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February 20, 2015 CapitalPress.com 13 Ramaswamy sees ‘incredible advancement’ in ag tech terview from his offi ce in Washington, D.C. He said the prospects for agricul- ture are “mind boggling.” A picture of a 20th century farm, he said, might be a Norman Rockwell scene of a farmer in bib overalls, rolling hills and a couple cows. “Fast-forward to the 21st century,” he said. “You’ve still got a guy in bib overalls, but he’s got a hand-held de- vice and he’s a data manager, is what is he is now. Oh, by the way, sensors are telling him how much nitrogen is in the soil, if insects are out there and if polli- nation is needed.” His agency is backing the develop- ment of such technology. In December, NIFA granted $3 million to four universities involved in various forms of robotics. Georgia Tech will develop robots that collect leaves and soil samples as part of integrated pest management systems. The Uni- versity of Illinois will develop “coop- erative networks” of human operators and mobile robotic platforms that work well on variable terrain and with inter- changeable tools and crops. Carnegie Mellon will work on the safe integra- tion of robotic equipment and human By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press Sonny Ramaswamy has never been accused of thinking small. The former dean of Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences sees and speaks in big sweeps of ideas and possibilities. And now, in his third year as director of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agri- culture, he oversees a grant-dispensing agency that can make things happen. In an interview with the Capital Press, Ramaswamy explained his par- ticular interest in what he calls the “in- ternet of agricultural things.” Essentially, Ramaswamy sees the farm of the near future as a place where soil sensors, ground-based robots, over- head drones and plants themselves monitor crops, check conditions, collect data and even apply inputs. The infor- mation fl ows to a farmer’s hand-held device or among the machines them- selves. A robot patrolling a crop might have the ability to recognize weeds and zap them with an onboard laser. Data would follow food to the grain silo, grocery store and even the home refrigerator, all of which communicate Courtesy of USDA Sonny Ramaswamy, former dean of OSU’s College of Agricultural Scienc- es, is director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. among themselves and with the pro- ducer and consumer. The fridge, for ex- ample, might read the milk jug’s RFID tag and warn you when it has reached its pull date. “It is the interconnection of all as- pects of food and agricultural systems, from the farm all the way to the dinner table,” Ramaswamy said in a phone in- State could fund water projects in 2015 ver Farmers, conservationists and state officials are negotiating a possible deal to free up more water for fish and farmers in the Umatilla Basin. Umatilla 14 Co l u m b i a Hermiston 84 Wash. Ore. 12 11 Milton- Freewater 730 Ore. 84 Umatilla River Basin Wash. Ore. Ri 82 h. Was Umatilla Basin Administrative Boundary 37 Possible water projects within these areas 204 Pendleton MORROW er a R iv Uma till UMATILLA 74 207 Enterprise 74 WALLOWA 82 395 UNION Joseph Wallowa Lake La Grande 203 84 237 10 miles Wallowa Area in detail ORE. 207 Source: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Hillary Borrud and Alan Kenaga/Capital Press Lawmakers will continue to push water development Hansell, Smith will work to educate new Gov. Brown By GEORGE PLAVEN EO Media Group PENDLETON, Ore. — Local lawmakers remain con- fi dent they can continue to develop new irrigation water supplies in northeast Oregon, despite losing an important ally in former Gov. John Kitzhaber. Kitzhaber, who announced his resignation Friday amid mounting political scandal, was instrumental in convening the Columbia River-Umatilla Solutions Task Force in 2012, and his staff has been working diligently on negotiating addi- tional water rights proposed by the Northeast Oregon Water Association for the region’s ag- ricultural economy. If successful, the NOWA plan could put up to 200,000 acres of farmland back into full production between Hermis- ton and Boardman, growing high-value crops and vegeta- bles. That would equal billions of dollars in potential econom- ic benefi t. In his resignation statement, Kitzhaber, a Democrat, said Oregon is poised to reach an agreement expanding irrigat- ed agriculture in the Umatilla Basin. The job now falls to Kate Brown, who succeed- ed Kitzhaber as governor on Wednesday. Rep. Greg Smith, R-Hep- pner, said it is his job — along with Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Ath- ena, and Rep. Greg Barreto, R-Cove — to help educate Brown on the importance of sound water policy in their ru- ral, mostly farming districts. “I think we have to help our colleagues understand that water equals economic devel- opment and prosperity for the state of Oregon,” Smith said. As Brown assumed the governorship, Kitzhaber’s pro- posed budget already includes $51.6 million in a water