Feb. 21 – 27

A Seattle Times editorial on Tuesday offering suggestions on changes in state budgeting suggested that the revenue from a proposed elimination of a tax break on farms with gross receipts above $2 million be redirected to fund agricultural research at WSU.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2014301506_edit23budget.html

The business web site Xconomy.com on Thursday posted a story on how elimination of federal earmarks would affect spending for innovation research in Washington state, including research funds for WSU.
http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2011/02/24/obamas-earmark-ban-could-ripple-through-northwest-makers-of-vaccines-biofuels-clean-water-technology/

Wednesday’s Tri-City Herald reported on Richland City Council discussion on creating a public development authority to help WSU build a wine science center at the Tri-Cities campus.
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/02/23/1379095/richland-seeks-way-to-build-wine.html

On Monday Food Production Daily reported on a paper published in the journal Food Policy by researchers led by Trenton Smith that advocates the creation of an independent U.S. food standards agency.
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Quality-Safety/Researchers-call-for-independent-US-food-standards-agency

The South Sound Business Examiner on Thursday reported on Ken Casavant‘s research on the state of the nation’s freight railway car fleet.
http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/wsu-economist-finds-nations-railcar/

The trade web site ProgressiveRailroading.com on Friday also posted a story on the study by Ken Casavant and others on the freight railway car fleet.
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article/Private-freightcar-owners-not-making-enough-returns-report-says–25875

The website SustainableBusiness.com reported on the announcement of USDA grants to research the effects of climate change, including the $20 million award to University of Idaho, WSU and OSU to study climate change and grains.
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/21925

The California Aggie, the UC Davis campus newspaper, published a guest commentary on Thursday in response to articles advocating meatless Mondays and vegetarianism that cites Jude Capper‘s research comparing the environmental impacts of grain-fed and grass-fed beef cattle.
http://theaggie.org/article/2011/02/24/guest-opinion-alicia-bosenko

The Columbia Basin Herald on Saturday included a story announcing the Rural Washington Conference cosponsored by the WSU Horizons Program.
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_d452bae8-4135-11e0-9faf-001cc4c03286.html

A news release published Thursday on the web site RedOrbit.com announced that the Weed Science Society of America is hosting a seminar in Washington DC featuring Richard Mack as part of its Invasive Species Awareness Week.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/2001741/national_invasive_species_awareness_week_to_focus_on_harmful_nonnative/

Thursday’s Everett Herald reported on WSU Snohomish County Extension’s Growing Groceries educational event and the availability of scholarships through the local Master Gardener Foundation for community garden projects.
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110224/LIVING03/702249993

An article in Tuesday’s Waterville Morning Sentinel (Maine) on plans for the annual Maine Kneading Conference mentions that Steve Jones is organizing the first ever Kneading Conference West at Mount Vernon in September.
http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/kneading-conference-returning-to-skowhegan-fairgrounds-in-july_2011-02-21.html

Sunday’s St. Louis Post Dispatch included an Associated Press story originally published in the Seattle Times about dealing with moles that includes comments by Dave Pehling.
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/garden/article_9dc91c6d-1f5d-5cd1-80b4-235f680f702b.html

In this week’s Capital Press:

“Universities worry about cuts in research funding”
http://www.capitalpress.com/subscribers/mw-university-funding-022511

“PNW climate change research funded
http://www.capitalpress.com/subscribers/mw-Climate-change-research-grant-022511-art

“Cherry website launched”
http://www.capitalpress.com/subscribers/page-5-brief-022511

Aired last week by the N.W. Ag Information Network:

“Dean emphasizes connection between large federal grant and state funding of ag research”
http://www.aginfo.com/index.cfm/event/report/id/Washington-Ag-Today-18602

“20-million dollars to study climate change and cereal production in the PNW”
http://www.aginfo.com/index.cfm/event/report/id/Northwest-Farm-and-Ranch-Report-18576

“USDA research priorities”
http://www.aginfo.com/index.cfm/event/report/id/Northwest-Farm-and-Ranch-Report-18608

“Stripe rust developing in PNW”
http://www.aginfo.com/index.cfm/event/report/id/Northwest-Farm-and-Ranch-Report-18598

News Releases:

“Stemless Cherry Project Reaches Milestones, Launches New Web Site”

“Washington State Military Kids and Families Summit”

“WSU Economist Finds Nation’s Railcar Fleet in Jeopardy, Impacting Environment and Shipments of Goods”

“Statewide Rural Conference to Focus on Boosting Economic Development”