will fill a serious gap of knowledge about livestock-medusahead interactions. Detailed models and monitoring of the medusahead biological cycle will be used to identify and recommend optimal timing and method of intensive grazing to control medusahead. High-intensity grazing will be achieved by using temporary fences and palatable supplements placed in patches of infestation. Detailed information on the ecology of medusahead will be collaboratively generated and used by a diverse group including ranchers, high school students, NGOs, and scientists. A web-based system will forecast site- and year-specific medusahead readiness. Successful completion of this project will result in a constant pressure on medusahead and in progressive reclamation of infested land. This project will directly treat about 250 acres per year, and it will extend results directly to managers of tens of thousands of acres and indirectly to millions of acres infested by medusahead.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-091, Alternaria Control Using Biocontrol Yeast in Organic Pistachio Production Systems, Dan Parfitt, principal investigator, Department of Plant Sciences, Mail Stop 2, One Shields Ave., University of California, Davis, CA 95616-8780, (530) 752-7031, deparfitt@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $110,286

This proposal addresses the need for an effective alternative to chemical control of Alternaria alternata, an economically important fungal pathogen of pistachio, in organic pistachio production systems. Specific objectives are to 1) test a selected biocontrol yeast for efficacy in controlling Alternaria alternata and 2) develop and test additional biocontrol agents (yeast strains) to replace chemical fungicides in organic and non-organic pistachio orchards with an environmentally benign alternative. A selected Pichia anomala yeast strain has been evaluated for three years with promising results for the control of Aspergillus flavus (which produces aflatoxin contamination), phytotoxicity, and field durability. A 2005 small-scale test in an organic production orchard showed statistically significant levels of control of Alternaria alternata. Proposed research includes 1) expansion of field trials to evaluate Alternaria alternata control at a commercial scale, combined with evaluation prior to and at crop harvest and 2) in-vitro testing and small-scale field testing of additional promising yeast strains for Alternaria alternata control. Expected near-term outcomes include proof of concept for biocontrol of Alternaria alternata with yeast; development of information needed for registration and commercialization of Pichia anomala yeast strain WRL-076 for control of Alternaria alternata in pistachio; and identification and testing of additional yeast strains to provide alternatives to chemical control of Alternaria alternata in pistachio. Longer-term outcomes are reduced use of chemical pesticides in commercial pistachio orchards with reduced risk to the public and improved yield and profitability for producers of organically grown pistachios.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-004, Linking Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling to Microbial Community Function in Cover Crop Systems, Angela Yin Yee Kong, principal investigator, University of California Department of Plant Sciences, One Shield Ave., Davis, CA 95616, (503) 758-4637, aykong@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $9,995

Cover crops have emerged as a crop management strategy with potential to achieve agricultural sustainability, maintain environmental quality, and secure grower profitability. Comparing the impacts of cover crop root carbon exudation on nitrogen processing by the microbial community within soil micro-environments of the rhizosphere versus bulk soil will shed light on the specific underpinnings of short-term nitrogen stabilization versus losses due to carbon inputs to both conventional and alternative cropping systems over the long term. This project will assess how cover crop carbon input controls short- and long-term nitrogen cycling through regulating microbial community function within soil micro-environments across several nutrient management systems. Results will be shared at field days and grower workshops sponsored by the University of California Cooperative Extension. This study will provide a better understanding of soil organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling in cover crop systems to develop sustainable crop management strategies and to incite greater grower regard for cover cropping as a profitable and environmentally sound farming practice.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-007, Pest Control Services from Natural Habitat, Rebecca Chaplin, University of California Berkeley, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, 137 Mulford Hall, #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, (510) 642-8414, rchaplin@nature.berkeley.edu. Western SARE funding: $9,650

This graduate research investigates the potential for natural habitat to provide pest control services to nearby farmland. The goals are to 1) promote good stewardship of natural habitat and 2) reduce the use of toxic materials in agricultural production. The first goal can be achieved by ascribing an economic value of natural habitat, on a per-area basis, to aid in cost-benefit analysis involved with land-use decisions. Explicitly testing how well natural enemies contain pest populations and pest damage in landscapes with different proportions of natural habitat will enable quantifying the pest control service provided by natural habitat near farms and calculating the economic savings provided by a given level of pest control. The second goal can be reached through a better understanding of the factors affecting the provision of natural pest control. Pesticides present a serious risk to the health and safety of those involved in agriculture. Enhancing communities of natural enemies of agricultural pests could curb dependency on these chemicals while providing a much more sustainable means of pest control.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-016, Investigating the Effect of Hedgerows to Enhance Natural Biological Control, Tara Pisani Gareau, 1156 High Street, Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz CA 94060, (831) 335-2271, tarapg@ucsc.edu. Western SARE funding: $10,000

Developing ecological approaches to reduce the pressure of crop pests is a critical component of integrated pest management. A promising approach is conservation biological control, where naturally occurring arthropod predator and parasitoid populations are enhanced by providing habitat on and surrounding the farm. Producers in the Central Coast of California are beginning to establish hedgerows in the borders of their fields to improve the habitat for beneficial insects. While increasing botanical diversity in farms should increase arthropod diversity, a key to improving biological control services is enhancing the right type of insects. The quality, quantity, and accessibility of food resources vary from one plant to another, and feeding preferences of natural enemies can change throughout the year. Additionally, pest populations may also increase with added habitat. Three main areas are addressed in this research project: 1) monitoring key arthropod natural enemies and pests attracted to hedgerow vegetation, 2) tracing the movement of these indicator arthropods into adjacent vegetable fields, and 3) measuring the rate of biological control in the vegetable fields. Research findings will be disseminated through on-farm workshops and publications to help inform on-farm habitat management decisions and conservation biological control practices.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-017, Understanding Nitrogen Fixation by Legume Cover Crops in Organic Vegetable Systems, Katie Monsen, principal investigator, Environmental Studies, ISB 413, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, (831) 469-3095, kmonsen@ucsc.edu. Western SARE funding: $10,000

Winter legume cover crops such as bell beans and woollypod vetch play an important role in fertility management in organic vegetable systems on California's Central Coast. As a rule of thumb, growers estimate 12.5-42.0 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare are fixed annually. But more accurate estimates based on specific regional data may help growers better track the relative input and output of nitrogen sources. In addition, a better understanding of how fixation values affect nitrogen cycling in these systems, including how much, and when, nitrogen is available for the following crop, can help growers manage nitrogen more efficiently and lose less to the environment. This research will determine if nitrogen sources used by legumes and reference species (non-fixing legumes used to calculate nitrogen fixation) are the same, which can provide accurate estimates of regional nitrogen fixation. And it will determine how much over- or under-estimates of fixation affect the nitrogen balance of organic vegetable systems. Results will educate growers, researchers, and advisors on how much nitrogen winter legume cover crops add to organic vegetable production and its importance to the balance of the system.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-029, Sheep Grazing as a Tool for Vernal Pool Stewardship, Joan Schwan, principal investigator, Sonoma State University, 7231 Strout Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472, (707) 823-0446, schwanjo@sonoma.edu. Western SARE funding: $8,813

Vernal pools are temporary wetlands that once occurred throughout California grasslands, providing habitat for many rare and endemic organisms. Today, less than 10% of pool habitat remains, and native pool species across California are in decline. Anecdotal evidence indicates that pools on active ranchlands often have healthier native plant populations than do those from which livestock grazing was removed in recent decades. Land managers in Sonoma County and elsewhere in California are poised to reintroduce managed grazing to pools in hopes of encouraging natives, but they hesitate for lack of careful research on which to base their management plans. To address this gap in knowledge, a sheep-grazing experiment has begun in collaboration with local ranchers. At a Sonoma County site with vernal pools, half of each pool has been fenced to exclude grazing. The other halves are unfenced and readily accessible to sheep. The pools will be monitored to compare the hydrology and vegetation of grazed and ungrazed plots. Results will be shared with local ranchers and land managers at a field workshop at the study site and published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal focusing on applied ecology. The grazing could increase native plant cover and control exotic plants, providing valuable opportunities for ranchers in Sonoma County, where rising land values currently limit the economic feasibility of ranching despite strong public interest in maintaining the county's rural heritage.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-030, Developing a Management Plan for Reducing Thrips-induced Damage on Timothy Hay, Dominic Reisig, principal investigator, Briggs Hall, Department of Entomology, One Shields Ave., University of California, Davis, CA 95616, (530) 752-0488, ddreisig@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $10,000

Timothy is one of the most important and widely grown cool season grasses. There were 251,000 acres of cool season grasses grown in California in 2002. Timothy hay is a high-value commodity in the natural beef (fed only grains and grasses) and high-value horse feed markets. Thrips have recently been implicated in reducing hay quality by causing "brown leaf." In California, the most effective registered insecticide is methidathion, but it carries a special needs label. Timothy treated with it can be fed only to horses. Producers who sell to other markets have been forced to rely on 4-6 organophosphate applications per year. In addition, potassium deficiency and plant density are suspected of augmenting brown leaf. Thrips monitoring procedures are minimal and vary widely. Integrated pest management issues such as sampling, basic ecology, economic threshold levels, biological control, and others have not been studied in cool season grasses. The research will focus on sampling protocol, treatment thresholds, and some overwintering ecology of this thrips in California. The researchers will cooperate with local farm advisors and producers to explore cultural practices, nutrients, and varieties of timothy in California to establish an integrated pest management program. The research is part of a team effort involving cooperative research and extension personnel in California, the University of Nevada, Reno, and Washington State University. The goal is to improve the economic and environmental benefits of growing timothy in a sustainable system.

