Extension News from the West

Plan to attend the Asian pear thinning workshop at the Master Gardener Orchard on Saturday, May 4 at 9 a.m. and the Table and Wine Thinning class on May 11 at 10:30 a.m. The classes are free and open to the public.

Master Gardener Yutaka Nomura will show how to thin the Asian pear and explain why thinning the fruit will improve the size and quality of fruit. During the second class, Nomura will show how to thin table and wine grapes and explain how the thinning will improve the size and quality of the grapes.

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Orchard is located at 4600 Horse Road in NLV, 89131. The Orchard is a research and demonstration facility designed to test the suitability of fruit and vegetable varieties and transfer the knowledge on how to grow them in our harsh Mojave Desert climate.

For more information, email the Master Gardener Help Desk or call 702-257-5555.

Sessions highlight weed control and pesticide management

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is presenting a “Weed Extravaganza” April 30 to May 2 at the California Trail Interpretive Center (Hunter Exit, 8 miles west of Elko, north of I-80). The workshop, also sponsored by Elko County Association of Conservation Districts, Humboldt Watershed Cooperative Weed Management Area and the Nevada Department of Agriculture, will discuss a wide range of topics, including weed management and herbicide equipment calibrations.

The event begins with the 11th Annual Elko County Weed Summit on April 30, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., focusing on state weed laws, weed species and weed mapping. Humboldt County Extension Educator Brad Schultz is the featured speaker for the workshop, discussing “Weed Seed Banks: Why Early Detection and Rapid Response is a Critical Component of a Weed Management Program.” Extension will also host an afternoon field trip, which will focus on identification of weeds during their vulnerable growth stages.

Those seeking restricted-use pesticide certification can attend the Pesticide Applicator Training/Weed Identification and Management Workshop on May 1, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participants who attend this workshop and the April 30 event can earn 14 continuing education units, including those required for laws and safety credit. Certification exams will be offered May 2 at 7:15 a.m.

Kent McAdoo, Cooperative Extension natural resources specialist, said the Pesticide Applicator Training Workshop will provide participants with a better understanding of pesticides.

“The term pesticide is often misunderstood,” McAdoo said. “Pests include not just insects and rodents, but invasive weeds as well. Herbicides are the type of pesticides used to control weeds.”

Participants are welcome to attend any or all of the sessions, according to their interests and needs. The workshops on April 30 and May 1 are free to the public. However, those planning to attend on April 30 are encouraged to RSVP to Candie Kevan at 775-738-7291 by April 26. Those wishing to take certifications exams on May 2 must pay $25 at the door. For additional information, please contact McAdoo at 775-738-1251.

Cooperative Extension will also be hosting introductory-level training in invasive weeds at its Weed Warriors Basic Training Workshop May 20, 1 to 5 p.m. and May 21, 8 a.m. to noon, at 4955 Energy Way in Reno. Contact Ashley Andrews for more information.

Residents urged to be proactive

“Reduce the Fuel - Reduce the Risk!” is the message for 2013 Nevada Wildfire Awareness Week, which kicks off May 4. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension (UNCE) natural resource specialist Ed Smith, the manager of UNCE’s Living With Fire program, said this year’s message is a call to action. Reducing the fuel around homes and other structures is critical to survival during a wildfire.

There are three factors that control wildfire behavior: weather (relative humidity, wind, air temperature, etc.), topography (steepness of slope, aspect, slope position, etc.) and fuel (amount, continuity, height, moisture content, etc.). Together, these three factors determine the ease in which a wildfire will start, direction it will go, how fast it travel, length of its flames and how difficult it will be to suppress. Of these three factors, only the fuels can be changed in order to reduce the wildfire risk.

Events are being planned across the state by your local, state and federal firefighting agencies, UNCE and other organizations. For a complete list of all Wildfire Awareness Week events taking place in Nevada, including an event in Red Rock Canyon on May 9 in Clark County, visit the Living With Fire website and click on the Wildfire Awareness Week page.

<p>BOZEMAN -<strong> </strong>Montana State University Extension is offering a new, two-year leadership program for professionals in agriculture and natural resource...

Revision to Educational Policies and Procedures Manual

Though spring semester is not yet over, we know that faculty are already planning courses for summer and fall. Please be aware that the Faculty Senate has approved a revision to the Educational Policies and Procedures Manual (EPPM), requiring that all syllabi provide student learning outcomes:

Course Syllabus

The instructor(s) of each course shall make available to enrolled students a course syllabus which should (a) be presented during the first week of class, (b) contain expected student learning outcomes, and (c) include information about the method(s) to be used for evaluation of student progress and determination of grades. The University, College or Academic Unit may, in published policies, specify additional information to be included in course syllabi. [approved 2/14/13]

This good practice aligns with standards of WSU’s regional accrediting body, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which mandates that, “Expected student learning outcomes for courses, wherever offered and however delivered, are provided in written form to enrolled students” (Standard 2.C.2).

CAHNRS Award Winners

Congratulations to all the recipients of the 2012-2013 CAHNRS Excellence Awards.

