02/27/07 Gov`s Award, Thiessen

The Food Quality Assurance Lab shifted into high gear last year to test eight pound soil samples after the potato cyst nematode was discovered in a field near Shelley. SPOKESMAN "We planned to run initially nine thousand to 15 thousand samples and to date we've run over 26 thousand samples and will probably complete 35 to 40 thousand samples." On the other side of the state it was a mislabeled application of pesticides on onion fields near the Idaho-Oregon border that put the lab into action. THIESSEN "I think they ran something like 850 samples over five week span of time in August allowing the onion crop to be eligible for shipment once it was determined that the onions were free of this particular pesticide." His award is for the lab work but also his contributions to ag programs like the 4-H Endowment Board. THIESSEN "I had the opportunity to chair a capital campaign which turned out to be quite successful and we raised about 1.7 million dollars for 4-H work across the state of Idaho." Wayne Thiessen, Governor's Award Winner for Excellence in Agriculture. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott