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| Taking root: Oregon annual ryegrass finds a home in the Midwest |
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By Bruce Pokarney
Ralph “Junior” Upton is a typical Illinois corn and soybean grower using a less than typical cropping strategy to help increase yields. The soft-spoken farmer has just harvested 235 bushels of corn per acre in a no-till field that has used annual ryegrass as a cover crop for the past seven years. His neighbors, who arguably have better soil than Junior, have averaged no more than 85 bushels per acre this summer without the benefit of annual ryegrass. Because of his success, the neighbors plan on planting more than 20,000 acres of annual ryegrass in the next several weeks.
At 20 pounds per acre, that’s 400,000 pounds of ryegrass seed.
Junior Upton’s amazing yield is even more impressive when you consider that Illinois and many other parts of the Midwest have been scorched by drought conditions.
Word is spreading about the economic and environmental benefits of using annual ryegrass as a cover crop in corn and soybean production. But farmers in states like Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri aren’t the only winners. Two-thousand miles away, farmers in Oregon will hopefully feel the benefit as well—in their pocketbooks.
If it doesn't make dollars, it doesn't make sense
At the invitation of the Oregon Ryegrass Growers Seed Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Katy Coba led a one-week trade mission to the Midwest in August promoting the use of annual ryegrass as an effective cover crop. Her bottom line message to growers in the three states that were visited was simple.
“It has to work for you economically or it is not going to work for you environmentally—period,” she told them.
Farmers, extension agents, other university educators, and conservation officials were among the members of each audience along the way. A formal presentation was followed by a field demonstration in which local producers, who have been using annual ryegrass from Oregon as a cover crop, could clearly show its positive impact and, in some cases, offer some precautions for those who might adopt its use.
“It’s not a silver bullet, but annual ryegrass can truly help,” said Dan Towery, a Midwest-based ag consultant working with Oregon ryegrass growers to further educate the target audiences.As part of a conservation tillage practice, cover crops are planted after fall harvest and grow in undisturbed soil over the winter; corn or soybeans are then planted directly into the cover crop stubble after it has been “burned down” with herbicide in the spring. Ten years of university research and on-farm experience in the Midwest, working with annual ryegrass, has shown improvement in crop yield, erosion control, weed suppression, nitrogen sequestration, the percentage of organic matter present, and the overall soil quality.
The most compelling moment of the trade mission’s show-and-tell came when the audience stepped foot onto farms that have been using the Oregon seed product. Annual ryegrass sends its roots very deep into the ground, which creates new root channels for corn and soybeans to reach moisture and nutrients below hardpan layers.
The only sign of the ryegrass planted in the fall of 2004 was was a bit of dry residue, having been purposely killed off, as is the prescribed practice. But what the ryegrass left behind was a network of root channels for corn and soybean roots to follow deep into the soil—critically important in such a dry year.
For the benefit of the audience, trenches were dug in the field to demonstrate just how deep the roots have grown this summer. Corn roots reached down as much as 52 inches in those fields where annual ryegrass has been a fixture the past few years. That’s an astonishing depth to those familiar with traditional corn production.
“I tried other cover crops in the past and always had problems,” said Dan DeSutter, who farms in northwest Indiana and agreed to do test trials with annual ryegrass. “When I went out in the spring and measured the root system of the ryegrass, I was blown away. Since then, we have intensified our efforts to use annual ryegrass.”
DeSutter said most farmers only look at the topside four inches of ryegrass as a cover crop—and that’s usually from a pickup traveling 40 miles per hour. But if they would bother to stop and dig, they would see an extensive root system that allows the corn and soybeans to follow suit.
The proof is in the ears of corn ultimately harvested. Junior Upton’s 235 bushes per acre is an eye opener. The quality of the corn is also impressive.
“This is as good as it gets, even if there was no drought,” said Upton as he held a large ear of corn that counted 22 rows containing approximately 55 kernels each.
“This is the best ear of corn I’ve ever seen,” was a commonly heard comment during the field demonstration.
You see, Oregon produces virtually all of the nation’s annual ryegrass seed.
Conserving resources, feeding animals
Speakers at the tours and presentations were quick to caution growers that annual ryegrass comes with a price.
