05/26/06 New info at a familiarwebsite

It's growing and its on-time information that growers and others can use. PNWPestAlert.net is an electronic pest alert service that emails its southern Idaho subscribers when agricultural pests are forecast or flaring up. University of Idaho extension educator Jerry Neufeld has seen the information network expand to 438 subscribers and nearly 31 thousand visits last year. NEUFELD "40 percent or so farmers and 30 or 40 percent field reps from various companies." What started out five years ago as a Treasure Valley program where growers traded information now includes all of the southern Idaho potato growing regions. Neufeld says they've expanded again for 2006. NEUFELD "So we're reporting on all crops in the Magic Valley as opposed to just potatoes like we have in the past. Kelly Tindall and Dale Baker, two U of I employees. They'll be adding their input to PWNPestAlert.net as well. User surveys conducted in the past three years indicate that nearly eleven percent of subscribers reduced the number of sprays applied to their crops, 28 percent improved the effectiveness of their sprays and 54 percent increased their field scouting before implementing control measures. Today's Idaho Ag news Bill Scott