Research and Development

John Lundeen with Potatoes USA discusses why supporting the industry is important, not only for growers, but consumers and many others as well. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia... Read More ... Read More ...

Last week, the USDA announced an additional investment of $80 million in the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives. In November, the program awarded $18.4 million to three current initiatives at the University of Tennessee, Vermont Agency for Food and Marketing and University of Wisconsin, and $1 ...

In September, the U.S. Agency for International Development announced it will provide a base $15 million investment, over the next five years, to support global research program led by UC-Davis. The research will focus on advancing fruit and vegetable production as well as improve handling and consumption efforts in struggling or developing nations ...

Late last week, the USDA awarded Washington State University $4,853,908 to benefit the Pacific Northwest hop industry. The funds, which were part of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant program, will allow WSU to conduct research on enhancing supply chain sustainability and global competitiveness ...

A vaccine for African Swine Fever? Not yet, but there is work going on in southeast Asia that USDA officials call "the most promising vaccine to date". Dr. Jeff Silverstein with ARS said a company in Vietnam working with US researchers, has come up with a vaccine which has performed well in lab tests so far and the company has recently gotten approval for field tests in Vietnam ... Read

Earlier this month Dan Newhouse, chair of the Western Caucus, and G.T. Thompson, the House Ag Committee Republican leader, wrote a letter to USDA regarding Little Cherry Disease and the damage being done to the industry. Newhouse said during a recent trip to central Washington, the lawmakers spoke with tree fruit leaders about what growers are seeing and the long term impact LCD is having on indu

The American Society for Enology and Viticulture recently distributed 30 scholarships to college students nationwide, to a tune of $88,750. ASEV said this financial support will help the students, and the industry, in their pursuit of scientific research and advancement in enology or viticulture ...

Last month, Washington State University unveiled its new $61.9 million Washington Animal Diagnostic Laboratory. Laura Lockard with WSU Global Animal Health, said the new facility brings a lot of new technology and expands capacity. "That means bringing a lot more opportunity for disease surveillance as well as training and education of the students that go through WADDL and college of Veteri

A New Report says stagnant public funding for agricultural research is threatening the future vitality of U.S. food systems. That poses risks to farmer productivity and profitability, the steady supply of affordable food, and ultimately, global food security ...

Does high-yielding wheat equal high-quality wheat? Does high-yielding wheat equal higher profitability?  Can potassium levels in wheat grain be increased to help combat heart disease in Americans? The National Wheat Foundation Board hopes to answer those three questions in a trio of new projects approved at the organization’s annual meeting last week. Accordin ...