Colorado

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-028, Integrated Control of Weeds and Verticillium in Strawberry Nurseries, Brian Coleman, project coordinator, Ruby Mountain Nursery, 24244 Highway 371, LaJara, CO 81140, (719) 587-0540, bnjcoleman@akmtech.com; Brent Black, technical advisor, Extension Fruit Specialist, Utah State University, 308 Ag Science, Logan, UT 84322-4820, (435) 797-2174, blackb@ext.usu.edu. Western SARE funding: $20,000

Ruby Mountain Nursery, on the high desert of Colorado, has produced strawberry plants without the use of pesticides for four years. However, fumigants have been needed to reduce weeds and Verticillium inoculum. Alternatives to fumigation, including solarization (heating the soil by covering it with plastic), have been used with success in warm areas like California. Solarization alone may not work in Colorado's high desert, however, because the air temperatures are lower than in California. In addition to solarization, green manures, especially natural fumigant-producing brassicas, have been effective at reducing Verticillium. This grant will conduct three tests to see if a combination of these alternatives will work. The first will test four green manure species (mustard, rape, broccoli, and barley) with and without solarization. The second will test the effects of the green manures and a biocontrol organism, peroxide and ammonia. The third will test two biocontrol organisms with solarization.

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-314, Business Plan for Producers to Create Value-added Crop-based Products, Ravi Malhotra, project coordinator, Executive Director, ICAST, 900 18th St., Suite 231-233, Golden, CO 80401, (303) 273-3044, ravi@ic-ast.org. Western SARE funding: $20,000

The producers of Holyoke, Colo., are interested in growing soybeans as a rotation crop with corn and wheat. This project will evaluate the viability of a business enterprise that will crush at least 300,000 bushels of soybeans into meal and oil and determine whether the resulting products can be sold at a profit. Because 75% of the soybeans will be converted to meal, the plan is to develop a meal-processing operation that can produce value-added products like bulk animal feed, meal pellets for feedlots and dairies, meal cake for range animals, and bio-energy pellets for heating homes and other buildings. The remaining 25% that comes out of the crusher as oil will be sold to a processor to convert to cooking oil or bio-diesel. This project will develop a business plan for the producers to evaluate the economic viability of the strategy, including the costs of developing and operating a storage, crushing, and meal processing facility.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-028, Site-specific Manure Management for Improving Soil Quality and Sustaining Productivity, Raj Khosla, principal investigator, Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1170, (970) 491-1920, rkhosla@colostate.edu. Western SARE funding: $131,332

An innovative approach called "site-specific management zones" classifies farm fields by productivity (high, medium, and low). Research has shown that variable rate fertilizer application using management zones (for example, applying higher rates of fertilizer on high management zones and lower rates on low management zones) increases grain yield and net returns and reduces environmentally sensitive nutrient loads into soil. Although this approach is scientifically logical, farmers have resisted adopting it because of concern that while the approach recognizes variability in productivity potential, it does not improve the yield-limiting factors of low and medium management zones to enhance grain yields of those areas. Farmers have hypothesized that applying higher levels of manure on poor producing areas over time will enhance soil quality, water holding capacity, organic matter, other soil properties, grain yield, and net returns. If this works, it creates an economically sound method of disposing of manure for enhancing soil quality and sustaining productivity. However, no data exist that provide recommendations on how much and when to apply manure on respective management zones. This three-year project will explore site-specific management zone techniques for manure management strategies to increase knowledge, change attitudes, and improve skills in site-specific manure management. This, in turn, will enhance soil quality and grain yield, improve sustainability of crop production systems, and protect water quality.

Guam

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-026, Multi-crops on Plant Beds in Guam, Laila Pierson, project coordinator, Lanchon Chamorro, 119 South Marine Drive, Tsai Bldg., A-2, Tamuning, Guam 96931, (671) 632-5120, SisterMary@yahoo.com; Manuel Duguies, technical advisor, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Guam, UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923, (671) 735-2088, mduguies@uog9.uog.edu. Western SARE funding: $5,915

In the northern and central part of Guam, much of the land is limestone with only 6 to 12 inches of topsoil. One idea that could be applied to help make these lands more productive comes from Ethiopia, where productive bananas are produced on created plant beds. The beds, 4 to 6 feet deep and 50 feet long, are created by placing tree trunks cleared from the land at the bottom of the pits. The trunks are then covered with branches and green material and topped with manure from cows and horses. This grant plans to create such pits, irrigating bananas, taro, and sweet potatoes grown in the pits with wastewater from pig pens, which is available daily, and adding chicken manure. The bananas will be planted 6 feet apart, with taro and sweet potatoes planted between. The compost material in the pit will be analyzed for nutrient content and the plant tissue of the crops analyzed. Increasing supplies of these nutritional foods should help reduce local prices, making them more accessible to local residents.

Idaho

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-015, Extending the Forage Season with Multi-functional Browse Islands, Suvia Judd and Deborah Berman, project coordinators, P.O. Box 8665, Moscow, ID 83843, (208) 882-4785, lazymsuris@earthlink.net; Cinda Williams, technical advisor, Extension Support Scientist, University of Idaho, P.O. Box 442339, PSES, Moscow, ID 83844-2339, (208) 855-7499, cindaw@uidaho.edu. Western SARE funding: $8,560

The goal of this project is to install hedgerow and island agri-forestry polyculture in a pasture grazing system used by alpacas and llamas on Lazy M Suris near Moscow. The idea is to extend the forage season and to serve as a model for diversified ecological small farm production. A backbone planting of hybrid poplar and willow with peashrub, interplanted with nut trees, hardwoods, woody shrubs, and some forbs, will provide a nutritious browse rotation for the animals. It will also extend the forage season in the spring before grass emerges and after mid July when a pasture not irrigated goes dormant. The browse islands might also provide shade and wind protection for grazing animals, retain moisture, fix nitrogen, and provide nesting and cover for pheasant and quail found on the farm. In addition, the nut trees will provide a harvestable crop, and the hardwoods will provide material for growing mushrooms and making cabinets. The system is intended be a model adaptable to small farms raising conventional livestock.

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-036, Winter and Summer Greenhouse Production for Small-scale Growers, Brad Jaeckel, project coordinator, Orchard Farm, 2351 Orchard Ave., Moscow, ID 83843, (208) 892-0655, jaeckel_bus@hotmail.com; Carol Miles, technical advisor, Agricultural Systems Specialist, Washington State University, Vancouver Research and Extension Unit, 1919 NE 78th Street, Vancouver, WA 98665, (360) 576-6030, ext. 20, milesc@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $6,235

In the Moscow area, no farmers are currently producing winter crops in the Zone 5 climate. This project will attempt to identify a diversity of winter and summer vegetables to be grown in unheated, unlighted field hoophouses and develop an efficient organic method of producing them. The idea is to fill the need for more locally produced vegetables. Hoophouses, typically of manageable size (in this case 48 feet by 20 feet), can extend the growing season for high value produce, which can improve a small farm's net income. Their size, mobility, and low cost allow growers to invest minimal resources and still produce niche crops that other growers may not be able to grow under normal conditions. This project will test 20 different cold hardy crops during winter by planting them in succession from September through December. The crops will be harvested, measured, and sold through the spring. In the summer, six crops that require added protection from the cold will be tested, harvested, weighed, and sold.