“It does take management and you do need to pay attention to detail,” Mike Plumer of the University of Illinois Extension told the crowd. Plumer is considered a pre-eminent authority on no-till farming. He’s dealt with cover crops for 25 years and annual ryegrass for the past eight years.
It has to be planted at the right time in the fall so that it can become well established before the cold weather hits. Even when planted correctly, there is a question about its winter survivability when conditions are extreme.
“For the first time in six years, we had winter kill of annual ryegrass,” said DeSutter.
“Plant breeders are expected to get serious about developing a winter-hearty variety once they see the potential market,” said Plumer.
The ryegrass that does survive is sometimes difficult to kill in the spring. More than one pass through the field with an herbicide application can be costly, especially given the rising price of fuel.
But the challenges seem to be more than offset by the benefits. Conservation officials are especially pleased at the ability of annual ryegrass to improve porosity and water infiltration, thereby reducing erosion and runoff during heavy rain events.
Chad Watts of the Nature Conservancy in Indiana says sediment from farms adversely affects fresh water mussels and fish in the nearby Tippecanoe River. That’s why he is hoping to see more no-till corn production and is excited that annual ryegrass as a cover crop can help reduce the runoff.
“When farmers protect the soil on their farms, they protect the water and its fish and wildlife,” Watts said.
Preliminary research shows that annual ryegrass has potential to dramatically reduce the incident of cyst nematodes in soybeans, thereby acting as a form of pest control.
The trade mission did point out a major change in emphasis once the delegation crossed the Mississippi River from Illinois into Missouri. Perhaps the greatest benefit of annual ryegrass in the “Show Me State” is as forage for cattle.
“We have a beef industry valued at $2.4 billion,” said Rob Kallenbach of the University of Missouri. “We rely heavily on pasture for livestock. It’s the cheapest way to feed these animals.”
With half of the cost of feeding cattle taking place in the winter months, Missouri cattlemen are very interested in finding a grass that can fill the gap between fall and spring.
Kallenbach’s research shows annual ryegrass is a higher quality forage than alfalfa, can be stockpiled once it is taken off in the spring, and is quick and easy to establish.
So yet another Midwest state has its eye on Oregon’s annual ryegrass seed, as forage remains an important use for the crop.
The Oregon perspective
Three Oregon grass seed growers were part of the Midwest trade mission delegation. They were just as impressed with what they saw as their counterparts in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.
“We know how to farm in Oregon, but it is important to see how they farm in the Midwest because these guys are the potential users and customers of our grass seed,” said Larry Venell, who farms 7,500 acres of grass seed south of Corvallis. “Our effort to sell annual ryegrass to the Midwest is ready to catch fire. It’s a new, untapped market. It’s good for all grass seed growers, even those who will never send grass seed to the Midwest. Whether you are a fescue grower or a ryegrass grower, this can take some pressure off other markets and help the price.”
Oregon’s total grass seed production is valued at more than $350 million and ranks fifth in value among all agricultural commodities in the state. Oregon’s 1,100 growers produced 254 million pounds of annual ryegrass seed in 2004, valued at nearly $51 million. More than 124,000 acres of land were in annual ryegrass production last year. While not as high in production value as perennial ryegrass or fescue seed, annual ryegrass remains an important crop for the Willamette Valley economy. The combined acreage of corn and soybeans in seven targeted Midwest states is about 80 million acres. Gaining access to even a small percentage of that acreage could create tremendous demand for annual ryegrass from Oregon and allow for expansion of production.
Several Willamette Valley grass seed growers have been active participants in the Ryegrass Commission’s efforts to introduce annual ryegrass to the Midwest. Some of those valley agri-businesses have opened offices in the Midwest and have hired seed representatives to continue the education process while promoting sales.
Grass seed grower Don Wirth has been as active as anyone the past several years.“When I first got involved, we were pushing the benefits of erosion control and increased organic matter,” he said. “It wasn’t until Mike Plumer and Junior Upton dug up the ground and checked the roots of the ryegrass that we began pushing it as a way to improve yields of corn and soybeans.”
In addition to the three states in which the Oregon delegation traveled in August, the ryegrass growers’ marketing efforts are targeting Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa, and Ohio.
