05/21/08 WSU Extension Educator gets high-residue irrigation farming systems grant

Washington Ag May 21, 2008 Washington State University Extension's Lauzier Agricultural Systems Educator at Ephrata, Andy McGuire, has received a $50,000 grant to further research and demonstration work on high-residue farming systems. McGuire says the grant from the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation will be used to purchase a center pivot sprinkler irrigation system to be installed this summer at WSU's Othello Research Unit. McQuire: "Most of these high-residue farming systems are the easiest to implement under sprinkler irrigation. We have a lot of rill irrigated fields down there so this will allow us to do some of the research and demonstration for these high-residue farming systems at the research station." High-residue farming is a system of practices, including minimum tillage and direct seeding, that maintains a cover of living or dead plants on the soil to conserve soil and moisture. McQuire: "Farmers don't have worry about their crop blowing out. They don't have to worry about dust problems with their neighbors or a crossroad. And they don't have to worry about putting on the center pivot irrigation system just to keep the soil from blowing." There are also savings in fuel, labor and equipment costs. I'm Bob Hoff.