2008 Funded Proposals
Alaska |
California |
Colorado |
Guam |
Hawaii |
Idaho |
Micronesia |
Montana |
Nevada
|
New Mexico |
Northern Mariana Islands |
Oregon |
Utah
|
Washington |
Wyoming
Alaska
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-017, “Weed Management and Soil Fertility on a Sub-Arctic Farm,” Michael Emers, project coordinator, P.O. Box 181, Ester, AK 99725, (907) 479-3642, rosie-ck@mosquitonet.com; Mingchu Zhang, Assistant Professor, University of Alaska, (907) 474-7004, mingchu.zhang@uaf.edu. Western SARE funding: $14,803
Weed-management techniques for small-scale vegetable farms in Alaska are rarely researched, making weed control a challenge. This Farmer/Rancher Grant will test several weed-control methods on local organic farms. Weed seed populations will be counted after regular vegetable production followed by bare fallow and then counted again after regular production followed by a year of bare fallow and a year of field peas or barley. Although bare fallow is an effective means for weed control, soil will be tested after because it often reduces organic matter. The project will also pilot plasticulture in Alaska, or covering the aisles with landscape fabric. Success would reduce labor costs and encourage farmers to adopt sustainable practices because of the expertise available in controlling weeds on sub-Arctic farms. Other growers will be informed about the project results through conferences and publications.
California
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-030, “Creating and Marketing Value-Added Orchard Products,” Billie Jean and Nicholas Salle, project coordinators, 3947 Wheatland Rd., Wheatland, CA 95692, (530) 633-0805, (530) 633-0815 fax, salleorchards@hughes.net; Janine Hasey, technical advisor, Farm Advisor, University of California Extension, (530) 822-7515, jkhasey@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $15,000
Billie Jean and Nicholas Salle have owned and operated their small orchard in Northern California since 1990. Because of economic pressures, they will employ their Farmer/Rancher Grant to explore revenue sources beyond walnut wholesaling. During this project, the family-owned orchard will can and dry fruit from the 100-plus varieties they grow. These products will then be marketed to gourmet stores and schools. This will boost profits by making value-added products from fruit seconds and surpluses that are usually discarded. Transportation costs will also be minimized because dehydrated goods take up less room and do not require cooling. These economic benefits will ensure the continuity of Salle Orchard. This journey to create and market value-added orchard products will be chronicled on a blog, or online journal, complete with recipes and “how to” tutorials.
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-047, “Sierra Nevada Small Farm Progress Days,” Dan Macon, project coordinator, 11515 Joeger Rd., Auburn, CA 95602, (530) 305-3270, flyingmule@wavecable.com; Roger Ingram, Extension Farm Advisor, University of California, (530) 889-7390, rsingram@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $27,370
The growing demand for high-quality produce in interior California provides opportunities for small-scale farmers to meet these demands. The goal for this Farmer/Rancher Grant is to promote sustainable enterprises during the area’s resurgence of local agriculture. This project will fund the Sierra Nevada Small Farm Progress Days, which teaches producers economically viable, scale-appropriate and terrain-adapted techniques for sustainable farming and ranching. The fall 2008 session will focus on harvesting, marketing and soil management for foothill and mountain farms by touring a fruit orchard, vegetable farm, grass-fed meat ranch and a forest products operation. A tour will be held again in spring 2009 to cover topics on soil preparation, planting tools, irrigation tools, equipment and techniques. A farm fair will follow both the fall and spring tours. Information from the demonstration sessions will be compiled and distributed in a binder and summary articles will be published in agricultural journals in the area. Other regions will be able to develop similar sessions by referencing their final report.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-311, “Restoring Plant Diversity and Soil Health in Napa and Sonoma Vineyards: scaling up an agroecologically based pest management strategy,” Miguel Altieri, project coordinator, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, 137 Mulford #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, (510) 642-9802, (510) 643-5438 fax, agroeco3@nature.berkeley.edu; Randy L. Heinzen, producer cooperator, Saintsbury Vineyard, 4254 Old Sonoma Rd., Napa, CA 94559, (707) 732-6779, randy@saintsbury.com. Western SARE funding: $30,000
More than 2 million pounds of agriculture chemicals are sprayed in the Napa Valley of California each year. Also, naturally occurring enemies of vineyard pests are dwindling because of the continual expansion of monoculture operations in Napa and other wine-producing regions. Keeping these facts in mind, the ecosystem and human health is seriously threatened. This Professional + Producer Grant will enlist upwards of 50 farmers to test or adopt agroecological plans to encourage biological control of pests and on-farm nutrient cycling. Participation will require at least 1 acre of vineyard that breaks the monoculture structure by implementing cover crops and/or hedgerows, which is expected to decrease pest pressure. Field days will showcase results, which will also be published for wine grape growers’ reference in periodicals, brochures and on a new website.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-312, “Effects of Aleutian Geese on Humboldt County Pastures,” Alan Bower, project coordinator, 5630 South Broadway, Eureka, CA 95503, (707) 445-7351, (707) 444-9334 fax, arbower@ucdavis.edu; Dean Hunt, producer cooperator, 590 Hunts Drive, McKinleyville, CA 95519, (707) 839-0546, ddhunt@suddenlink.net. Western SARE funding: $28,540
Aleutian Geese (Branta hutchinsii leaucopareia), an endangered species from 1973 to 2001, have grown in population to 75,000 migrating birds since delisting. These geese stop each spring in Humboldt County to feed on pastures owned by local farmers and ranchers. This conflict between area growers and the geese is intensified by the birds’ attraction to short stubble and rotationally grazed fields, two economic and ecologically sustainable practices employed by local ranchers in the last 25 years. This Professional + Producer Grant will collect data to quantify the impacts the geese have on pastures, which will help identify solutions to forage loss, helping ranchers remain profitable. Results will be disseminated to Humboldt County livestock producers and others during local field days and meetings and through newsletters, extension publications and professional publications.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-315, “Vines and Ovines: Using Trained Sheep for Vineyard Floor Grazing,” Morgan Doran, project coordinator, Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor, University of California Cooperative Extension, 501 Texas St., Fairfield, CA 94533, (707) 784-1326, (707) 429-5532 fax, mpdoran@ucdavis.edu; Sarah Cahn Bennett, producer cooperator, Navarro Vineyards, P.O. Box 47, Philo, CA 95466, (707) 367-4131, sarahcb@hotmail.com. Western SARE funding: $29,193
California grape growers most commonly use herbicides and cultivation to control weeds in the vine rows. However, herbicides can cause damage to surface and ground water, and cultivation may not get weeds that compete directly under vines. Recent experiments using grazing to control weeds or cover crops that compete with grape vines, or both, have utilized regular sheep confined by electric fencing to prevent grazing of the vines or short sheep breeds that cannot reach the vines but are fairly expensive. This Professional + Producer Grant will conduct field days to teach producers and the public how to employ this sustainable technique of sheep grazing using common breeds that are trained not to graze on spring vine growth using an aversion developed by Fred Provenza at Utah State University. Using sheep in the vineyard is a cultural practice that presents benefits to the surrounding environment and the diversification potential and profitability of the wine grape operations of California. Producer input will be recorded and integrated into a comprehensive education program to train practitioners on the methods.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-324, “Placer Ag Futures Project, Kay Joy Barge, project coordinator,” High Sierra Resource Conservation and Development Council, 251 Auburn Ravine Rd. #105, Auburn, CA 95603, (530) 823-5687 ext. 115, (503) 823-5504 fax, kay.joy@ca.usda.gov; Bob Roan, producer cooperator, Ueki Garden Flowers, 9140 Mt. Vernon Rd., Auburn, CA 95603, (503) 823-2431, tyueki@gmail.com. Western SARE funding: $25,670
Placer County, California, faces threats to agriculture sustainability from development-driven land prices and a lack of new-generation producers. To help ensure agriculture’s survival in the area, this Professional + Producer Grant will give wings to the Placer Ag Futures Project (PAFP), the brainchild of 25 agriculture representatives from the locale. PAFP will provide 10 paid apprenticeships to aspiring producers, giving them one week of intensive training and 10 weeks of rotating training with producers of different commodities. Also in this effort, several guest speakers will gather and present agriculture information and about available opportunities in the industry to five local schools. A website will be designed to contain a database of all public and private land for sale in the area to connect interested young producers with affordable land. Results will be shared with local farmers at the PlacerGrown Farm Conference.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-060, “Triple-Cropping Dairy Forage Production Systems Through Conservation Tillage in California’s San Joaquin Valley,” Jeff Mitchell, principal investigator, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, 9240 S. Riverbend Ave., Parlier, CA 93648, (559) 646-6565, (559) 303-9689 cell, (559) 646-6593 fax, mitchell@uckac.edu. Western SARE funding: $118,100
To help with adherence to the recent regulation that prohibits California dairies from applying more than 40 percent more nitrogen than crops remove on a field, this Research and Education Grant will study the effectiveness of triple-cropping systems in consuming more soil nitrogen than traditional cropping methods. The project will involve side-by-side field comparisons of nitrogen leaching in the traditional two-cropping system versus the conservation tillage three-cropping system, or growing two forage crops per year opposed to three. The results are expected to prove that triple-cropping systems in San Joaquin Valley fields produce more forage that, in turn, utilize more nitrogen. As a result, more manure can be spread on limited land and fewer nitrates leach into groundwater. The findings from the study will be shared with California dairy farmers, mass audiences at the World Agriculture Exposition, in outreach publications and on a DVD video.
Graduate Student Grant: GW08-015, “Screening for Non-Host Rotation Crops of Colletotrichum acutatum for Strawberry Nurseries in California,” Joseph R. Jertberg, graduate student, Plant Pathology Department, University of California, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616-8680, (530) 752-4982, (530) 752-5674 fax, jrjertberg@ucdavis.edu; W. Douglas Gubler, technical advisor, Cooperative Extension Plant Pathologist, University of California, (530) 752-0304, wdgubler@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $19,534.70
Eighty percent of the country’s strawberries are grown in California. One of the most difficult horticultural crops to grow, strawberries are susceptible to Colletortrichum acutatum and a wide range of similar fungal pathogens. These pathogens affect all parts of the plant and fruit, making it a severe problem for California growers. This Graduate Student Grant will test the rotation crops used with strawberries to identify if they are host plants for common pathogens, harboring diseases between production years. This project will identify non-host rotation crops that can be used to reduce the need for chemical pest control and make growing practices more environmentally friendly. This will also help sustain the community by keeping local nurseries thriving from having high-quality planting stock to grow and sell. The project findings will be posted on the extension website and shared at meetings, conferences and field days.
Graduate Student Grant: GW08-018, “Solarization and Steam Heat Combined to Control Weeds in Strawberries,” Celeste Gilbert, graduate student, 1419 Wake Forest Dr. #3, Davis, CA 95616, (352) 514-5828, caigilbert@ucdavis.edu; Steven Fennimore, technical advisor, Associate Weed Ecophysiologist, University of California Davis, (831) 755-2896, safennimore@ucdavis.edu. Western SARE funding: $19,974
Most of the 34,556 acres of strawberries grown in California are in the coastal districts, subject to expensive land and urban pressures. Many farms consist of 30 to 50 acres, which is enough to support a family with a high-value berry crop. Weeds and disease on strawberries are primarily controlled with soil fumigation. However, new regulations require application buffer zones of 100 to 300 feet. This Graduate Student Grant will address the need for an alternative control method for buffer zones in order to continue production on entire farm acreages. Graduate student Celeste Gilbert will evaluate the combination of steam heat and solarization, or heating of the soil, as a non-pesticide alternative for soil disinfestations using on-farm resources, such as sunlight. Gilbert will also compare the crop yield, quality and cost from the trial against strawberries produced with methyl bromide fumigation. Growers will receive demonstrations and project results at field day demonstrations, extension meetings and in Extension publications to ensure small-farm survival and community access to local produce.
Colorado
Professional Development Program Grant: EW08-016, “Professional Training for Developing Hands-On Organic Weed Management Learning Center for Commercial Market Gardens in Local Communities,” Beth A. S. LaShell, project coordinator, Colorado State University, San Juan Basin Research Center, 18683 Hwy 140, Hesperus, CO 81326, (970) 385-4574, (970) 385-4892 fax, beth.lashell@colostate.edu. Western SARE funding: $89,492
The Intermountain area includes parts of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona and is an arid climate at high elevation. The San Juan Basin Research Center, an agriculture experiment station, services this Four Corners area with agriculture research results. Several counties adjacent to the research center in Colorado have recently seen a change in the ownership of farmland. The agriculture land has significantly shifted from large conventional farms to small farms of varied use, which raises concern for farm vitality. This two-year Professional Development Program Grant would allow a Learning Center to be developed to teach strategies for managing weeds in organic market gardens to agriculture professionals, Master Gardeners, model farmers from the area and students. They will learn organically accepted practices for weed control that are effective in the area’s climate, including mulching, mechanical control, intercropping and acceptable organic herbicides. This project will also examine the costs, safety issues and sustainability of these organic weed management strategies. Short-course workshops will also be held at the Learning Center on topics such as soil analysis and methodology. A website, listserv and blog will be developed to post information and materials on effective weed-management strategies that can be used by participants and the public.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-033, “Integrating Perennial Living Mulches into Irrigated Cropping Systems,” Joe Brummer, principal investigator, Associate Professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, (970) 491-4988, (970) 491-0564 fax, joe.brummer@colostate.edu. Western SARE funding: $146,684
Preliminary research in Colorado demonstrates that irrigated corn fields, with a kura clover living mulch, have an 85 percent reduction in soil erosion in irrigation tail water compared to fields without ground cover that are conventionally tilled. Living mulches not only reduce erosion by securing the soil, they also provide other economic and environmental benefits. This three-year Research and Education Grant will document the outcome of perennial legumes, such as alfalfa and kura clover, planted as living mulches with irrigated cash crops in conventional and organic systems in the semi-arid West. Field sections on two Colorado State University and two on-farm sites will receive differing treatments to determine the ease of establishing living mulches, the best methods to suppress them before planting a cash crop and the benefit of grazing the living mulch after harvest of the corn or small grain cash crop. The SARE project will also quantify the monetary savings in fertilizer, insecticide, compost and fuel costs owing to the ability of legumes to fix nitrogen, encourage beneficial insects, return carbon to the soil and suppress weeds. Results will be disseminated through many media outlets to encourage producers to adopt this alternative cropping system.
Guam
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-046, “Growing Papaya Using Aquaculture Effluent in an Automated Drip Irrigation System,” David P. Crisostomo, project coordinator, 252 Untalan St., Mangilao, Guam 96923, (671) 727-5655, djerisos@ite.net; Jess Bamba, technical advisor, Extension Associate, University of Guam, (671) 735-2091, jpbamba@guam.uog.edu. Western SARE funding: $14,800
David Crisostomo, a Guam farmer, will use his Farmer/Rancher Grant to direct fish-water effluent to papaya, allocating each drop of water to two valuable crops, dubbed “two crops for every drop.” The water from two tilapia ponds will pass through a number of tilapia tanks to settle out large particulates and then down a drip irrigation system to the papaya, recycling both the nutrients and water. This project will likely reduce the pesticide load used on papaya because of the disease prevention method of competitive exclusion, or introducing beneficial microorganisms from the effluent that prevent bacterial diseases, such as papaya ring spot virus, from populating. This sustainable system reduces the costs and impacts from fertilizer and pesticide use, while conserving water. Information from the project will be shared at an on-site farm field day and in a published technical report.
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-048, “Living Mulch on Guam, Laila Pierson, project coordinator,” Lanchon Chamorro 119 S. Marine Dr. Tsai Building A-2, Tamuning, Guam, 96931, (671) 688-8443, (671) 632-5120 fax, sistermary@yahoo.com; Mark T. Acosta, University of Guam, (671) 735-2093, macostauog@yahoo.com. Western SARE funding: $13,000
Weed control in windbreaks and orchard trees in northern Guam’s limestone clay soil can be difficult. Many producers in the area rely on bush cutting or pesticide use to suppress weeds. Producer Laila Pierson often loses trees from girdling, or cuts from mowing weeds, a process that is very labor intensive. This Farmer/Rancher Grant will test the economic and weed-suppressing qualities of sweet potato, squash and crawling cowpea as both living mulches and secondary cash crops under her trees. This project will provide additional economic revenue by selling the produce from the living mulch, while also suppressing weeds and improving the soil’s water-holding capacity. Weed control costs will be documented before and after the implementation of the living mulch to examine their effectiveness. Other producers will receive the information at a field day, presentations, workshops, and in extension fact sheets and publications.
Professional + Producer Grant, FW08-313, “Kona to Guam Weaving the Farmer Chef Network,” Ilene Iriarte, project coordinator, ANR/CES/CNAS UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923, (671) 735-2093, (671) 734-5600 fax, i_iriarte11@hotmail.com; Hisamitsu Hamamoto, producer cooperator, P.O. Box 11883, Tamuning, Guam 96931, (671) 789-6800, hamamoto@ite.net. Western SARE funding: $19,625
Guam farmers have identified marketing as the number one concern for sustainability of their farming practices. In an attempt to increase marketing of local produce, this Professional + Producer Grant will develop a “What’s Fresh Now” campaign to highlight in-season fruits and vegetables to tourists using monthly market baskets. In addition to this, a series of programs, such as cook-offs and farmer/chef days, will be held. This project will facilitate a peer working relationship with Hawaii farmers and chefs who have hosted similar successful events. Quarterly Farmer Chef Activities will connect Guam farmers and chefs with each other to promote the quality and potential of their produce.
Professional Development Program Grant: EW08-018, “Enhancing Guam’s Agriculture Professionals’ Knowledge of Ecological Disease Management Through Soil Nutrients,” Robert Schlub, project coordinator, University of Guam/CNAS/CES, UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923, (671) 735-2089/94/80, (671) 734-2056 fax, rlschlub@uog9.uog.edu. Western SARE funding: $49,962
The average farm in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands is less than 2 acres of cultivated land and is operated by a farmer without formal agriculture training. Therefore, agriculture professionals are relied on for assistance, but their efforts to encourage soil testing and proper application of fertilizer, according to plant and soil needs, have proved futile. This Professional Development Program Grant addresses the need for further agriculture professional training and the development of a new publication, Soil Nutrients and Disease Suppression on Guam. This instruction guide will include specifics of soil nutrients in plant health and disease suppression on the island. University of Guam and University of Florida professionals will produce the guide in 18 months. They will evaluate plant nutrition in relation to the presence of the 13 essential elements and the element silicon on test plots of cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant and papaya. The guide will be used during four months training for a diverse sampling of agriculture professionals in the area. The professionals will then use the guide and training to host a field day for growers and the public.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-067, “Decline of Casuarina equisetifolia: a loss to Pacific island agroforestry,” Robert Schlub, principal investigator, University of Guam/CNAS/CES, UOG Station, Mangilao, Guam 96923, (671) 735-2089/94/80, (671) 734-2056 fax, rlschlub@uog9.uog.edu. Western SARE funding: $140,680
Guam’s environmental sustainability is threatened by the decline of the ironwood tree, Casuarina equisetifolia, an important Pacific island natural resource that is generally pest and disease free. The ironwood tree occurs naturally and is integrated in the island ecosystem, housing Guam’s only Mariana fruit bat colony. Island farmers propagate the trees for their use as windbreaks and wood fuel, also taking advantage of their ability to fix nitrogen, restore organic matter to the soil and provide organic mulch from the dropped needles. This Research and Education Grant will intervene in this tragic decline by surveying ironwood trees to determine the cause. Robert Schlub of the University of Guam will meet with cooperators and participant producers for five days to finalize a diagnostic key linking injury, signs and symptoms of ironwood with causal agents. During this project, 32 USDA Forest Service plots will be surveyed, in addition to eight farms that use ironwood as windbreaks. By pinpointing the cause of the ironwood decline, Guam can safeguard these critical trees and ensure the sustainability of the island’s ecosystem. Three half-day workshops will be held the final year of the grant, and 2,000 ironwood seedlings, with planting instructions, will be distributed to school children during the Guam Charter Day celebrations in March each year.
Hawaii
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-049, “Healthy Foundation, Healthy Bees, Making Organic Wax Foundation for Beekeepers, Volcano Island Honey Co.,” project coordinator, 46-4013 Puaono Road, Honokaa, HI 96727, (808) 775-1000, (808) 775-0412 fax, richard@volcanoislandhoney.com; Michael Krones, technical advisor, Owner, Hawaiian Queen Co. , Inc., (808) 328-2656, hiqueen@hialoha.net. Western SARE funding: $13,999
Currently, no organic wax foundation is produced in the United States, presenting a struggle for the organic sector of the multi-million dollar bee industry in Hawaii to find acceptable foundation for bees to build honeycombs on. The organic standards allow producers to use a plastic foundation coated in wax, but beekeepers are convinced that this should not be used. Soon, the organic regulations will require organic foundation, which will leave Hawaii beekeepers in a predicament. This Farmer/Rancher Grant will allow the lost skill of foundation making from beeswax to be taught to these farmers. This will build healthy, stronger beehives, free from toxic chemicals in the foundation, while also increasing the self-reliance and vitality of the community. The local production of wax foundation will also put to good use the excess beeswax from organic production that is not used in candle making. Educational information gained from this research will be posted on the Internet and a foundation-making workshop will be held for beekeepers to learn this valuable skill.
Professional Development Program Grant: EW08-013, “Promoting Adaptive Management with ‘Tropic Sun’ Sunn Hemp (Crotolaria juncea) in Hawaii for Ecological Weed Control, Nematode Suppression and Nutrient Management,” James Leary, project coordinator, University of Hawaii, Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, 3050 Maile Way, 310 Gilmore Hall, Honolulu, HI 96822, (808) 956-9268, leary@hawaii.edu. Western SARE funding: $53,768
Hawaii’s agricultural lands are prone to soil erosion because they are in designated coastal zones. Because of endangered natural ecosystems, it is important for Hawaii farmers to mitigate negative environmental impacts from practices such as concentrated tillage. Tropic Sun sunn hemp has evidence to prove its effectiveness as a cover crop, providing nematode suppression and nitrogen input as a green manure crop, or crop that is grown to provide nutrients for primary crop. However, this requires intensive tillage to incorporate the plant residue into the soil. James Leary at the University of Hawaii at Manoa will use this Professional Development Program Grant to research Tropic Sun’s ability to reduce erosion and suppress weeds in reduced-tillage systems on three organic farms on Oahu, Maui and Molokai. This research is timely because recent commercial-scale seed production of Tropic Sun will make this cover crop available to Pacific farmers, where it has not been. This project will test the assumption that sunn hemp, without being tilled into the soil, can be a beneficial ecological management strategy that will provide some nutrient addition and pest-suppressive attributes, in addition to soil cover and weed suppression.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-037, “Sunn hemp and its Allelopathic Compounds for Vegetable Production in Hawaii and Beyond,” Koon-Hul Wang, principal investigator, Assistant Nematologist, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of PEPS, 3050 Maile Way #310, Honolulu, HI 96822, (808) 956-2429, (808) 956-2428 fax, koonhul@hawaii.edu. Western SARE funding: $156,105
Nematodes, or roundworms, have been shown to reduce yields by 1 to 15 percent in Hawaii vegetable crops. Eliminating these pests is difficult because EPA has banned or restricted many nematicides and defensive cropping systems, such as rotations and fallow periods, are economically difficult for producers with minimal farmland. These challenges leave producers with one primary option, cover crops. Sunn hemp has been shown to improve the nutrients of the soil and also to release allelopathic compounds that are toxic to nematode pests. When sunn hemp is strip tilled, the residue provides a physical barrier against weed growth and a habitat for the natural enemies of nematodes. This Research and Education Grant will use a wide range of growers with challenging crops, such as eggplant, bitter melon and Italian parsley, to determine how to extend pest suppression beyond one cropping cycle. The research will evaluate the benefits of combining the cover crop with solarization, a method to kill nematodes by heating the soil with transparent polyethylene mulches. Using laboratory, greenhouse and the field-condition analysis, the project proposes to identify the lethal compound in sunn hemp, determine the lethal threshold of the compound and examine the impact of sunn hemp, solarization and the combination of both on pests, beneficial organisms and the soil. The primary goal is to find the best method to extend nematode suppression using the combination of sunn hemp and solarization.