“I don’t know if there will be an immediate explosion in the demand for annual ryegrass in the Midwest, but the growth will certainly be more rapid than in other areas of Oregon grass seed,” said George Pugh, grass seed grower from Shedd. Pugh was part of the delegation and he appreciated the interest from those who advise farmers on the best and latest tools and techniques.
“Farmers will spread the word back there, hopefully with a little push from government and university extension.”
The future depends on farmers separated by two time zones. There will need to be a simultaneous effort to market and supply the product from Oregon with an equal effort by Midwest farmers to ask for the product. ODA Director Coba believes it can be a true win-win situation.
“The bottom line is that Midwest producers can increase productivity as well as protect natural resources by utilizing Oregon annual ryegrass as a cover crop.”
The seed has been planted, literally and figuratively.
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| Director's Column |
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As a lengthy session of the Oregon Legislature came to an end this summer, the Oregon Department of Agriculture actually came through the budget process in good shape. The House and Senate generally recognized the value of our programs and services. ODA’s final 2005-07 biennial budget is roughly $75 million, with less than 18 percent coming from the state’s General Fund. That means the majority of our budget comes from our primary customers—those who receive direct service through licenses and fees. It is important for all Oregonians to remember that the agriculture industry increasingly picks up the bill for much of what we do, even though all Oregonians benefit from the department’s activities.
I won’t try to cover all of the legislation that impacted ODA and the ag industry—there just isn’t enough space on the page. But here’s an attempt to list a few of the highlights, in no particular order.
- Board of Agriculture restructure
HB 2196 restructures the State Board of Agriculture and gives it policy making responsibility. The board will now prepare a biennial report to the Legislature and the governor on the status of the agriculture industry in Oregon. - Food Safety Program funding
The Food Safety Program inspects all food processing facilities and warehouses, along with dairies and many other entities (except restaurants), to ensure the safety of Oregon’s food supply. The Legislature increased the amount of General Fund support for this very important program.
- Pesticide Use Reporting System (PURS)
Through SB 290, the 2005 Oregon Legislature provided funding and guidance for ODA to operate the Oregon Pesticide Use Reporting System (PURS) for the 2005-2007 biennium. More explanation can be found on Page 6.
- Plant Pest and Disease Emergency Fund
SB 785 establishes the Plant Pest and Disease Emergency Fund. This emergency fund assures critical resources will be available to immediately combat a plant pest or disease outbreak. Funding will come from a surcharge placed on nursery license fees collected by ODA.
HB 3461 provides a forum and process for ODA‑supervised price negotiations of both annual ryegrass and tall fescue, if the industry requests this service. The process, currently being used for perennial ryegrass and seafood (Dungeness crab and pink shrimp), provides anti-trust immunity to the participating parties.
- Tax exemption for food processors
SB 479 recognized the importance of the food processing industry in supporting and maintaining a high level of agricultural diversity by declaring a property tax exemption for qualified real property, machinery, and equipment.
- Farm employment tax credit
The Legislature passed SB 1083, giving farmers tax credits—direct subtractions from taxes owed—for the annual inflation-adjusted increases in the state minimum wage, which are required by law. However, this bill was vetoed by the governor due to cost concerns The Governor’s Office has agreed to support ODA in seeking funds from the Emergency Board so Oregon State University researchers can help analyze farm labor costs and outline potential policy options to address the impact of the indexed minimum wage on agriculture.
Other important issues were not acted upon and still need further attention. Those issues include land use, bio-pharming, and biofuels.
When expectations collide with political reality, the end result leaves work for another legislative session. Still, there were enough positive developments in the 2005 session for both agriculture and ODA to give hope for the future.
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| Board of Agriculture profile: Lynn Youngbar |
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Lynn Youngbar describes herself as an urban Oregonian with a passion for rural communities.
One of the new members of the State Board of Agriculture, the resident of northeast Portland brings a wealth of experience in helping rural Oregonians through difficult economic times.
“Being on the board is a great opportunity for me, given my long time involvement in rural economic development,” says Youngbar, who is one of two public members on the 10‑member board. “Agriculture affects the entire state. I see my role as trying to keep the big picture in mind.”