CAHNRS Faculty & Staff Award Recipients, 2012-2013

R.M. Wade Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award
Michael M. Neff – Crop and Soil Sciences

Excellence in Extension Award
Dale Moore – Extension Vet Science

Excellence in Research Award
Thomas Spencer – Animal Science

Individual Integrated Award
Jay Brunner – WSU Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center

Early Career Excellence Award
Holly Neibergs – Animal Science

Team Interdisciplinary Award
WSU Decision Aid – Entomology

Administrative Professional Staff Excellence Award
Don Holbrook

Administrative Professional Technical Staff Excellence Award
Marianne Elliott – Plant Pathology

Classified Technical Staff Excellence Award
Peter Gray – Food Science

Classified Technical Staff Excellence Award
Beth Toerne – Institute of Biological Chemistry

CAHNRS Student Award Recipients, 2012-2013

Family and Consumer Scientist of the Year Award
Corinne Markle – Interior Design

Aggie of the Year Award
Gwen Graf – Animal Science

Outstanding Junior in Human Sciences Award
Kevin Ketcham – Human Development

Outstanding Junior in Agriculture Award
Corrine Harris – Animal Science

Outstanding Freshman of the Year Award
Michael Burley – Human Development

Superior Club of the Year Award
Food Science Club – School of Food Science

Battle of the Agies Award
AgTM – Agriculture & Food Systems

Outstanding Senior Awards

Kristina Peterschick – Agricultural Education
Jordyn Hutton – Agricultural and Food Business Economics
Lexi Roach – Agricultural Technology and Production Management
Gwen Graf- Animal Science
Breda Fitzgerald – Apparel Design
Ryan Christian – Agricultural Biotechnology
Jon Paul Driver – Agribusiness Economics and Management
Jesse Fosse – Economic Sciences
Laramee Fox – Field Crop Management
Jake Fisher– Food Science
Nick Vincent – Fruit and Vegetable Management
Yadira Olivera – Human Development
Kristin Hayden – Human Development Online
Catherine Weisenburger – Interior Design
Tom Jensen – Landscape, Nursery, and Greenhouse Management
Janel Navran – Merchandising
Nichole Studevant – Natural Resource Sciences
Adam Bright – Viticulture and Enology
Katie Meline – Wildlife Ecology

Kudos

Taya Brown, senior in Organic Agriculture Systems and Biology, has been selected as a recipient of the WSU President’s Award for student leadership. Learn more about the award at http://bit.ly/YQy5UF.

Hossein Sadeghi, a graduate student in biological systems engineering, is one of two nationwide recipients of the 2013 Freeman Fellowship from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Awarded to one or two graduate students each year to support research and related travel expenses, the $5,000 fellowship was established in 1924 by John R. Freeman, past president and honorary member of ASCE. Sadeghi’s award will be used toward an irrigation and drainage project during 2013-14.

Seminars Economics

April 19
Ellen McGrattan, FRB Minneapolis, “On Financing Retirement with an Aging Population.” Host: Gibson. Hulbert 23, 3:30–5 p.m.

April 22
Dawn Thilmany, Colorado State University. Host: Gallardo. Hulbert 23, 3:30–5 p.m.

April 26
Jeff Dorfman, University of Georgia. Host: Fortenbery. Hulbert 23, 3:30–5 p.m.

Public Lectures 2013 Catts Lecture

Steve Wratten, a professor of ecology with Lincoln University’s Bio-Protection Research Centre in New Zealand, will present the 2013 E. Paul Catts Memorial Lecture at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, in the Smith Center for Undergraduate Education (CUE), Room 202. The lecture, titled “Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Biological Control and the Future of Agriculture,” and a social immediately following in CUE 518 are free and open to the public.

As the center’s deputy director and project manager, Wratten runs a six-year research program on biodiversity, ecosystem services and sustainable agriculture, according to the center’s website. Many of the postdoctoral and doctoral research projects in the group concern the ecological basis of biological control, especially conservation biological control of insect pests and diseases.

A post-lecture dinner is set for 7:30 p.m. at Banyans on the Ridge. Cost is $25, and an RSVP is required. Please contact Adam Williams, 509-335-5425, adam.williams@wsu.edu, to attend the dinner.

For more information about the Catts Lecture, visit the website at http://entomology.wsu.edu/events/e-paul-catts/.

Recent News Releases

• Online Forest Stewardship U helps small forest owners manage their land
• New Zealand Professor of Ecology to Present WSU’s E. Paul Catts Lecture on April 26
• WSU weed scientist returns to Scotland for ‘superfruit’ study with UK berry breeders
• New WSU Online Degree to Meet Growing Demand in Food Science Industry
• WSU leads development of heat-tolerant grain

In eNews

The April 10 issue of On Solid Ground features stories on Sudden Oak Death, the new Food Science online degree program, and the entomology graduate students’ Insect Expo. Read the issue here or visit the archives to subscribe and read back issues.

Archives

CAHNRS News is archived at http://cahnrsnews.wsu.edu/category/cnews/.

