ARS-WSU Open New Research Facility and Diesel Supplies Remain Tight
From the Western Ag Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**The Ag Research Service and Washington State University have opened a new 100,000-square-foot Plant Bioscience Research Building in Pullman to advance agricultural research across the Pacific Northwest.
The facility will house four ARS units where researchers will work on improving the health, resilience, and profitability of both dryland and irrigated farming systems.
This new facility opens a new chapter in the nearly century-long partnership between ARS and WSU.
**Diesel supplies could remain tight well into next year as disruptions in the Middle East and Russia limit production, according to the International Energy Agency.
The agency says combined diesel export losses from the two regions reached 1.3 million barrels per day in September.
Although global refinery operations are expected to recover toward year’s end, the IEA says that rebound will not fully replace supplies lost this year.
**Researchers are proposing a national Agriculture Cybersecurity Consortium to help protect U.S. farms, processors, and ag supply chains from cyberattacks.
The proposal would focus on collaborative research, testing infrastructure, education, and workforce development.
The goal is to move beyond responding to cyberattacks AFTER they happen and build greater resilience across the food system.
A ransomware attack on JBS is an example of cyber incidents that disrupt food production and supply chains.