Idaho
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-031, “What Good Are Pasture-Raised Ducks to Whole Farm Systems?,” Mary E. Rohlfing, project coordinator, 7020 Pet Haven Lane, Boise, ID 83716, (208) 850-6798, morningowl@cableone.net; Stephanie Etter, technical advisor, Canyon County Extension Educator, University of Idaho, (208) 459-6003, setter@uidaho.edu. Western SARE funding: $14,942
The benefits of chickens in an integrated system are all but proven. However, ducks are a similar vertebrate bird that could potentially exceed the benefits from chickens. Ducks are hardier than chickens, do not require nighttime heating when fully feathered, are more resistant to diseases and produce more than 300 eggs per year that are more nutritious and command a higher price. This Farmer/Rancher Grant will examine the contribution that layer ducks on pasture provide to the soil health and weed and pest management of the Morning Owl Farm in Boise. Farm manager Mary Rohlfing will quantify the change in soil health, pest populations and weed populations in four 1600-square-foot plots stocked with ducks. The project will encourage a sustainable agriculture system that provides economic benefits from selling the duck eggs. Rohlfing will share her conclusions with growers in and beyond the Treasure Valley of Idaho on her weekly radio show, by developing a website and hosting on-farm workshops.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-318, “IBC Technical Services to Farmers/Ranchers for Online Markets in South Central Idaho,” Judy Hall, project coordinator, Co-Director, Idaho’s Bounty Cooperative, P.O. Box 6238, Ketchum, ID 83340, (208) 726-7692, judy6238@cox.net; Steve and Stacie Ballard, producer cooperator, Ballard Family Dairy and Cheese, 1764 S. 2100 East, Gooding, ID 83330, (208) 934-4972, ballardcheese@msn.com. Western SARE funding: $29,997
Idaho’s Bounty Cooperative (IBC) provides a system for south-central Idaho farmers to market and deliver fresh produce to community members. This Professional + Producer Grant will address the needs of producers for assistance with website design, packaging and pricing of goods and other basic marketing for them to utilize IBC successfully. Two hundred small-scale farmers and ranchers will be taught these skills at local workshops, trainer visits and peer-to-peer consultations. This project encourages the sustainable practices of local consumption and minimizing transportation costs by developing a thriving market for local goods produced in alternative agriculture systems.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-322, “A Multi-Faceted Approach to Managing Powdery Mildew on Organic Table Grapes in Southwest Idaho,” Ariel Agenbroad, project coordinator, Horticulture Extension Educator, University of Idaho Cooperative Extension, 501 Main St., Caldwell, ID 83605, (208) 459-6003, (208) 454-6349 fax, ariel@uidaho.edu; Michael Medes, producer cooperator, Rocky Fence Vineyard, 3770 Fuller Rd., Emmett, ID 83617, (208) 365-1617, mmedes@rockyfence.com. Western SARE funding: $15,000
Southwest Idaho’s population has grown 30 percent since 2000, causing farms in the area to downsize. During this transition, organic table grapes have been a lucrative option for small acreage landowners, who rely on Extension personnel for sustainable and innovative approaches to new crop enterprises. Michael Medes of Rocky Fence Vineyards, a producer of organic table grapes, will use this Professional + Producer Grant to seek solutions to powdery mildew, the most threatening disease to marketable fruit. With the help of Ariel Agenbroad, University of Idaho Extension horticulture educator, they will test the effectiveness of preventive management practices, using an expanded trellis system, early detection and climate-based disease forecasting. Reducing damage from powdery mildew will reduce fungicide use and labor, while increasing the quality and sustainability of table grapes and their production in southwest Idaho. Project findings will be shared at on-farm demonstration events, conferences and in publications.
Micronesia
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-008, “Overcoming the Constraints of Tropical Tomato Production Through Shade Netting and Other Methods,” Robert V. Bishop, project coordinator, P.O. Box 1123, Koror, Palau 96940, (680) 488-8748, addnvalueforyou@palaunet.com; Trebkul Tellei, technical advisor, Palau DSAP, (680) 544-4556, palaudsap@palaunet.com. Western SARE funding: $13,578
Palau farmers are eager to fill the island’s high demand for tomatoes, but most attempted methods have failed because of the excessive heat and wind, calcium deficiency, heavy rains, fruit flies and other climatic setbacks. Robert Bishop will use this Farmer/Rancher Grant to experiment with shade netting, which could provide an economically viable method for tropical farmers to fill consumer demand for tomatoes and fill shortages from shipping delays and spoilage. His crop will be drip irrigated and protected with the shade netting on all sides. The netting is expected to regulate sun, rain, pest exposure and many other growing constraints that local growers face. A photo journal will be kept and reproduced for those interested. Also, on-site tours, a pamphlet and poster presentation will share the successes or failures of the project.
Montana
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-016, “Can Producers in Five Montana Counties Successfully Use No-Till Methods for Renovation of Irrigated and Dryland Pastures?,” George Reich, project coordinator, P.O. Box 195, Willow Creek, MT 59760, (406) 285-6675, gar@tssmt.net; Ron Carlstrom, Gallatin County Agriculture Agent, (406) 388-3213, carlstrom@montana.edu. Western SARE funding: $29,999
Traditional tillage practices depend on petroleum, an expensive non-renewable resource that presents an economic burden to farmers. George Reich will employ his Farmer/Rancher Grant to begin a no-till system on his Montana farm. Because of the rocky soil, farmers in the area have used the no-till system on dry land. This project will incorporate the no-till practice into several hay pasture operations. Instead of planting grain using traditional methods, grass will be killed with herbicides and the ground will be established with new alternative forages, followed by no-till planting. The goal of this project is to help south central Montana farmers lower their input costs and reduce sheet and rill erosion, making their farming enterprises sustainable. Producers will be given the acquired information through grower meetings, websites and bulletins.
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-023, “Pasture-Raised Heritage Turkeys in a Dryland Farming System,” Jacob Cowgill, project coordinator, 1530 Catlin St., Missoula, MT 59801, (406) 396-1261, (406) 378-3106 fax, jacobmontana@yahoo.com; Marjorie Bender, technical advisor, Research and Technical Program Manager, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, (919) 403-3708, mbender@albc-usa.org. Western SARE funding: $6,413
In an effort to diversify a north-central Montana, organic, dryland farm, this Farmer/Rancher Grant will begin production of heritage turkeys on pasture. Turkeys could provide a high-value alternative crop for local farmers that are watching the vitality of their farming communities decline. Despite the population drop, demand for local food is growing in the area, providing a market for sustainable, local goods. In addition, raising heritage turkeys will help conserve the breed, while benefiting the farm through tillage, building soil fertility and providing an alternative enterprise for an unsure agriculture community. Information will be published in several newspapers and websites, and University of Montana students will visit the farm on a field day.
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-034, “High-Nutrition Drought-Tolerant Corn,” Dave Christensen, project coordinator, P.O. Box 1417, Big Timber, MT 59011, (406) 932-4763, buckskin@mtintouch.net; Perry Miller, technical advisor, Associate Professor, Montana State University, (406) 994-5431, pmiller@montana.edu. Western SARE funding: $30,000
Dave Christensen of Big Timber, Montana, began breeding for a low-input corn 35 years ago. Today he has numerous varieties that produce well in dry western locations, including native grains that produce 105 bushels per acre with minimal irrigation. One variety of his corn was taken to North Korea to re-establish stripped soil in a tough mountain climate. His pigmented black corn variety has 50 percent more antioxidants than blueberries and his Montana Morado Maize has 60 percent more protein than commercial corns. This Farmer/Rancher Grant will assist Christensen with the thousands of hand pollinations he does each year and further his next breeding projects to develop freeze-resistant and GMO-resistant corn varieties. His technical advisor, Perry Miller, associate professor at Montana State University, will help with outreach efforts to publish results of the trials.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-317, “Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems: Student Internships Development Plan,” William Dyer, project coordinator, Professor, Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717-0312, (406) 994-5063, (406) 994-1848 fax, wdyer@montana.edu; Pete Fay, producer cooperator, Rocky Creek Farm, 34297 Frontage Rd., Bozeman, MT 59715, (406) 585-0225, orchardman32@yahoo.com. Western SARE funding: $29,983
Pete Fay, operator of Rocky Creek Farm in Bozeman, Montana, along with a dozen other producers, will use this Professional + Producer Grant to connect them with an intern from Montana State University, who is studying the newly initiated baccalaureate program, Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems. This project will address the continuation of agriculture by providing interested youths with the opportunity to study and research sustainable practices during on-farm internships. The task force of participating farmers will recruit additional internship hosts and provide training, develop a platter of options for students and establish internship criteria, objectives and descriptions. These internships will not only foster a newly instigated undergraduate degree, but also will familiarize students with the hands-on aspects of sustainable production and provide the producers with enthusiastic, young help to meet their goals. A website will provide information on internship opportunities and outcomes.
Nevada
Professional Development Program Grant: EW08-019, “Developing an Educational Program on Preventing Noxious Weed Invasion on Farms and Ranches in Nevada and Utah,” Earl Creech, project coordinator, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, 111 Sheckler Rd., Fallon, NV 89406, (775) 423-5121, (775) 423-7594 fax, creeche@unce.unr.edu. Western SARE funding: $51,878
Weed management on pastures and rangelands is estimated to cost U.S. ranchers $5 billion a year. Noxious weeds have been proved to reduce crop and livestock yields, increase the cost of controlling other pests, increase soil erosion and cause other harmful economic and environmental problems. At present, ranchers and farmers in the West have the mindset to control noxious weeds once they are established. This Professional Development Program Grant would strengthen the abilities of Cooperative Extension and Natural Resources Conservation Service personal to advise agriculture producers on weed prevention. Information will be collected from peer-reviewed literature, weed management professionals and agriculture producers’ experiences and compiled into a reference manual and journal article. Workshops will then be conducted to train agriculture professionals and producers in suitable prevention methods.
New Mexico
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-004, “Manipulating Sandpaper Oak for Livestock and Wildlife Forage and Cover,” Sid and Cheryl Goodloe, project coordinators, Carrizon Valley Ranch, P.O. Box 598, 904 Patos Road, Capitan, NM 88316, (505) 354-2379, (505) 354-2379 fax, sralt@hotmail.com; Samuel Smallidge, technical advisor, Extension Range Specialist, New Mexico State University, (505) 646-5944, ssmallid@nmsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $15,000
Sandpaper oak, a low-growing shrub that inhabits the Southwestern United States, including northeastern Mexico, is the primary forage for livestock and wildlife in the late spring and early summer. The shrub is only palatable for approximately 45 days until spring growth ends or the plant becomes infested with scale insects. Sandpaper oak then produces little new growth and leaves the land absent of nutritional feed. Ranchers must provide protein supplements, which diminishes their economic efficiency. Sid Goodloe of Carrizon Valley Ranch, a range-finished beef operation, will use his Farmer/Rancher Grant to study the effectiveness of mowing the Sandpaper oak, which would stimulate new growth after late June, a crucial time for adequate dietary intake in lactating and breeding animals. Mowing reduces the risks from burning and provides ground cover, which prevents erosion and returns humus to the soil. Goodloe and his technical advisor, Samuel Smallidge, New Mexico State University Extension range specialist, will conduct tours and workshops and see that an extension bulletin and refereed scientific journal article are written and distributed to extend findings to the public.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-316, “Assessing the Effect of Herbal Supplements on Brood Size in Honeybees,” Charles A. Martin, Agriculture Specialist, New Mexico State University, Sustainable Ag Science Center, P.O. Box 159, Alcalde, NM 87511, (505) 852-4241, (505) 852-2857 fax, cmartin@nmsu.edu; Melanie M. Kirby, producer cooperator, P.O. Box 490, Dixon, NM 87527, (505) 579-4552, ziaqueenbees@hotmail.com. Western SARE funding: $15,000
Recent troubles with colony collapse disorder originate from at least one known virus, Israeli acute paralysis virus, that some entomologist say could be a secondary infection caused by weakening of the beehive. The size of the brood, or comb area for the reproducing females, reflects the health and vigor of the colony and its ability to resist disease and pests. This Professional + Producer grant will challenge the hypothesis that herb supplements do not increase brood size more than control supplements given to honeybees during the fall and winter feedings. Melanie Kirby will watch for changes in bee health and spring brood size after the addition of the locally obtainable medicinal herbs, yerba del manso and osha. This project will explore the possibility of herbal remedies helping sustain honeybee colonies needed for the pollination of agricultural crops.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-320, “Small Acreage Farms Enlisting Organic and Good Agriculture Practices (SAFE O-GAPs),” Nancy Flores, project coordinator, Extension Food Technology Specialist, New Mexico State University, P.O. Box 30003 MSC 3AE, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8003, (575) 646-1179, (575) 642-8246 cell, (575) 646-1889 fax, naflores@nms.edu; Don Bustos, producer cooperator, Santa Cruz Farm and Greenhouses, P.O. Box 5045, Espanola, NM 87533, (505) 514-1662, santacruzfar@cybermesa.com. Western SARE funding: $29,750
The Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs) program, established by Cornell University with government support, contains sound management practices to be followed by fresh-produce growers to ease consumer concerns about food-borne illnesses, especially in direct-sale from grower to consumer. However, the program is not mandatory so is implemented by few small-acreage growers because of the required costs and resources. Organic growers are also discouraged from employing GAPs on their operation because of their foremost necessity to comply with National Organic Program (NOP) standards. This Professional + Producer Grant will create an Organic-GAPs (O-GAPs) manual, standardized with NOP and the practices of collaborating organic producers, to encourage the establishment of the program. This project will help secure the survival of small-acreage and organic growers that currently do not participate in any food-safety program. Although such programs are not required, many retailers discriminate against produce without a third-party audit from a program like GAPs. The compiled manual will be shared at a field day and during specialty crop conferences.
Northern Mariana Islands
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-024, “Sustaining Tilapia Production in the CNMI Through the Use of an Artificial Fry Incubation System,” Ines R. Guerrero, project coordinator, P.O. Box 50821, Saipan, MP 96950, (670) 234-1637, (670) 234-0054 fax; Michael Ogo, technical advisor, Extension Aquaculture Specialist, Northern Marianas College, (670) 234-5498 ext. 1728, michaelo@nmcnet.edu. Western SARE funding: $15,000
The freshwater fish, tilapia, was introduced to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas islands in 1995 to satisfy the fish-consuming Asian population of guest workers as well as the islands’ indigenous peoples. Fresh tilapia is widely accepted and will command $2 more per pound than frozen imports from Asia. However, the supply of fresh fish is low because of difficulty in obtaining fry, or newly hatched fish. Currently, producers are obtaining fry from Guam, but supplies are uncertain and the importation of an aquatic animal pathogen is a threat. Ines Guerrero will use her Farmer/Rancher Grant to explore the use of an artificial fry incubation system. The fry will be hatched in jars, removing them from the predator environment with other brood stock. Supplying producers with the needed number of fry will bridge the gap between the high demand for tilapia and low supply of young fish to grow. The results will be shared with island producers through advertisements, workshops, field days, printed materials and brochures and will also be posted online.