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-042, Harvest Frequency, Yield and Economics of Summer Squash, Karen Strickler, project coordinator, 31140 Circle Dr., Parma, ID 83660, (208) 722-7808, karens@w-idaho.net; Kevin Laughlin, technical advisor, Extension Educator, University of Idaho, 5880 Glenwood Street, Boise, ID 83714-1342, (208) 377-2107, laughlin@uidaho.edu. Western SARE funding: $4,730

Karen Strickler of Parma will use her grant to determine how harvest frequency and harvest size affect the total weight and marketability of summer squash. Strickler, who sells her produce at the Nampa Farmers Market, says most market and home gardeners pick squash only once or twice a week, resulting in large fruit. The key to maintaining small fruit, and to spur the plants to produce new fruit, is daily picking. But picking daily can be time consuming and may result in a lower volume of fruit. While her smaller, colorful squash sell well at the market, Strickler's wondering about her pricing. Having found no research that answers her questions, she will conduct a customer preference survey of summer squash size and a field experiment with four squash varieties - two zucchini and two patty pan types - at two harvest frequencies to see how yield is affected. She'll develop a production and marketing model that others can use.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-039, 'Living on the Land' Stewardship Education Program Expansion, Kevin Laughlin, principal investigator, University of Idaho, Ada County Extension Office, 5880 Glenwood Street, Boise, ID 84714-1342, (208) 377-2017, laughlin@uidaho.edu. Western SARE funding: $160,204

The dramatic increase in small-scale landowners and their lack of knowledge to provide economic and environmentally sound stewardship over that land is a crisis in Western states. As population increases, there is a huge demand for information and technical assistance to help them "do the right thing" for the wildlife, land, plant, animal, human, and water resources. The Living on the Land: Stewardship for Small Acreages Course was introduced in 2002 to address these specific issues as a SARE-funded Professional Development curriculum. Based on five years of evaluation in Idaho and Eastern Oregon, participants indicate a need to expand the course model to multiple locations to address the lack of knowledge, skills, and awareness to manage the land. This grant is designed to strengthen regional Living on the Land partnerships, increase networking, and build alumni volunteer corps by: 1) implementing an on-farm research and testing component to address market gardening, pastured poultry, and goat enterprises; 2) further developing this instructional model by training two local instructional teams and other Western delivery teams so the program can be expanded to multiple sites in Idaho and Eastern Oregon; 3) empowering the synergy from enrolling youth and their parents as a unit in this course by exploring and demonstrating Living on the Land paths to family sustainability; and 4) developing a new module (six lessons) to address gaps in the curriculum identified by the 100 + individuals that completed Living on the Land in Idaho between 2002-2006.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-083, Black Soldier Fly Larvae as a Tool for Managing Animal Waste and Providing a Food Source for the Aquaculture Industry, Sophie St.-Hilaire, principal investigator, Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, (208) 282-6093, sthisoph@isu.edu. Western SARE funding: $117,682

This project adapts to Idaho a successful research approach to mitigate two growing concerns: 1) management of animal waste and 2) the increasingly costly exploitation of wild-caught fish for fish-based diets used in aquaculture industries. The project will adapt a biological technique utilizing black soldier fly larvae to convert manure and other animal waste into a food source for rainbow trout This bioconversion system was developed in the southern U.S. under a SARE-funded project to reduce manure and control house fly populations in swine and poultry facilities. The system produces large quantities of fly pre-pupae, suitable as animal-grade foodstuff for fish. These pre-pupae will partially replace fishmeal and fish oil in trout test diets. Also, Idaho's aquaculture and major dairy operations are in close proximity, facilitating using the pre-pupae as an alternate source of protein and oil for trout. Both industries will realize environmental quality, economic, and efficiency benefits. The aquaculture industry will have a less-expensive and locally produced renewable resource for diets, which will make them less dependent on wild fish populations. And the dairy industry will reduce manure and related air and water quality concerns and produce a marketable byproduct (pre-pupae). The project involves researchers from several universities, the extension service staff at University of Idaho, and the aquaculture and dairy industries. Over two years, investigators will design artificial larvae habitat and evaluate the use of pre-pupae in trout diets. Data will be incorporated into outreach programs for dairy and fish farmers.

Micronesia

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-307, Replacing Imported Energy Feeds by Storage of Excess Breadfruit as Out-of-season Pig Feed, James Currie, project coordinator, Vice President for Cooperative Research and Extension, College of Micronesia, P.O. Box 159, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FSM 96941, 011-1 (691) 320-8181, jimc@comfsm.fm or wjcurrie@yahoo.com. Western SARE funding: $16,712

Farmers in the states of Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia stimulated this project based on three main concerns: 1) imported pig feed is primarily energy feed based on corn and small grains, 2) imported feed is expensive, and 3) high energy feeds like breadfruit, common to all islands, are often wasted during the growing season. The abundant breadfruit is often lost to disease and fruit fly infestations. This project will use a modified indigenous traditional storage system to preserve breadfruit during the harvest season for use as feed during the off season. One farmer each in Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk will conduct trails. The farmers will select the pigs, maintain the facilities, collect the data, mix the feed rations, feed and weigh the pigs and collect anecdotal information and opinions from neighbors concerning the perceived viability of the breadfruit storage and feeding trials. The goal is to use fermented breadfruit to reduce by at least 25% the feed for growing the pigs.

Montana

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-025, Agroecosystem Approach to Managing Imported Cabbage Worm (Peris rapae), Helen Atthowe, project coordinator, Biodesign Farm, 1541 South Burnt Fork Rd., Stevensville, MT 59870, (406) 777-3723, atthowe@montana.com; Sue Blodgett, technical advisor, IPM Specialist, Montana State University, P.O. Box 172900, Bozeman, MT 59717-2820, (406) 994-2402, BLODGETT@montana.edu. Western SARE funding: $6,356

Imported cabbage worm, a pest of broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and related plants in the mustard family, is said to be the most destructive of the cabbage worms found in the Intermountain West and the High Plains. Most producers use insecticides to combat cabbage worms, and even certified organic producers use repeated applications of Bt - bacillus thuringiensis. Many natural predators and parasites reduce cabbage worm infestations, including ground beetles, paper wasps, spiders, and parasitic wasps. Biodesign Farm believes that its system of living mulches, reduced tillage, and habitat management may be managing cabbage worm without Bt or insecticides. After using living mulch for 12 years and minimum tillage for 11, the farm stopped treating for cabbage worms in 2000 and has seen no economic injury for five years. This grant will assess whether cabbage worm can be managed without pesticides by fostering predator and parasite habitat. It will also try to determine what predators and parasites are most effective and seasonal changes in their complexes.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-006, Survey and Economic Analysis of Montana Farms Utilizing Integrated Livestock-Cereal Grain (Ley Farming) Systems, Chengci Chen, principal investigator, Montana State University, HC90 Box 20, Moccasin, MT 59462, (406) 423-5421, cchen@montana.edu. Western SARE funding: $91,500

Concerns regarding economic and environmental sustainability of wheat-fallow systems have led researchers and producers in Montana to search for more sustainable cropping systems. The Australian ley farming system that integrates livestock and cereal grain production provides many benefits, including replacing fallow with a ground cover of high quality animal forage, competing with weeds, and fixing atmospheric nitrogen for plant use. Jim Sims of Montana State University and other researchers began to evaluate and promote ley farming in the early 1970s, and several producers have attempted to adopt the technology in Montana. But after Sims retired in the mid-1990s, little follow-up work has been done on ley farming in Montana. With funding support from SARE, several small to medium research projects have been established recently in Wyoming and North Dakota. These studies are still in research plots, and to date no producer has adopted farm-scale ley farming in Wyoming or North Dakota. In this project, the research team will survey producers in different geographic regions of Montana to assess the current production systems, knowledge, and interest in ley farming. Representative producers will be selected and interviewed to identify the experiences of success and problems encountered regarding ley and conventional farming systems. The research team - two agronomists, a soil fertility specialist, a livestock specialist, and an agricultural economist - will analyze the information and problems identified. On-farm demonstration plots will be established and workshops will be held to provide knowledge and solutions to producers interested in or practicing integrated livestock-cereal crop production systems in Montana and Wyoming.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-075, Does Timing of Defoliation Affect Spotted Knapweed Seed Viability and Germination? Tracy Brewer, principal investigator, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, P.O. Box 172900, Bozeman, MT 59717-2900, (406) 994-2362, tbrewer@montana.edu. Western SARE funding: $62,600

