06/21/07 Wheat breeder comments on external review of WSU program

Washington Ag June 21, 2007 An external review conducted earlier this year of Washington State University's wheat breeding program found things to praise and things to criticize. Lack of communication among the various parties involved in the breeding program was one of the criticisms. The review team also stated that "key investigators have negatively characterized each other's efforts in communications with other scientists and external stakeholders, and have done so repeatedly." WSU spring wheat breeder Kim Kidwell had this reaction. Kidwell: "I really was not too excited about the process because it was done in a rather hasty, even what I would deem a non-professional manner, but I think the outcome may have been the same regardless of when it was done. I actually thought a lot of the feedback was really good and merited. Some of it I thought was off-target too. But one thing I think is really important was they addressed issues that each component of the system need to address. Some of the things they brought up about the commission are real and valid. We have talked about it for a long time but I think hearing it from someone else was important for them." That would be the Wheat Commission. Kidwell was critical of some media reporting on the review. Kidwell: "You know we have had what I consider some slanderous reporting that was erroneous and malice. And that has not helped. If we could actually become reporter resistant we would be fabulous. Not you personally." I'm Bob Hoff.