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-025, “An Integrated System for Growing Vegetables, Joshua M. Calvo,” project coordinator, P.O. Box 883, Rota, MP 96951, (670) 532-3653, (670) 532-9000 fax; Felix Calvo, technical advisor, Agriculture Extension Agent, Northern Marianas College, (670) 532-9470/9511, felixc@nmcnet.edu; Western SARE funding: $12,456
The cost of materials, supplies and labor for agriculture in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas islands (CNMI) has discouraged adequate production of fresh produce. The demand for this local produce is increasing with the growing population, but cheap and consistent imports from the United States and Japan are presently the CNMI mainstay. Joshua Calvo, a Rota producer, will use his Farmer/Rancher Grant to pioneer on the island an integrated system of growing cabbage inexpensively and consistently by utilizing inputs from his chicken and fishponds. This project will demonstrate economically and environmentally sustainable practices by reducing labor, fertilizer and pesticide use and enhancing the quality of the soil. Chicken and fishpond waste will replace chemical fertilizers on the disease-resistant cabbage cultivar, chickens will be used to clear weeds and mulched grass clippings will return organic matter to the soil. The success of this project will not only raise the producer’s standard of living, but also will be documented and shared to encourage a variety of inexpensive and consistent crops from the islands’ ideal climates for agriculture production. Project results will be disseminated through television, newspapers, field trips and brochures.
Professional + Producer Grant, FW08-305, “Comparative Study of Cuban Slugs (Veronicella cubensis) Suppression Using Grazing Ducks, Neem (Azadirachia indica) Extract and Chemical Baits in the CNMI,” Alejandro E. Badilles, project coordinator, Integrated Pest Management Coordinator, Northern Marianas College, P.O. Box 879, Rota, MP 96951, (670) 287-0554, (607) 532-9513, (670) 532-9512 fax, alejandrob@nmcnet.edu; Nurul Islam Paeda, producer cooperator, P.O. Box 1069, Rota, MP 96951, (670) 532-0990, abadilles@yahoo.com. Western SARE funding: $23,673.20
The economy of Rota, an island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands, is vulnerable to slugs and snails that are populating the land and causing severe crop losses and a false image of the safety and health of the environment. The high cost of current control measures, such as baiting, is prohibitive, so this Professional + Producer Grant will explore three cost-effective and sustainable control methods for slugs in vegetable crops. The first producer will use grazing ducks to eat the Cuban slugs (Veronicella cubensis), which also clear weeds and fertilize the ground. The second producer will plant rows of neem trees (Azadirachia indica) to use as windbreaks and for their pesticide properties. These trees are also known for their germicidal and medicinal purposes. The third producer will set up modified baiting traps on his farm that are safe and cost effective. This project will develop sustainable practices for the agriculture industry in Rota, decrease imported produce because of increased yields on the island and reduce the risks of harmful pesticides. Results will be shared in brochures, DVDs, field days and workshops.
Professional Development Program Grant: EW08-017, “Technology Transfer of Alternative Plant Medicines for Livestock Health Care in the Western Pacific,” Allan C. Sabaldica, project coordinator, P.O. Box 134 San Jose, Tinian, MP 96952, (670) 433-2576/0639, (670) 433-2161 fax, allans@nmcnet.edu. Western SARE funding: $97,074
Livestock producers in the Pacific deal with a lack of veterinarians. They also face rising costs of prescription drugs, food safety concerns with drug residues and other cross-industry problems of weak economic conditions and a growing population. Historically, many producers in the Pacific have used herbal medicines to treat livestock. However, western Pacific producers through the generations lost most of the knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses. Today, producers generally do not seek that knowledge on the Internet. This Professional Development Program Grant will take a group of professionals to the Philippines to gather knowledge of medicinal plants. The information will be interpreted into the native languages of the Pacific and then a trainer’s program will be implemented to teach producers from mixed Asian cultures the indications and applications of medicinal treatments. This project will show the Pacific that abundant, unused, medicinal plants are a promising solution for treating livestock. Results from the tour will be published, along with surveys and interviews of local senior producers. Workshops will follow to share the information with the community.
Oregon
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-033, “Butcher Waste as Biofuel,” Ross and Kelly McGarva, project coordinator, 16866 Westside Rd. Lakeview, OR 97630, (541) 947-4062, (541) 947-5650 fax, mcgarva@centurytel.net; Jan Busboom, technical advisor, Washington State University, (509) 335-2880, busboom@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $14,885
Ross McGarva, a south-central Oregon cattle rancher, used a 2007 funded SARE project to convert butcher waste from animals into compost/organic fertilizer that he is applying to his fields. This Farmer/Rancher Grant will render oil from the butcher waste into biodiesel, a discovered resource that is currently being wasted during the fertilizer production. The technical advisor, Jan Busboom, will help determine the best procedure for extracting and rendering the anticipated 1,800 to 2,400 gallons of oil, annually. This project will put to work an unused resource and provide a renewable fuel for farm equipment. Local high school students and the agriculture community will be targeted with the project results as will the NorthWest Meat Processors Association.
Professional Development Program Grant: EW08-001, “Tri-State Organic Certification and Conservation Planning Cross-Training,” Chris Schreiner, project coordinator, Executive Management, Oregon Tilth, 470 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem, OR, 97301, (503) 378-0690, (503) 378-0890 fax, chris@tilth.org. Western SARE funding: $86,137
Organic producers in the Washington, Oregon and Idaho tri-state region, not unlike other areas of the country, find it difficult to please both the USDA’s National Organic Program and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Natural resource professionals often have the same goals for the environment in mind, but there is often a lack of understanding of regulations and standards between agencies. This Professional Development grant will address this gap in education by implementing five training sessions to coordinate the agencies and as a result, relieve producers of potentially conflicting standards. Professionals who attend the training will learn about the organic certification process, the NRCS programs and practices and the producers’ obstacles when converting to sustainable practices. With sufficient education and networking among professionals, the potential for synergy between organic certifiers and conservation planners could increase support and awareness for both conservation and organic practices, recognize discrepancies in standards and encourage additional funding.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-056, “Enhancement of Pollination by Native Bees in Blueberries and Cranberries,” Sujaya Rao, principal investigator, Entomology Associate Professor, Oregon State University, 3017 ALS (CSS), Corvallis, OR 97331, (541) 737-9038, (541) 737-5725 fax, sujaya@oregonstate.edu. Western SARE funding: $183,271
Blueberry and cranberry plants grown in the Pacific Northwest need to be adequately pollinated to produce the quality and yield of berries for an economically viable enterprise. Because of the recent colony-collapse disorder, rental honeybees are rare, expensive and do not pollinate as well as native bees that are adapted to the cold and windy climate in Oregon. The state prohibits the purchase of commercial bumblebees, so it is critical for growers to enhance native populations. This Research and Education Grant will examine seven berry farms to help growers in the area understand and preserve bees. First, abundance and diversity of native bees will be monitored and the foraging habits of honeybees and bumblebees will be compared. Next, the impact of insecticide on bumblebees will be evaluated to teach growers the best time to spray to minimize damage to the colony. Then, the effectiveness of strategies, such as adjacent flowering hedgerows, will be examined to enhance native populations. Workshops will teach growers bee identification and methods to protect and enhance native colonies by maintaining plant diversity year round. Results will be published in newsletters and a fact sheet and shared at growers’ annual meetings and on industry websites.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-121, “Sustainable Solutions to IYSV on Onion via Grower-Research Partnerships,” Clinton C. Shock, Plant Physiologist/Professor, Oregon State University Malheur Experiment Station, 595 Onion Ave., Ontario, OR 97914, (541) 889-2194, (541) 889-7831 fax, clinton.shock@oregonstate.edu. Western SARE funding: $177,527
Onion production in the Western states is in an immediate economic crisis because of losses from iris yellow spot virus (IYSV), vectored by thrips. This Research and Education Grant will analyze options to reduce the effects of IYSV and sustain Pacific Northwest onion growing. This project will compare plant stress of onions grown in drip, furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems to understand the role that water management has in IYSV susceptibility. In addition to studying the effects of irrigation systems, the IYSV presence will be tracked in 40 to 60 commercial and experimental onion cultivars, in management systems applying adequate versus excessive nitrogen and in situations where other stress-reducing tactics are used. Because growers place IYSV as a top priority, many efforts will be made to disseminate the results for their use.
Graduate Student Grant: GW08-014, “Pollination by Bumblebees for Enhanced Clover Seed Production,” Kimberly Skyrm, graduate student, Oregon State University, 3017 ALS (CSS), Corvallis, OR 97331, (541) 207-2422, (541) 737-5725 fax, skyrmk@onid.orst.edu; Sujaya Rao, technical advisor, Associate Professor, Oregon State University, (541) 737-9038, sujaya@oregonstate.edu. Western SARE funding: $19,977
Red clover is an important nitrogen-fixing forage legume in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. With 40 inches of rain a year and dry summers, the climate is ideal for growing and harvesting red clover. However, it must be pollinated by bees, which are in shortage because of colony-collapse disorder. Honeybees are unable to pollinate the clover because of their short proboscis, or feeding organ, so growers rely on bumblebees. Bumblebees usually have to be rented, but they are attracted to other plants in the area. This Graduate Student Grant will track native bees and try to boost populations to bring economic sustainability to growers. The project will compare the strategies of a flower border and blue vane traps to draw bees to the fields, compare pollen loads on honeybees versus bumblebees and compare the bumblebee populations in red clover fields versus nearby habitats. The project will also increase growers’ awareness of the plants that attract bees and when to apply pesticides to avoid killing them. Presentations will be made at the Annual Clover Meeting, the Annual Hyslop Farm Field Day and the Entomological Society of America meetings. A field tour for clover growers and a native-bee-identification workshop will also be held.
Utah
Research and Education Grant: SW08-076, “Cultural Management of Onion Thrips and Iris Yellow Spot Virus,” Jennifer Reeve, Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Assistant Professor, Utah State University, 4820 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322, (435) 797-3192, jennifer.reeve@usu.edu. Western SARE funding: $133,441
Because of the high value of onions in the Western U.S., regular applications of pesticides are used to combat infestations of onion thrips and the damaging iris yellow spot virus (IYSV). Onion growers must absorb revenue losses from purchasing needed insecticide applications three to four times per season, which limits the profitability and environmental sustainability of the crop. This Research and Education Grant will determine crop and pest management strategies that reduce thrips and IYSV pressure by examining 15 commercial onion fields in Northern Utah and two replicated field trials. One field trial will be located at a Utah State University Experiment Station to study how Utah onion grower Morgan Reeder sidestepped pesticide applications for three growing seasons using wheat and corn rotations, reduced nitrogen inputs and the soil biostimulant MoreLife. The project will determine the best management control options for onion thrips and IYSV, which will be shared with growers at workshops, field days and in publications.
Washington
Farmer/Rancher Grant: FW08-007, “Integrated Nutrient Management for Small Swine and Sheep Production,” Bruce Dunlop, project coordinator, 193 Cross Rd., Lopez Island, WA 98261, (360) 468-4620, (360) 468-3941 fax, bruce@lopezislandfarm.com; Tom Schultz, technical advisor, San Juan County Director, Washington State University Extension, (360) 378-4414, schultzt@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $8,905
Bruce Dunlop of Lopez Island Farm hopes to benefit from his Farmer/Rancher Grant by improving the sustainability of his sheep and swine operation. Now more than ever, customers are conscious about the production system used for the food they purchase. This project will take a look at management practices that can solve the imbalance of nutrients on the producer’s farm. Soil and forage will be tested for the expected nutrient increase after swine pasturing and the opposite decrease during sheep grazing. Also, parasites will be monitored on two rotations to evaluate populations on pastures grazed only once by the swine versus pastures rotated through every six weeks. With the results, the integrated farm hopes to improve productivity, animal health, soil tilth, and water quality, while improving economic sustainability. Management recommendations will be summarized into a fact sheet and newspaper article that will be shared with producers with similar challenges.
Professional Development Program Grant: EW08-005, “Training and Connecting Agricultural Professionals Through an Immersion Field Course and The Cultivating Success Instructor Training Program in Washington,” Catherine A. Perillo, project coordinator, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, 201 Johnson Hall, P.O. Box 646420, Pullman, WA 99164, (509) 335-3475, (509) 335-8674 fax, cperillo@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $29,599
Washington State University (WSU), Rural Roots and Idaho State University began the Cultivating Success program in 2002 and have developed many courses on sustainable small farming and ranching taught throughout the region at extension offices and on campus. The courses are intended to immerse the participants in many perspectives of agriculture production beyond their disciplines. This Professional Development Program Grant will evaluate the sustainable agriculture programming subsequently offered by professionals who participated in the training. In addition to a past participant survey, two additional courses will be available to agriculture professionals to increase awareness and acceptance of sustainable practices. First, professionals will be brought into an existing WSU course. Second, training and materials will be given to professionals so they can offer sustainable courses for the producers in their region. This project seeks primarily to broaden agriculture professionals’ exposure to specific approaches to sustainable agriculture production and alternative marketing.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-049, “Integration of Microbial Pesticides in Pome-Fruit Production in the PNW,” Lawrence A. Lacey, principal investigator, Research Entomologist, USDA-ARS, 5230 Konnawac Pass Rd., Wapato, WA 98951, (509) 454-4463, llacey@yarl.ars.usda.gov. Western SARE funding: $120,598
Historically, the tree-fruit industry of the Pacific Northwest has depended on broad-spectrum pesticides, such as Guthion, to control damage from codling moth and leafrollers. EPA will phase out this pesticide by 2012, leaving conventional producers looking to the practices of organic farms to maintain profitability. Organic producers have been targeting codling moth with microbial pesticides, a sustainable pest management approach. This Research and Education Grant will study the effectiveness of microbial pesticides to help producers through this transition. Spray programs in both organic and conventional will be monitored and the pest’s threshold will be determined. Efforts to develop improved formulations of the microbial pesticides will continue and research will address the pesticide’s ability to kill secondary pests. Improving formulations and discovering the appropriate application strategies for microbial pesticides will encourage their usage in the area, improve the environment and ensure the tree-fruit industry’s survival in the region.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-052, “Assessing Habitat and Dietary Switching by Predators in a Cover Crop System,” David Horton, principal investigator, Research Entomologist, USDA-ARS, 5230 Konnawac Pass Road, Wapato, WA, 98951, (509) 454-5639, (509) 454-5646 fax, horton@yarl.ars.usda.gov. Western SARE funding: $121,092
Cover crops are being adopted in Washington orchards to enhance soil, reduce erosion and help control damaging pests. However, the assumption is argued whether large numbers of natural enemies attracted to the cover crop will then move into the trees and feed on pests, resulting in better pest control. This Research and Education Grant will test the effectiveness of this biological control that could be a promising alternative to broad-spectrum chemicals that typically require eight to nine applications per acre through the growing season, a hefty economic burden to farmers. Studies will be conducted on four certified-organic pear orchards to determine if an alfalfa cover crop leads to an increase in pest predators in the tree canopy. The project will quantify the pest, pear psylla and generalist predator densities as well as predator movement and feeding habits. The results will help determine the usefulness of cover crops as a biological control of a primary pest for Washington farmers. Results will be shared with growers in publications, presentations and field days.
Research and Education Grant: SW08-102, “Combining Trap Cropping and Natural-Chemical Lures to Attract and Kill Crucifer Flea Beetles,” William E. Snyder, principal investigator, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, (509) 335-3724, (509) 335-1009 fax, wesnyder@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $191,868
The mixed vegetable farms in the Pacific Northwest struggle with control of crucifer flea beetles (CFB), which feed on brassica crops, such as mustards and cabbages, killing the small plants and scarring foliage on survivors. Current control methods include costly row covers or frequent pesticide application, as much as once per week, a serious economic and environmental threat. This Research and Education Grant will adopt two methods to draw beetles into a trap crop, where flaming or tilling the trap crop can kill them. One method will use the newly discovered chemical CFB aggregation pheromone, a natural chemical produced by the beetles, after skinning the trap crop to lure them together. The other method will use the newly discovered chemical, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), to draw beetles away from the brassica. The project will determine the effectiveness of both methods and identify the most effective trap crops. Networking with mixed-vegetable growers in the area, a difficult group to reach, to gather and share information for this study and in the future is a key goal of the project.