WSU Research Cultivates Seeds of Opportunity for PNW Farmers

The grain-like seed crop quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is growing in popularity and very likely will soon be grown more widely in the Pacific Northwest, thanks to a $1.6 million USDA grant recently awarded to a team of Washington State University researchers.

Quinoa is in high demand by consumers because it is a highly nutritious, high-protein (and gluten-free) alternative to grains and rice.

Kevin Murphy is leading an effort to develop new varieties of quinoa to meet a growing domestic deman. Photo by Brian Clark, WSU.

Kevin Murphy, the project’s lead scientist and a plant breeder for the WSU research project, says that current and growing demand in the US outweighs production from traditional quinoa producing countries like Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. “Demand is driving distributors, wholesalers, and retailers to seek out domestic, reliable sources of quinoa and this spells opportunity for Pacific Northwest farmers,” Murphy said.

Organic farmers and quinoa distributors and retailers alike are expected to benefit from this research. “Consumers want organic and local sources of quinoa,” Murphy says. The project aims to identify the best varieties suited for organic production in the region, develop best management practices for production, and assess market demand and future marketing options for quinoa growers and sellers.

Varieties of quinoa grow in plots at WSU’s organic farm in Pullman. Photo by Brian Clark, WSU.

The research project ties into a larger global focus on the potential of this nutritious crop. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has declared 2013 the International Year of Quinoa. According to International Year of Quinoa website, the goal of the campaign is to “focus world attention on the role that quinoa´s biodiversity and nutritional value plays in providing food security and nutrition and the eradication of poverty.”

Quinoa’s potential to increase options for regional farmers and locavores as well as to address global food security lies in its adaptability to marginal growing conditions. “Compared to other crops, quinoa has excellent drought and salinity tolerance,” explains Murphy. “Quinoa can adapt to many environmental and climatic conditions. It thrives in a wide range of soil pH and tolerates light frost and late rains.”

One area that needs improvement is developing varieties with greater heat tolerance. So far, Murphy’s variety trials indicate that varieties bred from Chilean germplasm are best adapted to high maximum temperatures of the Pacific and Inland Northwest regions.

WSU will host an International Quinoa Research Symposium August 12-14 in conjunction with the International Year of Quinoa. Researchers from around the world will gather in Pullman, Wash., to learn about current research and view demonstrations of variety and breeding field trials.

-Sylvia Kantor

Weed Scientist Synergizes ‘Superfruit’ Study with Scottish Berry Breeders

Raspberries are one of the “superfruits” being studied this summer by WSU Mount Vernon weed scientist Tim Miller and his colleagues in Scotland. Photo by Tim Miller, WSU.

When WSU weed scientist Tim Miller first teamed up with fruit researchers in the United Kingdom last summer, he was hoping to learn how weeds affect the quality and nutritional value of raspberries. Now he is traveling to the James Hutton Institute in Invergowrie, Scotland, for a second year of berry trials, May 14-23, and when he returns, his findings may help growers produce a higher-quality “superfruit.”

Miller developed the series of trial projects in order to find out whether weeds, or the herbicides used to control them, produce berries with less of the vitamin C and other antioxidants and nutrients which make berries so healthful and appealing to consumers. His research complements that of UK researchers who have perfected the method for measuring the amount of many compounds in raspberry and black currant, two so-called “superfruits” which contain large amounts of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that protect and repair our bodies’ cells from damage caused by free radicals that can impair the body’s immune system. Superfuits are believed to help fight off that damage by boosting the immune system, enabling the body to better ward off colds, flu, and other infections.

“Since we both grow berries, it was a natural thing for a Pacific Northwest weed scientist and the small fruit breeders in the United Kingdom to team up and see what some of the factors are that affect berry quality,” said Miller.

For raspberries, one common factor may be how weeds are managed. “Producers in the Pacific Northwest, as in Scotland, use herbicides to manage cane growth and control weeds,” Miller said. Their research may determine — for the first time — whether weed control also influences berry quality, sugar content, color, and antioxidant level.

According to Miller, last summer’s initial Scottish berry-trial results linked the presence of some hard-to-control weeds like broadleaf dock, fireweed, and quackgrass to negative impacts on berries such as lower sugar and vitamin C content and reduced color and juice sweetness. He said this year’s trials will provide even more useful information for berry growers and consumers across the globe.

“A better understanding of the potential effects of management decisions will give growers one more tool to improve not only the yield of their fruit, but also the quality of those fruits for consumers,” Miller said. “Whenever you test living plants in the real world, you can expect some variation in the results from year to year. If berry quality factors respond the same way two years in a row, it’s a good indication that you are looking at a true response rather than simply a response due to temperature or some other environmental factor.”

-Cathy McKenzie

When, How, and Why to Grow Your Own Vegetables—and More

Just in time for the spring growing season, one of the founding publications in WSU’s Home Garden Series is now available to help Washington State gardeners transform their yards into edible landscapes.

