03/19/08 Census of Ag reminder; air quality grant for WSU

Washington Ag March 19, 2008 Before they get too busy with spring work Washington farmers and ranchers are being reminded that they still have time to return their 2007 Census of Agriculture form if they have not yet done so. David Knopf, director of the USDA's Agricultural Statistics Service Washington Field Office, says the comprehensive data provided by the census is used by policy makers and others to make important decisions about agriculture, so by responding to the census he says agricultural producers are sowing seeds that will reap benefits far into the future. Knopf: "Again, just a reminder that it is not to late to be counted. Some producers may receive another form in the mail if they have not returned one already. So that is an indicator to take the opportunity to fill that form out and get counted and be represented." This year producers can fill out the Census of Agriculture form on line at www.agcensus.usda.gov The USDA has announced that Washington State University has been awarded a competitive grant of nearly 545-thousand dollars to develop innovative processes for recovering ammonia from agricultural atmospheric emissions. The process can then be adopted by concentrated animal feeding operations. I'm Bob Hoff.