While she didn’t grow up on a farm, Youngbar learned at a young age to appreciate the impact agriculture and timber had on rural Oregon. Her father owned and operated a manufacturing business that produced window coverings. She frequently traveled with her dad to furniture stores and specialty shops in many of the state’s small towns.
After graduating from Portland State University with a sociology degree, Youngbar obtained her master’s in city planning from MIT. Her focus was on economic and community development and how it affects rural communities. Her thesis on the shift of the wood products industry from the Pacific Northwest to the southern US underscored her interest in what happened to the people who lived and worked in towns that relied on natural resource industries.
“I always wanted to know what was going to happen to these communities,” she says.Youngbar took a job with the Oregon Economic Development Department (now known as Economic and Community Development Department) in 1985 and spent the next few years traveling the state looking at the impact of plant closures. When the northern spotted owl was listed as an endangered species in 1988, Governor Goldschmidt looked for someone to develop a program to help communities impacted by plant closures or other big changes in the state’s natural resource industries. Youngbar raised her hand. In 1991, the successful public program, Community Initiatives, privatized, creating the non-profit Rural Development Initiatives (RDI). Youngbar became its first executive director. RDI has provided strategic planning, leadership training, and technical assistance to dozens of struggling Oregon communities. Youngbar’s successful efforts in landing grant money from private foundations and corporations to match the state investment made the difference. RDI continues its work, even though Youngbar left in 1998.
Since then, Youngbar has been in the consulting business—often working as an interim executive for non-profit organizations.
“Usually at least once a year, I am running an organization through the transition period between executive directors,” she says.
Perhaps her biggest connection to agriculture has been through involvement with the Portland Farmers Market.
“I was a serious shopper at the farmers market and I’ve always thought it was a great way to bring urban and rural together,” says Youngbar, who currently serves on the board of the Portland Farmers Market as vice-chair. “I think we will continue to see more interest in buying local, given the concern people have with where their food comes from and the rising cost of fuel. What a great opportunity for Oregon agriculture.”
Having just attended her first Board of Agriculture meeting in September, Youngbar is impressed with her counterparts.
“It’s clearly an enlightened bunch,” she says. “I hope we will be able to engage in some good discussions on important issues facing the state’s resource industries and that people will freely speak their minds.”
Youngbar plans on being an active participant.
“I’ll be thinking about the consumer and the general public as we walk through these issues,” says Youngbar, though she understands the needs of the ag community as well.
Meanwhile, she continues tending her home garden in northeast Portland, not far from where her two adult children live, and, of course, tending to the Portland Farmers Market where she enjoys dealing with the vendors—those producers who make a connection with the urban public.
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| New history book helps students "Get Oregonized" |
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As primary grade school students headed back to class this fall, many found a new, exciting history book to help them understand and appreciate Oregon's agricultural roots as well as its people and natural resources.
Get Oregonized is a hard bound, 301-page book now available to teachers and students throughout the state. Get Oregonized is part of a larger effort by the Oregon chapter of Ag in the Classroom (AITC), a non-profit educational foundation, to teach tomorrow's citizens about today's natural resource industries, which are so important to the Oregon economy and way of life.
"The book is available to anyone interested in learning about our state's rich history and natural resources," says Oregon AITC Executive Director Tami Kerr. "But it was written specifically for students in grades three and four as they study regions of the state and the history of Oregon."
The book includes maps, illustrations, and historical photographs to go along with text. Originally a joint project of Oregon State University and Western Oregon University schools of education, the book has been revised to reflect a regional approach to the history, agriculture, and other natural resources of the state. Teachers themselves helped author the various sections of the book and put it in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand format.
"We haven't done a lot of advertising, to date, because the book was just printed at the end of this past school year," says Kerr. "But several teachers have reviewed it and most of them have purchased books for their school. Word of mouth is creating excitement about the book."
The book is organized into two sections: Oregon's history and Oregon's geographic regions. The first section highlights various Native American tribes and the arrival of white people. A chapter is dedicated to Lewis and Clark, as well as, the fur trapping trade that helped attract people to Oregon. Another chapter focuses on the pioneers who made their way west. The final chapter of the first section deals with statehood from Oregon Territory days to the present.
The second section is where agriculture is most evident. Get Oregonized captures a great deal of the state's agricultural diversity, from cranberries on the southern Oregon Coast to grass seed in the Willamette Valley and from wheat in the Columbia Plateau to ranching in Oregon's high desert. All in all, the book is helping to expand the AITC program in Oregon.
"We have a lot of kits, videos, and lessons to offer teachers and students," says Kerr. "Many of these things have been developed on a national level or in other states. All have been very well received. But this is only the second Oregon-specific project that we've developed. This is something we think will stay in the classrooms and be used for many, many years."
Ag in the Classroom was founded more than 20 years ago by the US Department of Agriculture. Oregon's chapter has grown tremendously in recent years. The number of students reached by the program has climbed from 3,000 in 1999-2000 to more than 34,000 students this past school year. Last year's total increased 23 percent over the 2003-04 school year participation level. Oregon AITC has developed some material for the upper grades, but remains focused primarily on kindergarten through sixth grade.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture is an enthusiastic supporter of Ag in the Classroom.
"Two or three generations ago, it probably didn't seem necessary to create a program to teach kids about the importance of agriculture, as most of them lived on the farm," says ODA's Brent Searle, special assistant to the director and AITC president. "That's not true anymore and it's all the more reason why we need a program like Ag in the Classroom. The program is making a difference for many students. We believe its activities and resources, including the new book Get Oregonized, will help Oregon's young people know and appreciate agriculture now and in the future."
Classroom sets and individual copies of Get Oregonized can be purchased through the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation. Order forms are available online at http://aitc.oregonstate.edu . Single copies of the text book are available at $20 each (plus a $5 shipping and handling charge) with boxes of eight available at $18 each (plus a $10 shipping and handling charge). Teachers guides are also available to help augment the use of the book in the classroom.
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| "Growing a Nation" |
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A new interactive multi-media CD-ROM titled, Growing a Nation, has been released. This CD presents a history of the United States and the key agricultural events and inventions that shaped the nation's culture, economy, and quality of life. The historical information is designed to coincide with 8th and 11th grade history curricula. Another goal of the project was to inform the general public about how Americans benefit from our agricultural history by highlighting the tremendous contributions agriculture has made to the quality of American life.
You can see many of the materials from the CD-ROM online at:
http://www.agclassroom.org/gan .
The interactive multimedia CD-ROM uses innovative technology linked to online resources. The complex undertaking to produce the CD involved writing an original history of American agriculture, then illustrating it with hundreds of pictures from collections at the National Agricultural Library, the National Archives, Library of Congress, and a multitude of other government agencies.
Limited copies of the CD are available, at no cost, through the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Program.
Phone: 541-737-8629
Email: AITC@oregonstate.edu
Web: http://aitc.oregonstate.edu
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| Value of Oregon agriculture topples $4 billion mark |
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The value of Oregon agriculture has reached an all-time high, topping the four billion dollar mark for the first time in history, according to revised figures released by the Oregon Agricultural Statistics Service (OASS). While the statistics for the 2004 production year are still considered preliminary, the numbers clearly indicate an agriculture industry in Oregon that continues to be a major economic contributor to the state.
The most recent OASS statistics show the value of agricultural production in Oregon last year reached $4.1 billion, nearly an eight percent increase from 2003's record high of $3.8 billion.
"These numbers back up our claim that Oregon agriculture is an industry that continues to expand," says Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "Reaching the four billion dollar mark is another benchmark of success for our diverse and dynamic industry."
When a state like Oregon can count more than 220 commodities as part of its agriculture, there will be winners and losers in any given year. Once again, 2004 has shown more pluses than minuses.
The current value of agricultural production in Oregon for 2004 includes a top ten list that contains the same commodities, but in a slightly different rank order:
- Greenhouse and nursery products $817 million
- Cattle and calves $503 million
- Hay $381 million
- Milk $363 million
- Grass seed $350 million
- Wheat $201 million
- Christmas trees $142 million
- Potatoes $91 million
- Pears $76 million
- Onions $74 million
The only changes in rank order from the previous year were milk and grass seed swapping places at fourth and fifth on the list, and pears and onions swapping places at ninth and tenth.
Oregon agriculture recorded a couple of other milestones last year. For the first time in history, two commodities topped the half billion dollar mark in value. Also for the first time, Oregon's top five commodities each have a value exceeding $350 million.
Only twice in the past 19 years has the value of agricultural production in Oregon dropped from the previous year. When statistics for 2005 are tabulated sometime next year, there is a great deal of optimism that the total value of agricultural production will hit another all time high.
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| DVD project helps land managers plan for the future |
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Rural land managers reflect on their past and plan for the future in a new DVD produced by the Oregon State University Extension Service.
Landmarks in Conservation is designed to help rural landowners, farmers, ranchers, and foresters devise sustainable natural-resource management plans for their operations. The interactive multimedia project uses both DVD and Web technologies.
"This project draws on the experiences of nearly 30 land managers from across our state," says Bill Braunworth, agriculture program leader for OSU Extension Service. "It demonstrates the importance of resource management planning, whether you operate a five-acre farm near Portland or a 100,000-acre ranch in southeast Oregon."
The DVD and its companion Web site are cooperative efforts funded by the OSU Extension Service, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and a private gift to the OSU Foundation. The DVD holds nearly two hours of video clips, while the Web site serves as a gateway to more than 120 print, video, and online resources.
"We are excited about the scope and potential impact of this project," says Sara Magenheimer, public affairs specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. "It presents technical, research-based information in an understandable, user-friendly fashion."
The project's non-linear structure helps educators customize classroom, workshop, or field instruction to meet the needs of specific audiences. It also empowers individuals to select the learning pace, media format and content that work best for their own situation.
"The insights and stories of these Oregon land managers are really what bring this project to life," says Braunworth. "They help viewers understand that connection between healthy natural resources and a profitable, sustainable operation."
Landmarks in Conservation (DVD) is available from OSU Extension and Experiment Station Communications for $19.95 per copy, plus $4 shipping and handling. Discounts are available when purchasing 10 or more copies. To order the DVD call toll-free 800-561-6719, fax your request to 541-737-0817, or visit http://extension.oregonstate.edu .
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| ODA moves forward on Pesticide Use Reporting System (PURS) |
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After being put on hold for lack of funding, development of a statewide pesticide use reporting system is about to resume. If all goes according to plan, pesticide use can begin to be electronically reported to the Oregon Department of Agriculture sometime in 2006, although no specific target date has been set.
"The 2005 Oregon Legislature has provided us the funding and the guidance to operate the Oregon Pesticide Use Reporting System (PURS)," says ODA Deputy Director Lisa Charpilloz Hanson. "Over the next several months, we will proceed with creating a system designed to obtain useful, accurate information on pesticide use without unduly burdening the pesticide user."
State lawmakers have agreed to provide $1.9 million for final development of PURS and its operation for the 2005-07 biennium, with half of the total coming from the state's General Fund and the other half from pesticide product registration fees paid by the pesticide industry.
The Oregon Pesticide Use Reporting System will collect, summarize, retain, and report information on pesticide use by all categories of users-from agricultural users to urban residents. Homeowner use information will be collected through a survey while other pesticide users will need to report electronically to ODA's Web site. PURS will provide statistically-valid information on what pesticides are being used in Oregon, in what quantities, and generally where they are being applied. The law, originally passed in 1999, requires each pesticide user to report at least once a year. The collection of data will climax with a yearly statewide report issued by ODA.
Pesticide users don't need to do anything yet. But by the end of the year, that will change.
"We are advising people to prepare for PURS by keeping records of their pesticide usage starting January 1, 2006," says Chris Kirby, administrator of ODA's Pesticides Division. "We currently expect that the system to report pesticide application information will be available during 2006, but not likely until mid-year. There is no need to report any pesticide use prior to 2006."
Forms posted on ODA's Web site will identify the types of information to be reported. Most of the reportable information has remained the same from the original legislation. However, the Legislature has changed how location of pesticide use will be reported. If the use occurs within an urban area, location will be reported by the five-digit zip code for the site. If the use occurs outside an urban area, location will need to be reported by the name of the water basin. ODA has established a map of the 15 statewide water basins that will be used in PURS and has posted the map on its Web site.
