Agriculture

CAHNRS Aggie of the Year will take a wealth of experiences from WSU into his agriculture career.

Climate change is already transforming agriculture in Washington. To help farmers deal with climate change, WSU scientists talk to them about ways to both adapt to changes and slow them down.

Zebra chip disease may be a short-lived Northwest menace, thanks to a nearly $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative.

Several Washington State University faculty members were featured as guest speakers during the Tri-Cities’ first Food and Beverage Retention and Expansion Opportunities (FABREO) expo. Following the seminars, expo attendees made their way around to mingle with regional food and wine vendors, while getting the chance to sample food and beverage products made by companies around the region, including WSU student-made premium Blended Learning wines and Cougar Gold, Crimson Fire and Smoky Cheddar cheeses!

AgWeatherNet and the University of Washington are partnering to develop a new heat awareness and alert system to help agricultural workplaces prepare for heat waves like we’ve seen recently. Advance notice of extremely hot days will help prioritize work activities so workers stay healthy and productive and crop loss is avoided. If you would like to participate in developing the system or have questions, please contact Jen Krenz at jkrenz@uw.edu or 206-616-4213.

Researchers at Washington State University have documented seven fungal species that cause cankers in grapevines. Fungi infect the wood of grapevine trunks (or cordons) through pruning wounds, resulting in cankers that enlarge over time and ultimately kill the plant. These new findings could reduce the incidence of grapevine trunk disease in Washington vineyards by preventing the problem before it becomes widespread.

Selecting a vineyard site is one of the most important decisions for owners — it can make or break them economically. Washington State University doctoral student of engineering Golnaz Badr is using data on Washington soil, topography and weather to create a state map and scoring system that could help growers take some of the guesswork out of choosing a new vineyard location.

Graduate student Parker Byington, who plans to eventually start a dairy farm, was on a panel of fellow students who talked with Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Rodrigo Bonilla didn’t grow up with a positive outlook on agriculture. Now his dream is to help farmers around the world.

Partnerships key to healthy Northwest vines | How many bubbles are needed in bubbly? | Wine Science Center nearly complete | Winery owner offers online info session | Find us on Facebook to win “The Crimson Spoon”