June, 2003

Tri-State Team

DENNIS ROE

• On June 1 soil samples were obtained on the Luft and Moore Farms. This is part of a 5-year field trial to compare direct seed chem fallow with cultivated fallow on Walla Walla Silt Loam.

• During June 16-20 13 persons from Washington and Oregon participated in a soil quality tour to Lethbridge, Alberta. A stop was made to visit a direct seed farm at Great Falls, MT, and to tour the Montana Specialty Mills Oilseed Prodessing Plant.

• The theme of the workshop at AgCanada Research Centre was "Linking Cropping systems to Food Quality."

• During June and July final arrangements were made by the SWCS Local Arrangements Committee for the International SWCS Conference in Spokane.

• Dennis Roe and Larry Cooke Co-Chaired the event.

• On June 25 Whitman CD was assisted with a meeting at the WSU Ag Economics Department. Dr. Herb Hinman was provided economic farm budget worksheets for 16 farms in Washington and Idaho to compare the costs of direct seeded oilseed crops with minimum tilled oilseeds.

• On June 26 was a tour of the Cunningham Agronomy Research Farm at Pullman.

• Soil pits were viewed by some 100 visitors to see the effects of direct seeding and crop rotations on soil quality.