Graduate Student Grant: GW08-001, “Using Bluegrass Straw to Modulate the Elevated Dietary Crude Protein and Phosphorus Caused by Including Distillers Grains and Solubles in Dairy Diets,” Stacey Prickett, graduate student, Animal Sciences Department, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6310, (509) 335-1002, (509) 335-4246 fax, staceyp@wsu.edu; Ronald Lee Kincaid, technical advisor, Professor, Washington State University, (509) 335-2457, rkincaid@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $14,914
The rising cost and reduced availability of feed corn for cattle results from accelerated ethanol production, which, in turn, increased the availability of the byproducts, distillers grain and solubles (DGS). Because DGS is high in fiber, it can be incorporated into the feed ration for dairy cattle as a substitute for corn. But like the other components of their ration, DGS is also high in crude protein and phosphorous, making excretions higher than is safe for the environment. This Graduate Student grant will examine the use of bluegrass straw (BGS), fed with DGS, to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous excretion. BGS is often burned, which is bad for air quality, but because it is low in P and N, it potentially could work well in the diets of dairy cattle when fed with DGS, offsetting its high P and N content. Previous studies have shown that feeding BGS 100 days prior to lactation in dairy cows did not affect their lactation performance. This project will determine if cows in mid-lactation can be fed the straw without reduction in milk yields. Feed costs will also be documented because the use of 10 percent BGS in diets has shown savings of $27 per day per cow. One control group will be fed distillers grain and alfalfa hay and another fed the same, but with 10 percent of the alfalfa replaced with bluegrass straw. Results will be presented at conferences and printed in the Washington Dairy Newsletter, The Progressive Dairyman and other publications.
Graduate Student Grant: GW08-005, “Characterization of Soils Properties Associated with Suppression of Fusarium Wilt in Spinach Seed Crops, and Development of a Quantitative Molecular Assay for Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. spinaciae,” Leigh Ann Harrison, graduate student, Washington State University, Mount Vernon NWREC, 16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon, WA 98273-4768, (360) 848-6129, (360) 848-6159 fax, laharrison@wsu.edu; Lindsey du Toit, technical advisor, Associate Scientist/Extension Specialist E-3, Washington State University, (360) 848-6140, dutoit@wsu.edu. Western SARE funding: $19,960
The Pacific Northwest produces 25 percent of the world’s spinach seed. The dry summers with moderate temperatures make it the only place in the United States that the seed can be grown. However, the acidic soils give rise to the most limiting factor for spinach production, Fusarium wilt, a disease caused by soil-borne fungus. At present, growers in the region have spinach seed in an 8- to-15 year rotation, opposed to 4- to 5-year rotations used on the alkaline soils in Denmark, which is not susceptible to the disease. This Graduate Student Grant will test the use of lime amendments to increase the pH of the soil, which has been shown to reduce Fusarium wilt infestations. Because some essential micronutrients are not as available at higher pH, the project will experiment with additions of calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese and iron. Each amendment will be assessed for fungus growth and aggression, spore production and germination. This project could decrease the years needed in the crop rotation and the use of costly fumigants, making spinach seed growth for Pacific Northwest farmers a more productive and sustainable enterprise. Findings will be demonstrated to seed growers at the Washington State University Vegetable Seed Field Days and other meetings and published in articles and on the extension website.
Wyoming
rofessional + Producer Grant: FW08-303, “Utilizing Soil Moisture and Microclimate Monitoring Technology to Reduce Water and Energy Needs and Improve Sugar Beet Crop Production for Producers in the Big Horn Basin Region of Wyoming,” Caryn Agee, project coordinator, Education Specialist, Washakie County Conservation District, 208 Shiloh Road, Worland, WY 82401, (307) 347-2456 ext. 121, (307) 347-8806 fax, caryn.agee@wy.nacdnet.net. Western SARE funding: $29,923
Sugar beets are a staple crop in the Big Horn Basin region of Wyoming, but easily develop Cercospora Leaf Spot with excess soil moisture. Not only has this disease been devastating, but recent global sugar production practices and prices have impacted the regions ability to maintain profitability. Sustaining sugar beet production is crucial to the agricultural diversity and economy of the area. This Professional + Producer Grant will help monitor soil moisture on irrigated sugar beets by supplying 15 environmental sensors on five center-pivot farms. These sensors will detect and log real-time humidity, temperature and precipitation data that can then be downloaded to a computer. This gathered information will aid in management decisions to control soil moisture. Reducing moisture at critical times could potentially reduce loss from disease and increase sugar production in beets because of drought stress. Tracking soil moisture could also prevent nutrient leaching from over watering and help understand water movement through differing soil profiles. When this SARE project is completed, the data will be distributed to producers through a presentation and published material. The monitors will then be used to research irrigation practices for other field crops grown in the area.
Professional + Producer Grant: FW08-307, “Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Cool-Season Perennial Forage Grasses Planted With and Without Alfalfa Under Irrigation for Hay Production,” Blaine E. Horn, project coordinator, Area Extension Education, University of Wyoming, 762 W. Fetterman, Buffalo, WY 82834, (307) 684-7522, bhorn@uwyo.edu; Elmer Detavernier, producer cooperator, 6718 Big Horn Ave., Sheridan, WY 82801, (307) 672-3858, lld@bresnan.net. Western SARE funding: $14,999
Alfalfa is a predominant crop grown in the Western United States, but good yielding stands may last only seven years or less before it needs to be tilled and replanted. Weed and insect controls for alfalfa are limited and costly, leaves fall off easily after a fall frost and the legume can easily cause bloat in ruminant animals. Generally, cool-season grasses do not have these associated problems. Elmer Detavernier will make available the 300 irrigated acres he leases to study nitrogen and water use by forage grasses and alfalfa/forage grass mixes in this Professional + Producer Grant. The results from the project could provide management alternatives for Western U.S. ranchers by prolonging grazing ability of their land and reducing hay production costs. Blaine Horn, University of Wyoming Big Horn Mountain Area Extension Educator, will conduct field days and workshops to share the findings, which will be integrated into the Wyoming Girls’ School curriculum with similar agricultural research.
Graduate Student Grant: GW08-016, “Potential of Managing Iron and Zinc Deficiency in Dry Beans with Interplanting of Annual Ryegrass,” Emmanuel Chiwo Omondi, graduate student, University of Wyoming, Department of Plant Sciences, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071-3354, (307) 766-4653, (307) 460-3718, (307) 766-5549 fax, eomondi@uwyo.edu; Rik Smith, technical advisor, Assistant Professor of Agroecology, University of Wyoming, (307) 766-3238, riksmith@uwyo.edu. Western SARE funding: $18,928
Beans are the fourth most valuable crop in Wyoming, yet production is limited by micronutrient deficiencies from high pH, low-organic-matter and calcareous soils in the region. Iron deficiency causes interveinal chlorosis, which reduces the yield and quality of the beans. Emmanuel Chiwo Omondi, a student at the University of Wyoming, will use his Graduate Student Grant to expand previous field studies showing that beans, intercropped with annual ryegrass, have higher levels of iron. The funds will also allow long-awaited tests on bean-producing soils gathered in Kenya. To determine the effectiveness of intercropping to relieve the soils of deficiencies, iron and zinc levels will be measured in field plots of beans interplanted with either annual ryegrass or wheat. Currently, growers are applying chemical fertilizers to mitigate the effects of these micronutrient deficiencies. These applications may not be necessary if intercropping is successful, which will be better for ground and surface water and farm productivity. From the project, farmers potentially will reduce monocropping and enhance on-farm biodiversity. Outcomes will be published with Extension and presented at scientific conferences and field days. Results from the Kenya soil testing will also be disseminated through extension to farmers throughout that country.
