Interview: What the OSU/ARS Wheat Field Days Are About

This June, PNW Ag went to the OSU and USDA-ARS Field Day at the Pendleton Station. Here, we talked with Amanda Hoey, Chief Executive Officer at Oregon Wheat Commission and Oregon Wheat League.

Amanda Hoey: This is a really important day for us. It's a chance to showcase all of the research work that's been conducted over the year by Oregon State and by the Ag Research Service, and be able to get our producers set up for a successful year, taking a look at new varieties, what's happening out in the field, and things that they should be aware of in wheat management. So a great day to showcase a year's worth of research work.

PNW Ag: It's a nice turnout. They said over a hundred people registered?

Amanda Hoey: Over a hundred registered. Probably expect a couple hundred to be here on the day, and most of them don't pre-register. So it's a great turnout for Eastern Oregon and our wheat producers.

PNW Ag: You have a tour of how many fields?

Amanda Hoey: We're just here touring the plots that are on the research station, so basically throughout the day, producers will have a chance to see our wheat breeding trials, our variety trials, and then a whole host of other talks. So three different sections throughout the day, pick and choose, and the topics that are of interest to them.

PNW Ag: You have some vendors that are going to be set up here as well?

Amanda Hoey: Yes, so in addition to the formal research presentations, we also have a chance to hear from some of our work on the wheat quality side, which is really important in specifically the Pacific Northwest wheat production. And then we've got, it looks like, a couple of vendors on the equipment side, which is always exciting to see the new shiny paint, and a few others. So just a great day for being out in the field and out at the station.