Spotted knapweed is an aggressive competitor that threatens the ecological sustainability of Western rangelands and economic sustainability of Western ranches and rural communities. Spotted knapweed reduces biodiversity and available livestock forage and increases surface water runoff, soil erosion, and sediment yield in streams. It can produce 25-35 flowers per head, 60 heads per plant, and 5,000-40,000 seeds per square meter each year. It causes more than $42 million in losses annually to Montana's economy. Prescribed sheep grazing is becoming more readily adopted to control spotted knapweed to offset high cost of herbicides and environmental concerns from their use. Research focused on specifics of grazing prescription protocols for spotted knapweed control at a landscape scale is in its infancy. This project will determine the ideal timing(s) or combination(s) of timings of defoliation on spotted knapweed to maximally reduce flowerhead and viable seed production, germination rates, and seed incorporation into the seedbank. Results will be used to refine existing grazing prescription protocols. They will be distributed locally and regionally to nearly 14,000 people through documents and workshops. Through continued outreach efforts, results from this research will be used to promote the adoption of a sound, ecologically compatible, and economically feasible control method by Western ranchers and land managers to reduce the ecologically, economically, and socially devastating impacts of spotted knapweed.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-026, Effects of Weed Communities in Conventional and Organic Agricultural Systems, Fred Pollnac, principal investigator, 720 Leon Johnson Hall, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, (406) 994-1871, fpollnac@montana.edu. Western SARE funding: $7,536

There is a growing need to examine ecological processes to meet the needs of the future while minimizing negative environmental and economic impacts that may result from agriculture. By examining weed communities in organic and conventional systems, this research intends to elucidate some of the ecological processes that occur and to identify those that might contribute to the development of sustainable weed management practices. The research will examine weed diversity, weed spatial patterns, and weed-crop competition in spring wheat systems. The goal is to increase understanding of the importance of the distribution and diversity of weed communities in conventional and organic spring wheat systems. In addition, the research will try to determine if these differences have an impact on yield and if weed community structure can be employed as a sustainable management alternative. If this proves to be the case, it could reduce the economic costs to farmers and the negative environmental impacts associated with the use of tillage and herbicides. The information generated by this research will then be made available to farmers via extension publications and talks and through presentations at conferences and local field days.

Nevada

Professional Development Program Grant: EW06-001, Living on the Land Curriculum Expansion and Instructor Trainings, Sue Donaldson, principal investigator, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, P.O. Box 11130, Reno, NV 89520, (775) 784-4848, Donaldsons@unce.unr.edu. Western SARE funding: $93,365

Throughout the West, population dynamics are changing. As communities grow, land at urban fringes is being rezoned from large agricultural enterprises to smaller parcels that maintain some agricultural uses while attracting a more diverse population of owners. Land fragmentation leads to an increase in the number of domestic wells and septic systems, which impact groundwater. Management issues and failures may accelerate soil erosion, nonpoint source pollution, manure problems, and more. As communities grapple with increasing regulatory pressures to meet water quality goals, these properties become increasingly important targets for educational efforts. Living on the Land: Stewardship for Small Acreages, was introduced in 2001 to address these specific issues by providing a curriculum that includes information on goal setting and creating management plans for soils, water, plants, and animals. Since launch, more than 1,200 copies have been distributed, with additional copies downloaded from the web and thousands of small acreage owners being trained. Because of continued requests for training and additions to the curriculum, this project proposes to update the curriculum and provide a minimum of two trainings in Western locales for approximately 100 Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Soil and Water Conservation District staff. Curriculum updates will include two new modules: 1) marketing and economics of small-acreage properties and 2) wildfire threat reduction. Other revisions include an expanded section on weed management strategies, an expanded discussion of pollution reduction, alternative grazing management strategies, and a new lesson on feeds and feeding.

New Mexico

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-321, Growing and Marketing Dye Plants as Alternative Crops, Del Jimenez, project coordinator, Ag Specialist, New Mexico State University, c/o RAIPAP, P.O. Box 159, Alcalde, NM 87511, (505) 852-4241, djimenez@nmsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $20,000

This project involves three organic farms scattered across New Mexico that will grow several plants used as dyes in natural textile enterprises. Katy Blanchard of Otra Banda Herb Farm in Youngsville, Becky Thorp of SunStar Herb Farm in Cerrillos, and Robert Gerard of Mirasol Farm in Chaparral will grow cota, Hopi dye sunflower, tansy, and weld plus four species of their own choosing as a way to test their viability as alternative crops for small growers. Working with a team from New Mexico State University headed by ag specialist Del Jimenez of Alcalde, the growers will see how the dye plant crops can be integrated into their current cropping systems and identify, apply and demonstrate production, harvesting and processing methods. The group will identify and contact local and national buyers to build marketing links between growers and buyers of dye plants. In addition, an economic and marketing survey will help growers determine break-even points, price ranges, and production quotas.

Northern Mariana Islands

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-010, Coconut Crab Production Using Recycled Food Sources, Henry Atalig, project coordinator, P.O. Box 1120, Rota, MP 96951, (670) 532-1079, alejandrob@nmcnet.edu; Alejandro Badilles, technical advisor, Agriculture Extension Agent, Northern Marianas College, P.O. Box 879, Rota, MP 96951, (670) 532-9513, alehandrob@nmcnet.edu. Western SARE funding: $10,000 On Rota in the Northern Mariana Islands, about 5% of ranchers have grown captive populations of coconut crop for several decades. The demand for this delicacy, which sells for $50 a plate in tourist restaurants, has far exceeded annual production of farm-raised crabs. So the bulk of consumption has come from hunted wild crabs, which has impacted their natural populations. This grant intends to increase the number of captive coconut crabs, which will relieve hunting pressure on wild crab populations, provide a source of income for the indigenous people who raise them, and increase the diversity of the Mariana's farming systems. The grant will test the success of growing the coconut crabs with a more nutritious diet than the traditional coconut fruit in the husk. In addition, it will see how the crabs respond in a clean environment with fresh water and adequate shade. Project coordinator Henry Atalig has been growing the crabs on his ranch for decades, and he and his son hope to increase the size of their crab herd using scientifically balanced products found through the Internet.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-042, Sustainable Forage and Livestock System for the Island of Tinian, Allan Sabaldica, principal investigator, Northern Marianas College, P.O. Box 134, San Jose, Tinian, MP 96952, (670) 287-0556, allans@nmcnet.edu. Western SARE funding: $10,000

Increased population in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) requires that research in feed production and utilization be intensified to ensure an adequate supply of food from animals. In the CNMI, the Marianas Public Land Authority manages and distributes pastoral leases to local farmers to promote and revitalize the cattle industry. However, island farmers are reluctant to invest their time and money in economic ranching, because of the low productivity of cattle raised on poor quality pasture, animal health problems, and the lack of government technical support. Grass and legumes exist in abundance in the tropics, including the CNMI, but no definitive study has been performed locally to establish their efficacy on growth or performance or the potential toxicity to livestock. This project will explore the efficacy of grazing goats and poultry on grass and legumes. Current practices place goats on poor pasture, resulting in slow growth, or involve inefficient cut-and-carry practices. The project will promote and facilitate the efficient adoption of forage-livestock systems and introduce the concepts of sustainable agriculture among Pacific farmers. The goal is to help Pacific farmers increase profit by increasing yield of animal products per acre. At the same time, it will help reduce the cost of machinery, fuel, and facilities; reduce supplemental feeding and pasture waste; improve monthly distribution and pasture yield; improve animal waste distribution and use; improve pasture botanical composition; minimize daily fluctuations in intake and quality feed, and allocate pasture to animals more efficiently based on nutritional needs.