As a result of the most recent legislation, ODA will be conducting public hearings to amend current administrative rules and address the statutory changes made to PURS. Among the issues will be defining "urban area," but it could be as simple as adopting city limits as a boundary.
"We are looking at restarting a comprehensive household survey in 2006 to capture information on homeowner use of pesticides," says Kirby.
ODA was on its way to creating a permanent pesticide use reporting system when funding was withheld starting in October 2002. Since then, there have been advances in computer technology and ODA wants to use the most current technology as it finishes developing this system. Part of that development will include an ability for users with a lot of pesticide use records to download those records into the system rather than filing individual reports for each record.
While detailed information on pesticide use will be provided to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the identities of individual pesticide users will remain confidential. Administrative rules state that access to the reported information will be given to "...a health or environmental researcher acting in an official capacity from an accredited university or accepted research institute." Protecting the identity of individual pesticide users has always been a key issue in establishing a reporting system.
Like all biennial appropriations, the current funding for PURS has been approved only for the next two years. The 2007 Oregon Legislature will need to authorize funding for the next biennium. A "sunset" date for PURS is set for December 31, 2009. Legislative action will be required if the program is to continue into 2010 and beyond.
Between now and then, Oregonians should learn how useful a pesticide use reporting system is and users should learn whether the electronic system established by ODA is in good working condition.
As new information on PURS becomes available, it will be posted online at http://oregon.gov/ODA/PEST . Specific questions can be directed to ODA's Pesticides Division at 503-986-4635.
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| Tiny wasps enlisted in the fight against cereal leaf beetle |
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It's a battle: good bugs vs. bad bugs. Two tiny insects are now being home grown in Oregon in hopes of quashing the cereal leaf beetle-a much larger insect that can cause damage to grain, grass seed, and hay crops. By establishing field insectaries, natural factories that produce the good parasitic insects, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and cooperators are beginning to see some positive signs in beating back the beetle.
There are 19 Oregon counties infested with cereal leaf beetle on both sides of the Cascades. This year's annual survey for the beetle did not find any newly infested counties-certainly good news that can be, at least partly, attributed to the biological control program.
Successful biological control will greatly decrease the amount of pesticides used in counties where cereal leaf beetle is present.
The two so-called parasitoids include Anaphes flavipes, which attacks the eggs of the cereal leaf beetle, and Tetrastichus julis, which targets the beetle larvae. Three insectaries have been established for the egg parasitoids, two in Washington County and one in Union County.
Another three field insectaries have been established for the larval parasitoid, one each in Union County and at Oregon State University sites in Corvallis and Madras.
"The long term goal of the field insectaries is to have a source of parasitoids within Oregon so that we can redistribute them throughout the state," says Barry Bai, ODA entomologist.
This marked the first summer ODA redistributed the larval parasitoid to other infested fields in Oregon. Larval parasitoid releases took place in Marion, Benton, Linn, and Malheur counties. The larval parasitoid, T. julis, has been relatively easy to establish in Oregon. So far, the population of the egg parasitoid has not reached a high enough level to be redistributed, but ODA is still trying.
"We need to have both to give the cereal leaf beetle a one-two punch," says Bai. "A. flavipes will impact the egg stage of the beetle. Anything that still hatches out will be taken care of by T. julis."
The sophisticated strategy utilizes some unsophisticated, but effective equipment. A milk carton is used to release the egg parasitoid in the field insectaries to protect the tiny wasps from inclement weather and predators. With holes punched through the bottom, the parasitoids make their way out of the carton when the time is right and drop down into the field crop where cereal leaf beetle resides. If all goes according to plan, the parasitism rate next year will be high enough in the egg parasitoid field insectaries to begin collecting the good bugs for redistribution. Right now, that rate is sufficiently high in the population of the larval parasitoid.
The biocontrol agents won't eradicate cereal leaf beetle in Oregon but could minimize crop damage enough to keep wheat, hay, and grass seed growers happy.
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| ODA names new members to executive team |
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Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Katy Coba has announced changes in the agency's executive management team following the retirement of Deputy Director Chuck Craig. Assistant Director Lisa Charpilloz Hanson has been promoted to deputy director while Lauren Henderson has been named as a new assistant director. The changes complete ODA's management team. Last year, Dalton Hobbs was named an assistant director for marketing.
