Cancelled -- Biology and Management of Russian thistle Webinar

The Idaho Wheat Commission regrets that the educational seminar (webinar) on “Biology and Management of Russian Thistle,” has been cancelled.

The webinar was scheduled for Tuesday, April 30 at 8:00 a.m. (MDT) with guest Presenter: Professor Frank Young, weed scientist/cropping system specialist, USDA Agriculture Research Service, Pullman, Washington.

The webinar will be rescheduled at a later date.

Biology and Management of Russian thistle Webinar

The Idaho Wheat Commission will be presenting a web-based grower education seminar (webinar) on “Biology and Management of Russian Thistle.” The webinar will be approximately one hour. Participation is free! Log onto the website at http://connect.cals.uidaho.edu/wheat (requires Adobe Flash Player which is installed on most computers) and enter your name as a participant.

• Tuesday, April 30 at 8:00 a.m. MDT – Guest Presenter: Professor Frank Young, weed scientist/cropping system specialist, USDA Agriculture Research Service, Pullman, Washington.

Dr. Frank Young will discuss with webinar participants how to control Russian thistle in summer fallow. He will discuss the growth and development, competitiveness, and some control/management options of Russian thistle.

Mr. Young was born and raised on a dairy/livestock/crop farm in southern Minnesota. Frank received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from South Dakota State University in 1972. Mr. Young then served in the Air Force from 1972 to 1976. He later received an M.S. in Agronomy (Weed Science) and a PhD from the University of Minnesota in Agronomy (Weed Science) in 1981. Frank has worked for the USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) in Pullman, WA since 1981 as a weed scientist/cropping system specialist. He was project leader for the 9-yr IPM Project in Pullman and the Ralston no-till project (1995-present). His major weed focus was Russian thistle and jointed goatgrass. He is currently conducting winter canola research in the wheat/fallow region of the PNW.

For those who cannot view the webinar in real time, it will be recorded and available at: www.idahowheat.org

Glyphosate Product Performance Webinar Offered to Idaho Wheat Growers

The Idaho Wheat Commission will be presenting a web-based grower education seminar (webinar) on “Glyphosate Product Performance.” The webinar will be approximately one hour. Participation is free! Log onto the website at http://connect.cals.uidaho.edu/wheat (requires Adobe Flash Player which is installed on most computers) and enter your name as a participant.
• Wednesday, April 10 at 8:00 a.m. MDT – Guest Presenter: Donn Thill, Professor Weed Science, University of Idaho.

The Webinar will provide the viewer with a brief history on the herbicide glyphosate, followed by some general facts about glyphosate uptake, movement and breakdown in plants. Because uptake of glyphosate by plants is the rate-limiting step, Thill will present some information on how plant leaf surfaces and herbicide spray droplets affect herbicide uptake. The rest of his presentation will focus on factors that affect the performance of glyphosate, which include project formulation, weed species and size, spray additives, water quality, spray volume, spray nozzle type, environment, time of day when the herbicide is applied, rainfall, dew, dust and tire tracks, and resistant weeds.

Thill is a Professor of Weed Science, and Associate Dean and Director of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Idaho. He is a Fellow of the Weed Science Society of America. Donn has focused his research on herbicide resistant weeds; weed management in dry land small grain cropping systems; herbicide persistence and weed biology.

Idaho Agriculture Continues to be Profitable

In a study conducted by the University of Idaho, Idaho agriculture broke cash receipt and net income records for the third consecutive year.

Cash receipts from sales of crops and livestock in 2012 are projected to be $7.72 billion, a 5% increase over 2011. Six of Idaho’s major commodities (wheat, milk, cattle and calves, barley, dry beans and potatoes) set records for cash receipts.

Idaho’s 2012 net farm income is projected to be $2.57 billion, 5% higher than in 2011, Total revenues are expected to increase by 7% to $8.70 billion, while expenses are projected to rise by 8% to $6.13 billion.

Revenues, expenses, net farm income, and cash receipts are calculated on a calendar-year basis, not a crop-year basis.

Wheat

Wheat was Idaho’s second-largest crop by revenue in 2012. Revenues are expected to be $796 million, up 4% from 2011. Projected at 98 million bushels, 2012 production was down 16% from 2011. Wheat prices in 2012 climbed 8%, with the average price estimated to be $7.50 per bushel.