Whether you’re looking to participate in local farmers markets, trim a food budget, or simply start growing your own food, Home Vegetable Gardening in Washington can be consulted for everything from building garden beds and planting seeds to pest management and harvesting. It also offers growing details for more than 70 vegetable crops, including quality differences between home-grown and store-bought produce, production per square foot, and monetary values.

One of the most important factors to consider when selecting vegetable crops is climate, says the manual’s lead author Carol Miles, a WSU Extension vegetable specialist and Master Gardener educator. She and her coauthor specialists in horticulture and entomology added color-coded maps to the publication so that new growers can easily match their vegetable garden site to planting zone dates and temperatures.

The peer-reviewed and professionally edited and designed gardening guide is available at http://bit.ly/10zjBpb. Visit the WSU Extension Online Store home page at https://pubs.wsu.edu/ for the latest releases, and enter “home garden series” in the search box for more science-based growing advice. Another useful site for home gardeners ishttp://vegetables.wsu.edu/, where you can find links to research on plant diseases and pests, organic agriculture, food safety, and much more.

Upcoming Farm Walks April 22: Vineyard Habitat Restoration, Klickitat County

Robin Dobson and Kathleen Perillo are engaged with ecodynamic farming in their 12-acre vineyard. They have introduced native flora into the farm and among crop plants to encourage biodiversity that lets the good bugs out-compete harmful pests. Learn how they manage the habitat, their grape harvest, and making wine by hand. Participants will also tour their winery where they use no external inputs and let nature do its work. Wine tasting included.

May 6: Grade A Goat Dairy Farm Walk Near Spokane

Heron Pond Farms, located at the base of Tower Mountain in Spokane, is a small, sustainable, family-owned farm providing quality artisanal cheeses and heritage pork to local consumers, markets, and restaurants. Heron Pond is dedicated to humanely raising healthy, happy, hormone free, dairy goats and large black hogs in a pasture-based setting that encourages the animals to behave naturally. During this farm walk, visitors will have the opportunity learn what goes into creating a Grade A dairy products. Participants will see the entire operation, starting with the milking room and ending at the cheese cave. Meet the happy goats and pigs that make Heron Pond Farms their home! Cheese tasting included.

The Heron Pond Farm walk is offered by Tilth Producers and the WSU Small Farms Program. Register for the walk, and check out other upcoming events, at http://tilthproducers.org/events/, or call Jacqueline Cramer, Tilth’s educational programs coordinator, at 206-632-7506.

Whatcom County Farm & Food Finder

Sustainable Connections has published the 2013 edition of the free Whatcom Food & Farm Finder, the region’s comprehensive guide and map to local food and agriculture that helps connect Whatcom County visitors and residents alike with local farms, restaurants, grocers, and other resources.

The Whatcom Food & Farm Finder also includes a wealth of information and resources to help shoppers find out how to eat with the seasons, find u-pick and farm stands, celebrate at local events, find organic farms and learn about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, source products directly from fishers and ranchers, and learn about the importance of our local food and agriculture.

The 2013-2014 Food & Farm Finder is available online at eatlocalfirst.org as well as at locations around the Puget Sound.

The Life Stories Nevada memoir-writing workshop, a University of Nevada Cooperative Extension program, is planning a reunion class May 3 at the Las Vegas FamilySearch Library, 509 S. Ninth St., Las Vegas. The intent is to continue the work of Life Stories Nevada through regular writing groups.

Cooperative Extension recently completed a partnership with the Las Vegas FamilySearch Library in March to offer the four-week Life Stories Nevada memoir-writing workshop, which helps older adults record life stories for themselves and future generations. Due to budget cuts, the class will no longer be offered, but Cooperative Extension staff is working with volunteers at the FamilySearch Library to continue the writing groups. This will allow those working on their memoirs to get the encouragement and motivation they need to finish.

Research has illustrated the importance of personal narratives to improve memory and promote self-esteem, which can lead to extended independence and more successful aging. The program aims to increase residents’ well-being by validating their life stories through both the process of writing them down and sharing them in a supportive group setting.

The writing group is free, and no registration is required. For more information, call Jean Norman at (702) 940-5423 or Wayne Stoker at the FamilySearch Library, (702) 382-9695.

PULLMAN, Wash. – Many forestland owners, particularly those with small acreage, are seeking information on how to keep their trees healthy and on track to provide enjoyment for years to come. Washington State University Extension has launched Forest Stewardship University, which offers a series of online courses. The self-directed courses are available on demand at http://bit.ly/ForestStewardshipU.

“These online courses are taught by experts and have the same high quality content as our in-person extension forestry workshops,” said Kevin Zobrist, the WSU Extension forestry specialist who helped coordinate development of the courses. “Those who can’t make it to our live workshops now have access to this valuable education on their own schedules and from the comfort and convenience of their own homes.”

With course fees starting at less than $5, the courses offer a bargain to residents of the Pacific Northwest looking to get the most out of their forested properties. Forest Stewardship University includes online courses in:

• native trees and plants,
• forest management and silviculture,
• forest health,
• regulations and taxes,
• soils,
• invasive weeds.