Oregon

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-003, Costs, Comparisons, and Effectiveness of Using Chlorophyll Sensing Sprayers in a Chemical Fallow Operation, William Jepsen, project coordinator, 61972 Liberty School Rd., P.O. Box 188, Heppner, OR 97836, (541) 676-5244, jepsenfarm@starband.net; Larry Lutcher, Cereal Crops Specialist, Oregon State University, OSU Extension Office, P.O. Box 397, Heppner, OR 97836, (541) 676-9642, larry.lutcher@oregonstate.edu. Western SARE funding: $6,950

Many of the 4.5 million acres of farmland in north-central Oregon and south-central Washington have reduced erosion and improved soil quality by adopting direct seeding of cereal crops. To continue this success in the region, which receives 8 to 12 inches of precipitation a year, producers need to find a way to cost effectively conduct a year of chemical fallow between crops. All too often, dealing with broadleaf weeds like kochia, marestail, prickly lettuce, and, especially, Russian thistle is prohibitively expensive. William Jepsen, who farms 3,500 acres 70 miles southwest of Pendleton, tackled the Russian thistle with a chlorophyll-sensing sprayer. Sensors a foot apart on a sprayer boom mounted on a four-wheeler put out beams of infrared and near-infrared light. When this light reflects the correct green color of Russian thistle, the valve opens and sprays the weed. Because the thistle grows in patches, the technology can cut herbicide use by 90%. Jepsen has built his own 40-foot-wide sprayer. He'll use his grant to test the costs and effectiveness of the system, a novel use for chemical fallow.

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-032, Determine Whether Small Farm Poultry Production Can Be Boosted when Combined with Red Worm Vermiculture, Chrissie Manion Zaerpoor and Koorosh Zaerpoor, project coordinators, Kookoolan Farm, 15713 Highway 47, Yamhill, OR 97148, (503) 662-4742, Chrissie.manion@intel.com; Mike Gamroth, Professor, Animals Sciences Department, Oregon State University, 128 Withycombe Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-6702, (541) 737-3316, mike.gamroth@oregonstate.edu. Western SARE funding, $10,000.

Hundreds of small farms across the country are raising poultry on pasture, producing high quality meat and eggs and improving profitability because of low feed costs. Productivity on these farms is typically limited by seasonal climate and waste management. In most U.S. climates, the chickens can be outdoors only in spring and summer, creating indoor production challenges during cooler months. At the same time, red worm composting, or vermiculture, has been shown to be an effective way to break down organic materials. The worms can eat 50 to 100% of their body weight in decaying wastes per day. This project proposes to combine vermiculture and pastured poultry, with the worms providing a natural digester of chicken manure and a source of food for the chickens. The project will document the timing of rotating chickens from pasture to pasture, measure the number of chickens per acre, record the soil pH, log the food expenditures, and record the final costs of using vermiculture in the pastured poultry operation

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-301, Estimating Nitrogen Contribution from Cover Crops on Organic Vegetable and Cane Berry Crops, Garry Stephenson, project coordinator, Small Farms Specialist and Small Farms Program Coordinator, 107 Crop Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, (541) 737-5833, garry.stephenson@oregonstate.edu. Western SARE funding: $19,325

In this project, six farms in western Oregon, four that grow vegetables, one that grows cane berries, and one that grows both, will test cover crops developed at Oregon State University. Many production systems, including cane berries and vegetables, can obtain most of their nitrogen requirements through the wise use of legume cover crops. Project coordinator Garry Stephenson will work with the farms to select cover crops that are appropriate for each cropping system, while ensuring that as many crops as possible are tested. Among the cover crop candidates are fava beans, winter peas, hairy vetch, common vetch, lupine and subterranean, red, crimson, and berseem clovers. Planting and incorporation of the cover crops will be timed to fit with other farm operations. In addition to providing nitrogen for the cane berry and vegetable crops, the goals are to reduce soil erosion, improve soil quality on the farms, and reduce the cost of fertilizer.

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-324, Banking on Beetles in Oregon, Gwendolyn Ellen, project coordinator, Conservation Biological Control Program Coordinator, Integrated Plant Protection Center, Oregon State University, 2040 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-2915, (541) 737-6272, Gwendolyn@science.oregonstate.edu. Western SARE funding: $19,068

Many beetle and spider species prey on crop pests, limiting the damage these pests inflict. This project will use beetle banks - undisturbed constructed grassy mounds that provide essential overwintering habitat for predatory beetles and spiders - to cultivate the pest combatants. A critical design element of a beetle bank is establishing mat-forming grasses in a uniform sward or bank with minimal invasion by other grasses or broad-leaved weeds. This project will help farmers in the Willamette Valley develop experimental beetle banks of their own design. The banks will serve as the focus for evaluation, learning, and feedback among growers using a Beetle Bank Club and community participation that employs farmer field schools, farm walks, and direct farmer-to-farmer meetings. Under this structure, growers will be able to exchange information on what does and doesn't work among themselves on and off the farm and at local and regional meetings. Information will also be shared through local, regional, and professional publications.

Professional Development Program Grant: EW06-010, Organic Seed Production: Materials, Training, and a Seed Database, Brian Baker, principal investigator, Research Director, Organic Materials Review Institute, P.O. Box 11558, Eugene, OR 97440-3758, (541) 343-7600, bb@omri.org. Western SARE funding: $97,555

As the market for organic vegetables has grown, the supply of high quality organic seed has not kept pace. Production of such seed has been identified as a major need for organic farmers in the Western United States and worldwide. The West has long been a world supplier of vegetable seed and organic vegetables, making it well suited to produce organic vegetable seed. Seed companies want to expand production of organic seed to meet this growing demand, but there are few experienced organic seed producers and there is no national database on organic seed availability. This project will build on existing efforts to develop resources and deliver information to agricultural professionals working with organic vegetable growers interested in seed production and conventional seed growers interested in growing organically. Project partners have considerable experience and expertise in organic seed production and planning, organic vegetable production, disease diagnostics and management, and organic plant breeding. They host an organic seed database and collaborate with university extension and research faculty, agricultural professionals, and organic and conventional seed growers. They will marshal these resources to produce an Organic Seed Guide, an Organic Seed Database (a public web-based service), the Second Edition of the Guidebook on Organic Principles and Practices, two short courses (one focusing on the needs of conventional seed growers and the other on the needs of organic vegetable growers), and a two-day organic seed conference based on the Organic Seed Guide.

Professional Development Program Grant: EW06-012, Hands-On Workshops: Alternative Marketing Approaches and Distribution Channels, Larry Lev, principal investigator, Oregon State University, Agricultural Resources and Economics, 221c Ballard Extension Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-3601, (541) 737-1417, larry.lev@oregonstate.edu. Western SARE funding: $60,000

The 3-day, hands-on workshops conducted for this project will provide a set of learning experiences that place emerging marketing options in their proper context and environment. Innovative producers need to recognize the opportunities and challenges they face in stitching together a successful business that markets in multiple ways. A workshop focused solely on providing agricultural professionals with new ideas, opportunities, and skills for working with individual producers would be extremely valuable but sadly incomplete. Equally important, from an educational perspective, is providing real world examples at the food system level of how these innovative approaches are becoming mutually reinforcing once the cluster of activities passes a certain threshold. In the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area, farmers markets, restaurants, and retailers have reached this intriguing stage. This dual focus on both the farm level and the broader system will be maintained throughout the workshops.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-010, Assessment of Riparian Management Practices in Northeastern Oregon, Melissa Scherr, principal investigator, Oregon State University, 3017 ALS (CSS), Corvallis, OR 97331, (541) 752-4947, scherrm@onid.orst.edu. Western SARE funding: $9,531

Understanding the impacts of agriculture on water quality is an extremely important issue. In the Umatilla basin in eastern Oregon, agriculture is a predominant part of the economy. But the effect of agriculture on water quality and its impact on local salmon populations is creating much concern about best management practices in the area. This project will develop a means of assessing water quality in the basin through the use of macroinvertebrate community structure. Macroinvertebrates are ideal for assessing water quality because they respond to a variety of pollutants and can rapidly respond to increases in water quality. The proposed project will not only develop the methodologies for using macroinvertebrates in water quality assessment but will also use these methods for assessing the effectiveness of riparian conservation easements on water quality. While conservation easements are seen as a major means of improving water quality, their effectiveness is not well understood. To promote good stewardship of agricultural lands requires understanding the utility of best management practices such as riparian conservation easements.

