07/11/07 PNWpestalert.net

It's timely and it's the kind of information that Idaho and eastern Oregon growers 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 more than 400 subscribers and better than 31 thousand computer visits. NEUFELD "40 percent or so farmers and 30 or 40 percent field reps from various companies." What started out six years ago as a Treasure Valley program where growers traded information now includes all of the southern Idaho potato growing regions. Neufeld says they expanded again last year. NEUFELD "So we're reporting on all crops in the Magic Valley as opposed to just potatoes like we have in the past." User surveys conducted in the past 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. Whether is stripe rust, mildew or blight, maybe a field day or a meeting coming up, you'll probably find it at pnwpestalert.net. Today's Idaho Ag news Bill Scott