PUYALLUP, Wash. — Irrigated farmers struggling with increasing fuel, fertilizer and labor costs should consider attending the upcoming Washington State University Extension workshop, “Reduced Tillage Under Irrigation.”
The day long workshop will be held on Wednesday, December 7, starting at 9 a.m. in room 1870D of the ATEC Building, Big Bend Community College, 7662 Chanute St., Moses Lake. WSU Grant/Adams County Extension is presenting the workshop.
Reduced-till systems have been shown to reduce fuel use by an average of 3.5 gallons per acre, and to reduce tillage trips thus reducing machinery wear by up to $5 per acre as well as cutting labor costs. They are highly developed in the Midwest and in other countries including Canada and Brazil.
Minimum and no-till systems have also been successfully developed in Eastern Washington, but applied mainly in dryland wheat production. The focus of this workshop will be on systems that will work on irrigated farms in the Columbia Basin.
Local farmers will share their experiences with strip-till systems for various crops. No-till system specialist Paul Jasa of the University of Nebraska will discuss how to manage crop residues, equipment needs and setup, and the potential for no-till systems under irrigation. Other speakers will discuss how reduced tillage can affect fertilizer application, improve soil properties, and where to get assistance in adopting reduced tillage systems.
To request a brochure and registration form, contact WSU Grant/Adams County Extension at 509-754-2011 Ext. 413, or by e-mail at amcguire@wsu.edu. The registration fee for the workshop is $25, which includes lunch and refreshments. More information is also available online at http://grant-adams.wsu.edu.
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