Utah

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-012, Interseeding Forage Kochia in Established CRP Land for Enhanced Livestock and Wildlife Utilization, Ron Harper, project coordinator, 215 North 100 West, P.O. Box 130, Levan, UT 84639, (435) 623-1787; Jeff Banks, technical advisor, Utah State University Extension Agent, 160 North Main, Nephi, UT 84648, (435) 623-3452, jeffb@ext.usu.edu. Western SARE funding: $7,621

In the 8-10 years that Ron Harper of Levan has worked with forage kochia, he has found that the plant is a good source of winter feed for cattle and a wide variety of wildlife and birds. To fill a gap in research on establishing forage kochia in existing stands of grass, pasture, or rangeland, Harper will test several techniques of interseeding forage kochia on established dryland pastures and rangelands. His test plots will consist of 20 strips, each a mile long and 47 feet wide and separated by 200-300 feet to reduce the possibility of wind and water erosion. He'll use different ground preparation techniques and different methods for planting the seed. Each method will be repeated five times because of the varied slopes and soil types. Harper hopes that establishing forage kochia on his pasture and rangeland will ensure healthier cattle and allow him to cut back on supplemental winter feeding. It will also improve the existing habitat for wildlife grazing.

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-027, Commercial Artichokes in the Intermountain West, James Haggerty, project coordinator, Sun River Farm, 141 South 6000 West, Mendon, UT 84325, (435) 787-1182, sunriverfarm@yahoo.com; Dan Drost, technical advisor, Professor, Vegetable Production and Physiology, 4820 Old Main Hill, AGS 310, Logan, UT 84322-4820, (435) 797-2258, dand@ext.usu.edu. Western SARE funding: $5,180

Artichokes are a nutritious, high value crop that grow best between 45 and 85 degrees. They are fairly frost-tolerant, but if they are not protected, temperatures below 20 degrees can kill the axillary buds that provide new growth in the spring. Growing annual artichokes or digging and storing them indoors over the winter are not economical options in cold climates. However, heavy winter mulching is a possibility. Dan Drost, a vegetable specialist at Utah State University, found that mulching with straw protects the artichokes, but the straw attracts rodents that damage the plants. Another option is using simple cultivation to cover the artichoke crowns with 3-6 inches of soil. James Haggarty operates Sun River Farms in Cache and Box Elder counties as an organic community supported agriculture operation. Working with Drost, Haggarty and other producers in Utah and Idaho, both organic and conventional, will examine the effects of soil mulching on artichokes.

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-327, Integrating Annual Crops and Residues, Perennial Pastures and Livestock Management to Extend the Grazing Season and Minimize Losses of Soil Nitrogen, Tom Griggs, project coordinator, Assistant Professor, Department of Plants, Soils and Biometeorology, Utah State University, 4820 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4820, (435) 797-2259, tgriggs@ext.usu.edu. Western SARE funding: $10,000

This project will try to better understand how to integrate and manage annual and perennial vegetable and forage crops with livestock enterprises. The goal is to increase economic diversification, use labor resources more efficiently, extend the cattle grazing season as a way to reduce input costs and minimize the loss of soil nitrogen, reduce fertilizer inputs, and prevent groundwater pollution. Producer Jeff Hobbs of Franklin, Idaho, currently has a cropping sequence of irrigated sweet corn, pumpkin, pearl millet, and irrigated dryland perennial pasture. Winter triticale is being incorporated into the pumpkin and pearl millet, and this project will assess how the pearl millet and triticale, along with the legumes forage pea and red clover, contribute to livestock performance and carrying capacity. The objectives are to define the impacts of various planting patterns, along with the timing and intensity of cattle grazing, on seasonal forage availability, nutritional value, weed density, and losses of nitrogen beyond the rooting depth.

Professional Development Program Grant: EW06-005, Entrepreneurial Sustainable Agriculture: Alternatives for Processing, Packing, Labeling, and Marketing in Internet/Retail Environments, John Allen, principal investigator, Western Rural Development Center, Utah State University, 8335 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 94322-8335, (435) 797-9732, johna@ext.usu.edu. Western SARE funding: $58,755

Desirable rural areas of the West are drawing retirees and amenity migrants (who move to maximize their lifestyles, not their incomes). At the same time, many rural counties are experiencing dramatic out-migration of the working-age population as traditional industries like farming, ranching, and oil extraction decline. Traditional rural residents have been challenged to find ways to cope. Research shows that in California, the largest state-level agricultural economy in the United States, "value seeking" among owners of small, sustainable family farms and ranches has increased dramatically since the 1980s. This value-seeking activity is based on the need to increase income and profitability as well as the desire to carve out niches within the food and fiber system. One hope for rural communities traditionally dependent upon agriculture and resource-extractive industries is entrepreneurship and exploration of new economies. The collaborative partnership submitting this proposal, led by the Western Rural Development Center, is diverse in subject matter areas and geographic regions with expertise and practical experience related to business planning, food sales and distribution, and the legal issues associated with entering retail and Internet markets. The team will present a new training model in which technical experts are paired with successful sustainable agriculture entrepreneurs to offer mentoring workshops. Team-taught workshops will foster trust and respect, which will lead to powerful new regional resource networks whereby increasing participant understanding of and proficiency in sustainable agriculture.

Professional Development Program Grant: EW06-018, Disseminating Research-based Information to Improve Great Basin Rangelands, Mark Brunson, principal investigator, Utah State University Department of Environment and Society, 5215 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5215, (435) 797-2458, Mark.Brunson@usu.edu. Western SARE funding, $21,605

The objective of this project is to disseminate research-based information to agricultural professionals (primarily Extension agents and NRCS range conservation specialists) so that they can assist livestock producers in maintaining or improving forage for domestic livestock on Great Basin rangelands with reduced uncertainty and risk. This will be accomplished through production and delivery of a DVD for distribution to outreach professionals that demonstrates for agricultural producers the use and short-term outcomes of land management treatments (prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, and herbicide application) for restoring degraded sagebrush-bunchgrass sites. Initial work will begin in summer 2006 by shooting video footage at sites in Utah and Nevada where a research and demonstration project is planned for fall 2006 when implementation of mowing, burning, and herbicide treatments will occur. The DVD will help train agency personnel and other agricultural professionals in ways to maintain or improve Great Basin rangelands. This, in turn, will help them work with livestock producers to implement management treatments to maintain or improve the forage base for livestock while improving overall ecosystem health. This project will reduce risk and uncertainty in choosing land management treatments for Great Basin rangelands.

Professional Development Program Grant: EW06-019, Using Videos as a Teaching Tool: Improving Profits and Rangelands Through Application of Behavioral Principles, Beth Burritt, principal investigator, Utah State University, College of Natural Resources, Department of Forest, Range and Wildlife Sciences, 5230 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5230, (435) 797-3576, bethb@cc.usu.edu. Western SARE funding: $80,000

Current arguments suggest that livestock degrade rangelands and riparian ecosystems, and that the only solution is to protect waterways with fencing or to remove livestock from rangelands altogether. Livestock have also been blamed for decreased biodiversity and an increase in invasive species. Meanwhile economic pressures combine with these societal and environmental pressures, making it increasingly difficult for agricultural-based businesses to survive and thrive. Two decades of research indicate that a solution to these problems may be the animals themselves. By understanding principles of behavior, managers can modify livestock practices to change animal behavior. The foundation is simple: Behavior depends on consequences. Favorable consequences increase and aversive consequences decrease the likelihood of a behavior recurring. Combining this principle with the effects of early experience, interactions with peers, and variety and changes in plant composition over the growing season has complex ramifications. Demonstrated successes indicate that livestock behavior can be modified and managed to: 1) reduce invasive species and increase forge availability by training animals to include a wider variety of forages in their diets, 2) improve rangelands and riparian areas by training animals to distribute themselves across uplands and hillsides and to leave streams and ponds, and 3) reduce costs for finishing animals by reducing stress and allowing animals to mix their own diets. Production of the video will begin in the fall of 2006 with completion and mailing scheduled for the summer of 2008.

Washington

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-002, Evaluation of Digested Manure on Potatoes and Raspberries, Darryl Vander Haak, project coordinator, Vander Haak Dairy, 9900 Guide Meridian Rd., Lynden, WA, 98264, (360) 401-2001, haakhaven@cs.com; Hal Collins, technical advisor, Soil Scientist, USDA Agricultural Research Service, 24106 N. Bunn Rd., Prosser, WA, 99350-9687 (509) 786-9250, hcollins@pars.ars.usda.gov. Western SARE funding: $19,575

Whatcom County has a mix of dairy and horticultural farms. Both types have nutrient concerns. The dairies have excess nutrients, and the farms, mainly growing potatoes and raspberries, need nutrients. The potato and raspberry farms haven't been inclined to use the dairy manure because of concern over pathogens in the manure, which means increasing nutrient content in critical watersheds. If the pathogen obstacle is cleared, dairy farmers could meet nutrients needs of both dairy and horticultural farms, which would reduce nutrient impacts on water quality, reduce the use of purchased chemical fertilizers, and create relationships that would sustain both types of producers. The Vander Haak Dairy, the first in Washington to install an anaerobic digester, will use this grant to assess the biological and yield impacts of using digested dairy manure on seed potatoes and raspberries. It will also conduct a greenhouse study to assess common scab potential from the application of digested manure to potatoes.

