Idaho Bean Growers Facing Smoke and Heat Stress Challenges

Idaho is always facing agricultural challenges, and one of those challenges is the potential for smoke and heat stress on bean production. Andy Wolfe-Wybie, Executive Director of the Idaho Bean Commission, says:

Sometimes, you know, just being in the valleys that we're both here, both the Magic Valley and the Treasure Valley seem to be the biggest bean-growing areas in Idaho. And because of that, sometimes we get smoke stress even from other states. Even if the fires aren't here, I believe we've even had some smoke pressure from Canada in the summertime from when they get those wildfires.

There's hope that the new research will help growers mitigate the impact of smoke and heat stress. Andy explains some of the questions they are investigating: "Do they need to put more water? Do they need to put less water? Do they need to, you know, add some sort of fungicide or some sort of bug pressure might come as opposed to this?"

Wolfe-Wybie says the data will soon be ready for farmers to make use of.

10 Tips To Prevent Wildfires

Smokey The Bear said it best, "only you can prevent wildfires." Well, it's a lot easier said than done, Smokey. Great name for a bear trying to warn us about fire hazards, by the way.

In order to prevent wildfires, you have to first know how they can be prevented. Here are 10 tips provided by the Department Of Interior that will help you in your every day life, so you can enjoy being outside, camping, and having bonfires without it turning into a problem.

Here are their 10 tips, along with some simplified explanations from me.

Gallery Credit: Cort Freeman