“By providing access to this information, I hope we can reduce many landowner regrets that I frequently hear, such as getting a poor deal selling timber, losing too many trees to insects or disease, or removing too much wildlife cover and therefore reducing wildlife viewing opportunities,” said Zobrist.

In addition to small forest landowners, the online courses are recommended for people who want to know more about trees and forests in the Pacific Northwest, natural resource professionals who want to refresh basic skills and forestry professionals who have relocated from other regions.

-Bob Hoffmann

PULLMAN, Wash.—Steve Wratten, a professor of ecology with Lincoln University’s Bio-Protection Research Centre in New Zealand, will present the 2013 E. Paul Catts Memorial Lecture at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, in the Smith Center for Undergraduate Education (CUE), Room 202. The lecture, titled “Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Biological Control and the Future of Agriculture,” and a social immediately following in CUE 518 are free to the public.

Steve Wratten

As the center’s deputy director and project manager, Wratten runs a six-year research program on biodiversity, ecosystem services and sustainable agriculture, according to the center’s website. Many of the postdoctoral and doctoral research projects in the group concern the ecological basis of biological control, especially conservation biological control of insect pests and diseases.

A post-lecture dinner will be at 7:30 p.m. at Banyans on the Ridge. Cost is $25, and an RSVP is required. Please contact Adam Williams, 509-335-5425, adam.williams@wsu.edu, to attend the dinner.

The E. Paul Catts Memorial Lecture started in 1997 to honor the longtime and popular professor, public speaker and artist. Catts was a trained parasitologist and taught medical entomology at WSU for 16 years before his death in 1996. He also wrote and illustrated several books, including a laboratory manual for medical and veterinary entomology and a guide for forensic entomology.

Past Catts speakers include Robert Michael Pyle, Xerces Society founder, and Neal Haskell, world-renowned forensic entomologist. Lecture topics have ranged from bed bugs and the evolution of bird lice to insects in the movies and University of Tennessee’s Body Farm in Knoxville.

For more information about the Catts Lecture, visit the website at http://entomology.wsu.edu/events/e-paul-catts/.

-30-

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. – When Washington State University weed scientist Tim Miller teamed up with fruit researchers in the United Kingdom last summer, he was hoping to learn how weeds affect the quality and nutritional value of raspberries. He will travel to the James Hutton Institute in Invergowrie, Scotland for a second year of berry trials May 14-23 and, when he returns, his findings may help growers produce a higher quality “superfruit.”

Raspberries are one of the “superfruits” being studied this summer by WSU Mount Vernon weed scientist Tim Miller and his colleagues in Scotland. Photo by Tim Miller, WSU. Click image to download hi-res file.

Miller developed the series of trial projects in order to find out whether weeds, or the herbicides used to control them, produce fruit with less of the vitamin C and other antioxidants and nutrients that make berries so healthful and appealing to consumers. His research complements that of UK researchers who have perfected the method for measuring the amount of many compounds in raspberry and black currant, two of the so-called superfruits that contain large amounts of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that protect and repair cells from damage caused by free radicals that can impair the body’s immune system. Superfuits are believed to help fight damage by boosting the immune system, enabling the body to better ward off colds, flu and other infections.

“Since we both grow berries, it was a natural thing for a Pacific Northwest weed scientist and the small fruit breeders in the United Kingdom to team up and see what some of the factors are that affect berry quality,” said Miller.

For raspberries, one common factor may be how weeds are managed.

“Producers in the Pacific Northwest, as in Scotland, use herbicides to manage cane growth and control weeds,” Miller said. Their research may determine – for the first time – whether weed control also influences berry quality, sugar content, color and antioxidant level.

According to Miller, last summer’s initial results linked the presence of some hard-to-control weeds like broadleaf dock, fireweed and quackgrass to such negative impacts on berries as lower sugar and vitamin C content and reduced color and juice sweetness. He said this year’s trials will provide even more useful information for berry growers and consumers across the globe.

“A better understanding of the potential effects of management decisions will give growers one more tool to improve not only the yield of their fruit, but also how good those fruits are for consumers,” Miller said.

“Whenever you test living plants in the real world, you can expect some variation in the results from year to year,” he said. “If berry quality factors respond the same way two years in a row, it’s a good indication that you are looking at a true response rather than simply a response due to temperature or some other environmental factor.”

-Cathy McKenzie

PULLMAN, Wash. — This fall WSU will launch a new online Master of Science in Agriculture degree program that focuses on food science and management. The new degree is the first in the nation to combine food science with business management courses, giving graduates an edge in the industry and helping to meet growing demand.

Dr. Jeff Culbertson, director of the new online Food Science and Management program, notes that every year there are 30-40% more food science jobs than qualified candidates in the US. “The industry is growing at a phenomenal rate. In 1990, the average number of products on grocery store shelves was 5000. Today, that number is 25,000. The number of products has just skyrocketed, and behind every product is a group of trained people who developed each one.”

The unique degree offers plenty of core science courses but also executive management courses designed to prepare students for the project management, budget development, human resource management and other challenges they will likely encounter on the job.