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-007, Rhizoctonia and Soil Compaction Under Direct Seed, Ron Jirava, project coordinator, 1551 N. Dewald Rd., Ritzville, WA 99169, (509) 659-1173, jirava@wawg.org; William Schillinger, technical advisor, Research Agronomist, Washington State University Crop and Soil Sciences, 614 Elm St., Cheney, WA 99004, (509) 235-1933, schillw@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $6,894

Ron Jirava, a dryland farmer, began direct seeding cereal crops in 1996 on his farm near Ritzville, which receives 11.5 inches of precipitation a year. While he has met with some success at stopping soil erosion, a compacted layer of soil has developed in his fields and Rhizoctonia root rot has left bare patches. Jirava will use his grant to test two pieces of equipment, a Noble sweep and a Case IH 2500 Ecolo-till ripper, to try to break the soil compaction, disrupt the Rhizoctonia, and take care of some post-harvest weeds in the process. He will also compare chemical fallow against minimum-tillage summer fallow to assess the impact on Rhizoctonia. To spread his work load, he'll also compare a mid November planting (dormant seeding) of cereals in a re-crop situation with normal spring planting in mid March. His overall goal is to address the economic viability of direct seeding and to see how it can be modified to be more profitable for farms in eastern Washington that receive less than 12 inches of precipitation a year.

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-018, Evaluation of Environmentally Sustainable Methods to Control Dagger Nematode Infestation in Blueberry Production, Michael White, project coordinator, Crescent Harbor Blueberry Farm, 2726 Laurel Lane, Oak Harbor, WA 98277, (360) 679-4210, bluebury@netzero.net; Susan White-Hansen, technical advisor, Soil Scientist, University of Delaware, 16684 County Seat Highway, Georgetown, DE 19947, (302) 856-7303, sewhite@udel.edu. Western SARE funding: $9,842

Blueberries are raised on 2,200 acres in Washington, supplying berries for farmers markets and juice for production. Several farms that operate in Island and Skagit counties report damage from nematodes, the most serious being the dagger nematode. It not only feeds on blueberry plants but also transmits a virus, tomato ringspot virus, which, in addition to blueberries, affects peaches, plums, cherries, apples, grapes, raspberries, and strawberries, often reducing yield and rendering them unmarketable. The dagger nematode has a low damage threshold, and correct identification is expensive and logistically challenging. Further, traditional control measures can be expensive and environmentally harmful. Early detection and less expensive, environmentally benign control measures are needed. This SARE-funded project, to be conducted on Crescent Harbor Blueberry Farm near Oak Harbor, will test the usefulness of two organic, environmentally friendly treatments (solarization and Ditera) compared with traditional fumigants. The goal will be to provide blueberry producers with best management practices for early detection and control of dagger nematode.

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-020, Strategies for Building Regional Markets for Pastured Poultry Growers, Jamie Henneman, project coordinator, Lazy Lightning Ranch, 1931 Blue Creek West Road, Addy, WA 99101, (509) 935-6964, hockleyjamie@hotmail.com; Al Kowitz, technical advisor, Director, Washington State University Stevens County Extension, 985 S. Elm St., Colville, WA 99114, (509) 684-2588, akowitz@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding, $11,360.

This project is designed to create new and expanded markets for pastured poultry products in northeast Washington. These opportunities will include on-farm and farmers markets, community supported agriculture, and institutional, restaurant, and wholesale options. The effort will include educational materials for these outlets on the value of pastured poultry products and ways to develop marketing plans and take advantage of various distribution channels. The program will be used to help start-up producers generate pre-production sales so they can jump-start their operations. The effort will provide a model for promotion, education, and distribution that can be adapted to any region. The project team notes that feeding chickens on grass cuts down on feed expenses and improves the quality of the product. The ultimate goal is to meet the consumer demand for poultry that is free of antibiotics and hormones and has been raised in a more humane way using sustainable practices.

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-309, Organic Seed Producer Database, Matthew Dillon, project coordinator, Executive Director, Organic Seed Alliance, P.O. Box 772, Port Townsend, WA 98368, (360) 385-7192, matthew@seedalliance.org. Western SARE funding: $15,960

This project to develop an organic seed producer database evolved from results of a survey conducted after a 2004 Seed Growers Conference. Survey respondents expressed a desire to expand their markets through increased visibility of their skills and production capacity. The database will serve three groups: 1) producers of organic seed in search of new contracts and markets for their product, 2) seed companies in search of certified organic seed producers, and 3) organic farmers looking to purchase certified organic seed direct from the farm. The database will have several searchable fields. For example, seed producers will be able to list their contact information, the amount of organic acreage available for seed crops, their seasons of experience with hybrid and non-hybrid production, crops grown, specific varieties and amounts of seed available, and so on. Once the database is completed, the group will launch a campaign encouraging seed companies to register as users and search the database. In turn, they'll be able to post their desires for specific seed crops.

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-311, Youth Entrepreneurs in Agriculture, Joan Vance, project coordinator, Washington State University Extension Educator, P.O. Box R, Elma, WA 98541, (360) 482-2934, joan_vance@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $7,739

The Youth Entrepreneurs in Agriculture is designed to educate young people in the ag community about best management practices and the most economically and ecologically sustainable systems. The project will provide a series of six farm tours and field days for young people who have a strong inclination to make their livelihood in agriculture. Most will come from 4-H and FFA, although membership in those organizations will not be required. Among the topics that will be explored are natural controls of insect and weed pests, multi-species grazing, composting, and the latest methods of integrated pest management. In addition, the program will compare and contrast organic production methods alongside traditional systems. Teaching methods will be interactive and experiential supplemented by written materials. Participants will be surveyed after each farm tour and field day to see if the experience changed their attitudes.

Professional + Producer Grant: FW06-325, On-farm Evaluation and Demonstration of Small-scale Biogas Production, Chad Kruger, project coordinator, Director of Communication, Climate Friendly Farming, Washington State University, Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1100 N. Western Ave., Wenatchee, WA 98801, (509) 663-8181, ext. 235, cekruger@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $20,000

Biogas technology has been used for centuries in Asia to treat organic waste, produce useable products like nutrient-rich fertilizer and soil amendments, reduce odor and other emissions like greenhouse gases, and produce renewable energy. Few U.S. farms use biogas technology, and currently available commercial plants of U.S. or European design don't apply to smaller farms. This project will construct and evaluate three different small-scale biogas plants on small farms located in different agro-climates of Washington. The three primary technologies, based on principles of Asian design, are the Chinese fixed-dome digester, the Indian floating-cover digester, and the Taiwanese polyethylene tubular digester. These systems, developed and used in tropical and subtropical climates, will need to be adapted for Washington's cooler climates. The project team will evaluate the biogas facilities and make any adjustments needed, which could include increased insulation, mechanical mixing, or bacterial seeding. Results will be dispersed widely through workshops, tours, facts sheets, and publications.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-013, Enhancing Sustainability of Small Fruit Production in the Pacific Northwest Through Educating Producers on Consensus Derived Scouting and Decision-making Parameters, Craig MacConnell, principal investigator, Washington State University, 1000 N. Forest Street, Suite 201, Bellingham, WA 98225-5594, (360) 676-6736, cbmac@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $170,929

This project will create a Scouting Toolbox for small fruits that will include consensus-based decision-making parameters to provide guidance and reduce risk. This will empower producers to conduct their own scouting or train employees. The Toolbox will be available in print and electronic media and widely disseminated to producers in the Pacific Northwest. Educating many producers in scouting protocols, and giving them action threshold guidelines, will provide the information they need to more accurately time and/or reduce pesticide applications. This will accelerate the use of scouting and whole-farm decision-making as a primary tool of integrated pest management. This will, in turn, enhance environmental quality by reducing unnecessary chemical applications and reduce the likelihood of pest resistance. It will also help to protect worker and consumer health. Producers will realize an economic advantage through more accurate and effective control methods and a possible reduction in pesticide use. Improved pest management practices may present the option of value-added marketing by enabling producers to promote products emphasizing sustainable farming practices.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-032, Developing Role Models for Antibiotic Stewardship and Biosecurity on Dairy Farms, Ron Wohrle, principal investigator, Tacoma Pierce County Health Dept., 3629 S. D St. MS 421, Tacoma, WA 98418, (253) 798-4785, rwohrle@tpchd.org. Western SARE funding: $125,145

The dairy industry depends on antibiotics to treat infections and maintain healthy herds. However, the current armament of antibiotics is threatened by the emergence and spread of drug-resistant bacteria. Preserving the power of antibiotics requires that they be used judiciously and correctly. Dairy producers, like other agricultural producers, veterinarians, and medical doctors, have a serious responsibility to act as guardians of these precious drugs. Research has demonstrated that dairy producers in Washington are concerned about antibiotic resistance and are interested in taking steps to preserve the power of antibiotics, and that they need guidance and tools for accomplishing this goal. This project will promote the preservation of antibiotics through an on-farm demonstration project. Six to ten dairy producers have agreed to serve as role models for antibiotic stewardship and biosecurity. They are recognized industry leaders and well-suited to disseminate innovative ideas to the wider dairy industry. Working closely with participants and their herd veterinarians, the project team will develop an Antibiotic Stewardship and Biosecurity Plan for each participating farm, educate the producers, and assist them in implementing and evaluating the plans. From this interactive process, a set of best management practices will evolve for use in creating a Model Antibiotic Stewardship and Biosecurity Plan that will be disseminated to the wider dairy industry.

Research and Education Grant: SW06-066, No-till Livestock-Grain Rotation for Diversified Farms, Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, principal investigator, Department of Soils and Crop Sciences , P.O. Box 646420, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6420, (509) 335-1553, lcboggs@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $125,122

Most farmers in the Palouse region of Washington and Idaho are aware of the limitations of the current intensive-tillage wheat-based system. Members of the project team suggest that a lack of alternatives can largely explain the persistence of limited conventional cropping systems. The use of ecologically based management strategies that incorporate key agroecosystem design principles provides opportunities to increase the sustainability of wheat cropping in the region. The proposed research will improve the adoption of alternative practices by 1) comparing alternative systems including an integrated livestock-cereal system, 2) developing management models and materials for specific systems, 3) assessing the economic and environmental benefits of these systems, and 4) networking and providing technical support. The agroecosystem design principles that characterize the proposed alternative systems will include integrated livestock-cropping systems, perennial versus annual grain cropping, low disturbance systems, and diversified cropping systems. The need to re-integrate livestock into cropping systems has been widely acknowledged for its potential to diversify income, increase the productivity of land, and control weeds. In addition to incorporating integrated cropping systems on two collaborator farms, this research will assess four alternative cropping treatments in three replications at a controlled research site: 1) a wheat-based no-tillage perennial polyculture, 2) a native grass (CRP) community, 3) a non-integrated, low disturbance organic cropping system, and (4) an organic, integrated wheat-livestock cropping system.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-011, Soil Community Structure, Function, and Spatial Variation in an Organic Agroecosystem, Douglas Collins, principal investigator, Washington State University Puyallup Research and Extension Center, 7612 Pioneer Way E., Puyallup, WA 98371, (253) 445-4658, dpcollins@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $10,000

Soil biological processes such as nitrogen mineralization, aggregate formation, and pathogen control impact farm productivity and profitability. Many growers of high-value specialty crops are increasingly interested in information about the biological status of their soil but are unsure how to sample for organisms and leverage biological data for improved site-specific management. The research proposed here will address the spatial structure of soil organisms, as well as key biological processes, on an intensively farmed, organic vegetable operation. If growers better understand the spatial structure of biological communities, they can improve sampling strategies. A spatially explicit sampling plan will strengthen the ability to correlate biological diversity with specific soil functions and help identify optimal management strategies. The research will be conducted on Full Circle Farm, an ideal research and outreach site. The farm's large soil texture gradient provides a rich window for observing biological populations, and this farm is already perceived as a model by other farmers.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-018, Bluegrass Straw in Dairy Diets to Enhance Environmental Quality, Ron Kincaid, Animal Sciences Department, 226 ASLB, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6351, (509) 335-2457, rkincaid@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $9,920

This proposal seeks to enhance environmental quality and the economic viability of agricultural operations by using bluegrass straw to reduce phosphorus excretion of dairy cows. Agricultural operations that affect environmental quality include field burning of bluegrass straw on air quality and the potential impact on surface water quality of manure applied to fields. New markets for bluegrass straw would provide an alternative to field burning of the residual straw from bluegrass seed production. Dairy rations offer a potential new use for bluegrass straw, which possesses the properties of low phosphorus and high fiber content. In addition to reducing phosphorus excretion, inclusion of bluegrass straw into dairy rations would reduce total nitrogen intake of cows and help to reduce ammonia emissions. However, studies are needed to demonstrate the feeding value of bluegrass straw when incorporated into diets of lactating cows and growing heifers and the impact on phosphorus excretion by cows. Two separate studies are proposed to determine the level at which bluegrass straw can be used to replace alfalfa hay in diets of lactating cows and growing heifers. As a component of these studies, phosphorus balance will be determined in these animals to measure the impact of partial replacement of alfalfa hay with bluegrass on phosphorus excretion of dairy cattle.

Graduate Fellow Grant: GW06-021, IPM and Biological Control of Meloidogyne chitwoodi and the Colorado Potato Beetle, Donna Henderson, principal investigator, Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, 345 Johnson Hall, 100 Dairy Rd., Pullman, WA 99164, (208) 596-2379, donnah@mail.wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $10,000

Meloidogyne chitwoodi, a root knot nematode, and the Colorado potato beetle cause severe damage to potato crops. Potato crops are a major component of Washington agriculture - in 2005 the crop value was estimated at $459.7 million (USDA-NASS). Fields infested with M. chitwoodi are rejected if only 5-15% potatoes are culled. Colorado potato beetle is heavily sprayed with 6-8 foliar pesticide applications in a four-month season. Conventional control has relied upon toxic pesticides and fumigants, both of which raise human and environmental health concerns. Additionally, most fumigants are on the list to be banned to satisfy the requirements of the Food Quality Protection Act. This project proposes an integrated pest management approach using mustard amendments in conjunction with entomopathogenic nematodes as biocontrol agents to target both M. chitwoodi and Colorado potato beetle. Each has a vastly different life cycle, but Colorado potato beetle larvae and M. chitwoodi occupy the same physical space in the soil. Entomopathogenic nematodes also inhabit this space in the soil, making them ideal biocontrol agents of the potato pests/parasites. Entomopathogenic nematodes infect and kill larval stage insects and have been shown to reduce root knot nematode populations. Mustard or mustard meal can be rotated between potato seasons or the meal can be incorporated before planting - the mustard is tilled under and the chemicals released have proven nematicidal properties. However, the effect of these chemicals on entomopathogenic nematodes is uncertain. Mustard amendment combined with these nematodes will be investigated for control of M. chitwoodi and Colorado potato beetle.

Wyoming

Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW06-021, Management of Iron Deficiency in Beans with Annual Ryegrass Interplantings, Mike Ridenour, project coordinator, 1333 Road 50, Yoder, WY 82244, (307) 534-2289, miker@meadowmaidfoods.com; Rik Smith, technical advisor, University of Wyoming, Department of Plant Sciences, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071-3354, (307) 766-3238, riksmith@uwyo.edu. Western SARE funding: $9,505

Beans are grown widely in the western Great Plains, but high pH soil limits the availability of many micronutrients, including iron, boron, magnesium, copper, and zinc. The low micronutrient levels causes yellowing, which could be iron-related chlorosis, and makes the plants more susceptible to insect and disease damage, which reduces yield and quality. Annual ryegrass growing in legumes can reduce or eliminate the negative impacts of high pH soils, but the rapidly growing ryegrass shades the legumes, impeding harvest and reducing yield. This project, using season-long soil and plant tissue tests, will try to determine the chemical and physical changes to the soil from the ryegrass and the nutrients that are being made available to the plant that the soil analysis may not reveal. In addition, the project will look at two different planting strategies that may allow for better management of bean production in the rapidly growing ryegrass.