Craig will remain with the agency on a limited, part-time basis working on special projects.
"Chuck has been an invaluable resource for this agency and the industry over the past many years," says Coba. "I am pleased to be able to maintain the high level of integrity and ability represented by our executive team. By promoting Lisa and Lauren, we can keep our continuity and momentum as we continue serving the needs of agriculture and the citizens of Oregon."
Hanson first joined ODA in 1996 as commodity commissions manager and later served as administrator of the Commodity Inspection Division before being named assistant director in 2001. Henderson joined ODA in 1999 as assistant administrator of the agency's Administrative Services Division and was promoted to administrator in 2004.
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| Agriculture Quarterly to unearth farming treasures |
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The Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program
Since 1958, the Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program has provided Oregon's agricultural community with access to historical records, honored families for their century-long preservation of the land, and acted as storyteller for the ranches and farms enrolled.
More than a thousand farms and ranches, dotting nearly every county in the state, have been awarded century farm status. As you drive from one Oregon county to another, you're likely to see swinging bright metal signs identifying the honorees.
Qualifying family farms and ranches receive certificates of acknowledgement from the governor and Oregon Department of Agriculture director. Documentation and photographs from accepted applicants, along with data on settlement patterns, personal experiences, and livestock and crop choices, are added to the Oregon Historical Society research library. Century farms are visibly creating a wealthy cache of educational material for everyone.
Glenn and Judith Mason oversee the program. Glenn relates that part of the program's mission is "...to generate pride and a greater public awareness of the role family-owned farms and ranches play in the economic and social vitality of Oregon."
Glenn emphasizes that "Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program is a project of the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation. The program is funded entirely by contributions from individuals, corporations, associations, and agencies committed to supporting Oregon agriculture."
Agriculture Quarterly will highlight a century farm in each issue over the next few years, beginning with a story about Oregon's farming and ranching women. What were their responsibilities on the farm or ranch a hundred years ago? How did they live their daily lives? This story will speak to their unique pioneering spirits, contributions and innovations, and skillful stewardship of the Oregon land they treasured, and still cherish today.
For more information on the Oregon Century Farm and Ranch Program, contact Glenn and Judith Mason at 503-297-5892, or email them at orcentury@juno.com. You may also download an application for the program http://oregon.gov/ODA/docs/pdf/cfr_app.pdf.
If you would like to be included in Agricultural Quarterly's Century Farm and Ranch series, please contact Madeline MacGregor in the ODA Information Office, at 503-986-4758, or email mmacgreg@oda.state.or.us .
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| Oregon Ag Resources Directory now available |
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Questions about who to call or where to go when it comes to Oregon agriculture are likely answered with the help of a popular, newly revised handy guide. The Oregon Department of Agriculture announces the availability of this year's edition of the Oregon Agricultural Resources Directory, an updated handbook that contains comprehensive contact information for numerous agricultural organizations and agencies.
The 140-page directory is a convenient, compact publication that includes organization names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and contact persons for a variety of entities.
The directory includes information for the Oregon Department of Agriculture, other selected government agencies, Oregon Commodity Commissions, statewide farm bureaus, soil and water conservation districts, Oregon State University agricultural resources, and various producer groups.
All information in the Oregon Agricultural Resources Directory has been updated as of August 2005. Copies of the pocket sized resource guide can be purchased at a cost of $5.00 each by mail order from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Payment by check or money order must accompany all handbook orders. Send completed request form to:
Oregon Department of Agriculture
635 Capitol Street NE
Salem, OR 97301-2532
Questions? Call 503-986-4550.
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| Pears - Oregon's official state fruit |
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Oregon has a state tree, a state song, a state rock, and now a state fruit. Governor Kulongoski enthusiastically signed into law legislation that names the pear as Oregon's state fruit. A perennial top-ten agricultural commodity in Oregon, the value of the new state fruit this past year was more than $72 million. The impact on the local economies of Hood River and Jackson counties-the two principal growing areas of the state-is tremendous. And, of course, the governor noted the taste and nutrition packed into every Oregon pear. A newly created colorful seal can now be found on packaged Oregon-grown pears that will emphasize the new designation of official state fruit.
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