“The degree opens the door to enhancing earning potential – it could triple or even quadruple with a master’s degree,” Culbertson said. “Students employed in the food industry with a B.S. in one of the sciences often plateau in their careers fairly quickly, say in 3-5 years. A master’s opens the door to career advancement.” The degree also opens doors for those who are not currently employed in the food industry.

Several courses in the program focus on environmental sustainability and environmental toxicology. The food and beverage industry now recognizes opportunities for turning waste into useable materials – to generate steam, electricity or heat. For example, Budweiser produces a lot of spent grain which, in the past, they sold as cattle feed. Now they ferment that waste grain to produce fuel that is in turn used to generate energy. In fact, one plant in Columbus, Ohio is 90 percent self-sufficient in producing its energy, according to Culbertson.

Culbertson and his colleagues have the track record for teaching effective online courses. He has been developing and teaching online courses for over 18 years, giving him plenty of experience in what works well.

“The program is bound to be a good experience because we know what we’re doing,” Culbertson said. His colleague, Greg Möller, a University of Idaho professor of environmental chemistry and toxicology, teaches several of the online Food Science and Management courses and is nationally recognized for his film-based course in global sustainability, part of the Food Science and Management curriculum. Culbertson and Möller are both award-winning educators.

The Master’s in Agriculture: Food Science and Management option is offered jointly by Washington State University and the University of Idaho School of Food Science.

Cooperative Extension is hosting a statewide Local Food Summit on May 14 to foster collaboration among various University departments and partner organizations who are working to develop Arizona's local food systems. At this working summit, participants will develop action plans for how University of Arizona entities and partners can support socially equitable, economically viable, and environmentally sound local food systems.

Time and Place Date:  05/14/2013 - 8:00am - 5:00pm Location:  South Ballroom, UA Student Union 1303 E University Blvd Tucson, AZ 85721 See map: Google Maps Cost and Registration Cost:  Free Registration Required:  Yes Additional Information Link to more information:  Registration Link to more information:  Flyer Offers volunteer opportunities:  No Offers Continuing Education credit:  No Contact Davenport, Jesse A few questions Expiration date:  Wed, 05/15/2013 Event category:  Conference

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Cooperative Extension is hosting a statewide Local Food Summit on May 14 to foster collaboration among various University departments and partner organizations who are working to develop Arizona's local food systems. At this working summit, participants will develop action plans for how University of Arizona entities and partners can support socially equitable, economically viable, and environmentally sound local food systems.

More than 80 students, including Milena Go, Jade Fillmore, Lauren Hudson (left to right) in partner with local merchants will present visual displays at the Chocolate Decadence event on April 11.

PULLMAN, Wash.— Chocolate Decadence is an invitation to support the local economy, help Washington State University undergraduates build a sweet resume, and indulge in chocolate treats April 11.

Just in time for WSU Mom’s Weekend, 81 visual design and merchandising students have collaborated creatively with Pullman businesses to install spring-themed window and store displays. The public is encouraged to take advantage of free chocolate giveaways, vote for their favorite displays, and participate in store promotions at each of the 21 locations.

“Many people like to get their map and try to hit all the chocolate stops,” said Amberly Boone, event coordinator for Pullman Chamber of Commerce. “It is a very fun way for people to explore Pullman.”

The event takes place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. An event map is available on the Pullman Chamber of Commerce web site: http://bit.ly/XbgcLi.

In the early planning stages of the visual display project, AMDT student Jade Fillmore snaps a photo of the storefront of Ric-O-Shay.

“We are really trying to promote the economic prosperity of Pullman and connect WSU to the community,” said professor Carol Salusso, who teaches Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles courses. “Merchants act as mentors to students who get real-life experience in visual merchandising.”

Yvonne Skinner, co-owner of Ric-O-Shay, is planning to crack open some raspberry chocolate jam from Whidbey Island, Wash. she sells in the shop. Mitch Chandler, owner of Neill’s Flowers and Gifts, is sticking with a previous hit, tried and true chocolate fondue.

Yvonne Skinner, co-owner of Ric-O-Shay, is planning to crack open some raspberry chocolate jam from Whidbey Island, Wash. sold in the shop.

“We’ve done this three times. Each group (of students) brings something different to the project and we give them guidance in a practical experience,” Chandler said. “It’s a great program and gets lots of people downtown.”

Students have partnered with The Bookie, Design Effects, Lily Bee’s Consignment Shop, Neill’s Flowers and Gifts, GLASSPhemy, Flirt, Ric-O-Shay, Sam Dial Jewelers, Crimson and Gray, At Home Designs: Framing it up, Atom Heart Music, Prune Orchard, B&L Bicycle Shop, Wild Ivy, R-top Theatre, 2nd Chance Thrift, Daily Grind/Licks, Barnacle Bills, Pets R People 2, Betty’s Alterations, and Dissemore’s.

