01/10/06 Beef exports resume in most of Asia

There's a new hard white wheat for Idaho growers to try. Developed by the University of Idaho's Ed Souza UI Lochsa will be released next month. SOUZA "It's done very well in our irrigated trials. It's been performing well in our dryland trials in southern Idaho and in particular what I'm really excited about is that the grain protein is higher than a lot of the other hard whites we've produced in southern Idaho." Lochsa also has greater lodging resistance than two previous UI hard whites, `Lolo` and `Idaho 377.` Its test weights were good, it demonstrated moderate resistance to stripe rust and had a 14 percent protein level. SOUZA "Lochsa over the last four years has averaged 111 bushels compared to Westbred 936. It had 105 bushels." Souza says Lochsa is another option for southern Idaho growers who are being encouraged to grow more hard white wheat. SOUZA "But the idea of having a whole range of varieties available for a lot of users and a lot of growers is a new one and I think an exciting one." Producers who would like to place orders for seed should contact Kathy Stewart-Williams, coordinator of the Idaho Foundation Seed Program now or early February by calling 423-6655 in Kimberly or sending e-mail to williams@kimberly.uidaho.edu. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott