Jan. 5 – 12

The regular “Rock Doc” column in Wednesday’s Tri-City Herald reported on the efforts of Steve Jones and Tim Murray to develop perennial varieties of wheat.

A business column in Wednesday’s Seattle Post-Intelligencer on the move toward a so-called “green” economy cites the recent WSU report finding that the use of waste biomass for biofuel stock will be more economically feasible than pursuing the use of food crops.

A story in Wednesday’s Whidbey Examiner reports on Island County Extension’s decision to drop its agriculture, sustainability land steward program because of severe county budget cuts.

The magazine Chemistry & Industry published by the Society of Chemistry & Industry in London featured a cover story in December on cooperative research in which Gary Chastagner is involved on Christmas tree needle retention.
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Chastagner, with Penn State University’s Rick Bates, recently authored a cover story for the American Christmas Tree Journal on needle retention.
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A news release issued Monday by WSDA on a report from its Agriculture Sector Carbon Market Working Group stating that carbon sequestration could increase farm income includes quotes from CSANR’s Chad Kruger, co-chair of the group.

An article in Saturday’s Skagit Valley Herald on flooding of the Samish River includes comments from Skagit County Extension’s Don McMoran on how the floodwaters may have affected certain crops.

In her regular Yakima Herald-Republic column Yakima County Extension’s Sheila Ryan wrote about and offered tips for emergency preparedness.

On Friday the Northwest Ag Information Network aired an interview with Extension’s Tim Waters about the All Day Spanish Language Program at this year’s Washington State Potato Conference.

The NW Ag Information Network also reported on Friday on the availability of information from WSU to help cope with flooding and power outages.

On Wednesday the NW Ag Information Network aired an interview with Spokane Extension’s Diana Roberts about a series of grain marketing workshops.

In her regular Saturday column in the Tri-City Herald, Marianne Ophardt wrote about the Master Gardner program, their demonstration garden, and the upcoming Tri-Cities Master Gardener training course.

A garden article in the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press on Saturday on the benefit of worm bins included information on how to build a worm bin, citing WSU Extension as the information source.

In this week’s Capital Press

News releases

  • “Flooding, Power Outage Threats Raise Food Safety Concerns”
  • “Recovery Information for Floods, Power Outages Available from WSU Extension” (Media advisory)
  • “WSU Scientist Urges Concerned Wheat Growers to Test for Winterkill”