Workshop will aim to strengthen the economic stability of America’s agricultural producers

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency to offer an Impact of Future Growth in Nevada Dairies Workshop. The half-day workshop will be held in Eureka on April 15 and in Lovelock on April 29, 8 a.m. to noon.

The program, funded by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency, focuses on helping producers manage their business risks through effective, market-based risk-management solutions. The workshop will give attendees an overall view of what the dairy industry will look like and how it will impact the region, according to Jennifer Kintz, registration coordinator for the class with Cooperative Extension. It will also discuss dairy and alfalfa hay prices in Nevada and opportunities available for new dairy operations.

With a new dairy expected to be in operation in the area this year, the workshop will provide valuable information for agricultural producers and how the new dairy will help the agricultural area of Nevada as a whole, Kintz said.

“As of right now we ship a lot of our alfalfa to California, Kintz said. “Once the dairy goes into full operation we will not be shipping our Nevada alfalfa over to California anymore because we will need it for this dairy operation.”

The growth in Nevada dairies is expected to have an effect on Nevada.

“This is going to be such a huge impact on our region, Kintz said. “Any county that is agriculturally based, especially Lyon and Pershing Counties, are going to be affected because of the amount of productivity that is going to come out of alfalfa.”

The registration fee is $20 per farm, and one or two individuals from each farm may attend. To register and for more information, contact Jennifer Kintz at kintzj@unce.unr.edu. More information can also be found here

The Master Gardeners will staff an information table at the Earth Day Farmers Market at Town Square on Friday April 19, from 3 to 7pm to answer questions, give gardening advice and offer free gardening publications.

ALSO

The Master Gardeners will staff an information table at the Cactus Show and Art Fair at Moon-Sun Cactus and Koi Gardens (6430 McGill Ave., LV 89122-near Tropicana/Boulder Hwy). The Cactus Show is Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21 from 9am to 4pm.

For more info, email or call the Master Gardener Help Desk at 702-257-5555.

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PULLMAN, Wash. – The grain-like seed crop quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has grown in popularity and likely will be grown more widely in the Pacific Northwest, thanks to a $1.6 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant recently awarded to Washington State University researchers.

Varieties of quinoa grow in plots at WSU’s organic farm in Pullman. Photo by Brian Clark, Washington
State University. Click image to download hi-res version.

Quinoa is in demand because it is a highly nutritious, high-protein, gluten-free alternative to grains and rice. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has declared 2013 the International Year of Quinoa, with a goal to “focus world attention on the role that quinoa´s biodiversity and nutritional value play in providing food security and nutrition and the eradication of poverty.”

Traditional quinoa producing countries like Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru are not keeping up with U.S. demand, said Kevin Murphy, lead scientist and plant breeder for the WSU project.

Varieties of quinoa grow in plots at WSU’s organic farm in Pullman. Photo by Brian Clark, Washington State University. Click image to download hi-res version.

“Demand is driving distributors, wholesalers and retailers to seek domestic, reliable sources of quinoa, and this spells opportunity for Pacific Northwest farmers,” he said. “Consumers want organic and local sources of quinoa.”

The WSU project aims to identify the best varieties suited for organic production in the region, develop best management practices for production and assess market demand and future marketing options for quinoa growers and sellers.

Quinoa’s potential to increase options for regional farmers and locavores, as well as to address global food security, lies in its adaptability to marginal growing conditions.

“Compared to other crops, quinoa has excellent drought and salinity tolerance,” Murphy said. “Quinoa can adapt to many environmental and climatic conditions. It thrives in a wide range of soil pH and tolerates light frost and late rains.”

A needed improvement is heat tolerance. So far, Murphy’s trials indicate that varieties bred from Chilean germplasm are best adapted to high maximum temperatures in the Pacific Northwest.

WSU will host the International Quinoa Research Symposium Aug. 12-14 in conjunction with the International Year of the Quinoa. Researchers from around the world will gather in Pullman, Wash. to learn about research, varieties and breeding field trials.

-Sylvia Kantor

A child holds a hissing cockroach at a previous WSU Insect Expo. Click image for a high-resolution version.

PULLMAN, Wash.—Local children and their parents can learn how fast a cockroach can race, pet a tarantula and more at an April 20 Insect Expo, sponsored by Washington State University’s Entomology Graduate Student Association. The event, set from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will take place in Ensminger Pavilion.

Insect-themed craft projects, face painting and live insect displays are also part of the fun, all geared toward helping Palouse-area families discover more about the world of insects.

“I personally very much enjoy interacting with the children and their parents in the live insect exhibits,” said Rebecca Schmidt, event coordinator and EGSA president. “It’s great to see children abandon some of their preconceptions about insects in order to hold a hissing cockroach or pet a tarantula. It’s especially rewarding to watch the parents overcome their fears in order to set an example for their children.”

EGSA’s mission is to promote entomology among WSU graduate students and provide public educational outreach to the Palouse. For details, visit the association’s Facebook page.

