PULLMAN, Wash. — At the request of Inland Northwest farmers, a new Internet forum has been established to help them get answers to questions about direct seed cropping systems and technologies.
The forum was created to facilitate grower-to-grower communications, according to Roger Veseth, extension conservation tillage specialist with Washington State University and the University of Idaho.
“Northwest growers are interested in adopting direct seeding and more intensive cropping systems to improve production efficiency, profitability, cropland productivity, and environmental protection,” Veseth said. This Forum provides a rapidly expanding PNW communications link to help them search for answers and share experiences and innovations.”
The Forum is designed to allow participants to follow and respond to discussions on particular topics. Participants either can receive e-mail notification when new messages are posted on the site or receive the postings by e-mail. Separate mailing lists are set up for each conference.
Current conference topics:
- Equipment design and modification
- Crop rotation
- Alternative crops
- Residue management
- Pest management
An introductory section describes how to use the Forum. A detailed help program guides users through the process.
The PNW Grower Direct Seed Forum can be accessed through the PNW Conservation Tillage Systems Web site at http://pnwsteep.wsu.edu . Click on Grower Direct Seed Forum. “This ‘grower-to-grower’ Forum expands the communications network initiated in late 1999 with the PNW Direct Seed e-mail List Server, also linked to the PNW Web site,” Veseth said.
For more information, contact Roger Veseth, forum manager, at 208-885-6386 or e-mail rveseth@uidaho.edu.
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