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Stopping the Spread of Sudden Oak Death

Sudden Oak Death (SOD) has killed millions of oak trees in California, but since receiving its common name in 1995, SOD has also been found infecting flowers in Washington State nurseries. The latest tally for the cost of the Washington campaign to contain Phytophthora ramorum, the fungus-like organism that causes SOD, is more than $400,000 in destroyed nursery plants over two years. These losses, coupled with additional measures such as quarantine, labor, and disposal, have driven some Washington nurseries out of business.

Oak twig showing “Sudden Oak Death” caused by Phytophthora ramorum. Photo: Joseph O’Brien, USDA Forest Service.

Contaminated nursery stock is only one potential source of this devastating disease. P. ramorum has also infested waterways in a number of states, including the Sammamish River in King County, Washington. Forty-six entities have rights to use this water to irrigate nearly 2,800 acres that span nurseries, parks, farms, and church properties.

Because P. ramorum has not been detected on plants along the Sammamish River, scientists presume that the organism needs to reach a certain concentration in the water to cause disease. Gary Chastagner, a WSU researcher based at the WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center who specializes in disease management of ornamental plants, likens P. ramorum infection to the common cold. “People are constantly exposed to the cold virus, but usually don’t fall ill. However, under the right conditions, when virus levels are high enough, we get laid low.”

Targeting Research at Expanding Problem

As P. ramorum only became established in the United States in the mid-1990s, relatively little is known about how it spreads in waterways. To find out how to stop further invasions, Chastagner has received a $30,000 grant from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that will allow investigation of P. ramorum levels in irrigation water that trigger infection in rhododendron, camellia, and viburnum.

Because of the potential risks, Chastagner and research associate Marianne Elliott will conduct the SOD study at the National Ornamentals Research Site at Dominican University in California (NORS-DUC), the only authorized facility in the United States for this purpose. At NORS-DUC, they will apply overhead irrigation to plants using water infested with varying levels of P. ramorum. Keeping water on the plant surfaces for long periods will produce conditions favorable to the disease and potentially enable the researchers to determine its tipping point.

-Bob Hoffmann

Innovative New Food Science Degree to Meet Growing Industry Demand

Food scientists evaluate the quality of test bread loaves made with a blend of durum and spring wheats. Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA ARS.

This fall WSU and the University of Idaho will launch a new online Master of Science in Agriculture program that integrates food science and management. The new degree is the first in the nation to combine food science with business management courses, giving graduates an edge in the industry and helping to meet growing demand.

Dr. Jeff Culbertson, director of the new online Food Science and Management program, notes that every year there are 30-40% more food science jobs than qualified candidates in the United States. “The industry is growing at a phenomenal rate. In 1990, the average number of products on grocery store shelves was 5,000. Today that number is 25,000. The number of products has just skyrocketed, and behind every product is a group of trained people who developed each one.”

The unique degree offers plenty of core science, but also executive management courses, budget development, human resource management, and other challenges students will likely encounter on the job. “This M.S. in Ag opens the door to enhancing earning potential-–it could triple or even quadruple,” Culbertson said. “Students employed in the food industry with a B.S. in one of the sciences often plateau in their careers fairly quickly, say in 3-5 years. A master’s opens the door to career advancement,” including for those who are not currently employed in the food industry.

Several courses in the groundbreaking Food Science and Management program focus on environmental sustainability and toxicology because the food and beverage industry now recognizes opportunities for turning waste into power sources such as steam, electricity, and heat. For example, Budweiser produces a lot of spent grain which, in the past, they sold as cattle feed. Now they ferment that waste grain to produce fuel that is in turn used to generate energy. One plant in Columbus, Ohio, is already 90 percent self-sufficient, according to Culbertson.

Culbertson and his colleagues have a track record for teaching effective online courses. After 18 years, the “program is bound to be a good experience because we know what we’re doing,” Culbertson said. His colleague, Greg Möller, a UI professor of environmental chemistry and toxicology, teaches several of the online food science and management courses and is nationally recognized for his film-based course in global sustainability, which is part of the new curriculum. Both are award-winning educators.

Learn more about the new program, including how to apply, by visiting http://msag.wsu.edu/food-science/.

-Sylvia Kantor

Race Cockroaches and More at WSU Insect Expo April 20

A child holds a hissing cockroach at a previous WSU Insect Expo.

Local children and their parents can learn how fast a cockroach can run, pet a tarantula, and have more fun with arthropods at the April 20 Insect Expo, sponsored by the WSU Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA). The event, set from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will take place in Ensminger Pavilion.

Insect-themed craft projects, face painting, and live insect displays are also on the agenda, all geared toward helping Palouse-area families discover more about the world of insects.

“I personally very much enjoy interacting with the children and their parents in the live insect exhibits,” said Rebecca Schmidt, event coordinator and EGSA president. “It’s great to see children abandon some of their preconceptions about insects in order to hold a hissing cockroach or pet a tarantula. It’s especially rewarding to watch the parents overcome their fears in order to set an example for their children.”

The EGSA’s mission is to promote entomology among WSU graduate students and provide public educational outreach to the Palouse. For details, visit the association’s Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/Ze6PLx.

-Nella Letizia