de- velopment fund meant to help irrigators and conservationists reach a deal. NOWA has de- veloped a three-phase plan that would allow farmers to pump up to 500 cubic feet per second of additional water from the Columbia River, in return for funding upstream projects that would boost fl ows for native fi sh runs. The new water supplies would also allow badly stressed underground aquifers the chance to recharge. Nego- tiations are ongoing between NOWA and environmental groups to fi nd common ground, with Kitzhaber’s top natural re- sources advisor, Richard Whit- man, leading the talks. As co-chair of the legis- lature’s General Government Subcommittee on Ways and Means, Smith said he has al- ready developed a close work- ing relationship with Brown through previous budget talks. He also spoke to Whitman just a few days ago about advanc- ing economic development. “I saw no sign on letting up to advance these issues,” Smith said. Echoing Smith, Hansell said legislators will be switch- ing into education mode to bring Brown up to speed on measures affecting rural Or- egon, in particular the water issue. “I have no reason to doubt she would not be supportive of what has been several decades of work now in the basin to get where we are today,” Hansell said. “If we do our job, which Colorado State’s description of the research says it is a new technology, with “plants serving as detectors for ag- riculture.” The work allows the public to “see GMO applications other than those focused on foods.” Oregon State has been on the re- ceiving end of NIFA grants as well, including a $4 million grant in 2010 to prevent childhood obesity in rural Ore- gon and a $2.9 million grant in 2014 to manage nursery plant diseases. Dan Arp, the current dean of OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences, said Ramaswamy – a friend – has opened more NIFA grants to competitive appli- cations. “That’s always a benefi t for us,” he said. “Studies have shown our scien- tists are very effective at competing for grants. As long as the process is open, our scientists do well.” Ramaswamy, who was picked for the NIFA job in 2012, said he misses Oregon but is having fun and is excited about agriculture’s prospects. “Yet I lament that this incredible enterprise — we don’t tell our stories,” he said. “We’re still not able to con- nect back to the average person on the street.” President Obama’s budget could cut funding at Pendleton research center Scientists, programs face termination By GEORGE PLAVEN EO Media Group 3 82 workers. The biggest slice, $1 million, went to Washington State University to work on robotic bin management systems in fruit orchards. “We are on the cusp of seeing in- credible advancement in the use of ro- botics and sensors supporting agricul- ture in this country,” Ramaswamy said in a news release announcement of the grants. Also in December, NIFA announced it’s making $15 million available for fellowships to train the next generation of agricultural researchers. Earlier in 2014, NIFA granted $1.3 million for a University of Florida re- searcher’s continued development of a monitor that detects fruit rot diseases in strawberry plants and alerts grow- ers when to spray. Previously, growers sprayed once a week from November to March as a preventative; the tech- nology allows them to spray only when conditions warrant. Ramaswamy said some of the most unusual work funded by NIFA is at Col- orado State University, which is devel- oping genetically engineered “sentinel” plants that can detect pathogens and turn color to alert producers. PENDLETON, Ore. — The Columbia Plateau Conservation Re- search Center in Pendleton stands to lose nearly half its funding from the federal Agricultural Research Ser- vice in President Barack Obama’s proposed 2016 budget. Such deep cuts would force the center to end some research programs, lay off three of fi ve scientists and reduce their over- all support staff, said center di- rector and research leader Dan Long. Though the fi nal budget must fi rst be approved by Con- gress, Long said it puts a dark cloud over station operations. CPCRC serves approximately 3 million acres of dryland crop production in northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, with projects aimed at improving farming practices, techniques and equipment. Since 2010, the station has helped local wheat farmers im- prove their soil management practices to conserve water and provided scientifi c proof that reduced tillage fallow systems can outperform conventional tillage systems — both in re- taining moisture and controlling erosion. The tilled summer fallow program is one of 15 projects from across the country that would be cut back or eliminat- ed in the President’s budget in order to shift money to what the administration has identifi ed as higher priority initiatives within the ARS. CPCRC could lose up to $911,000 out of its annual oper- ating budget, Long said, which is currently funded at $1.91 million. The station would lose its soil chemist, hydrologist and soil physicist with the loss of programs. “That important research is going to come to a dead halt, if this budget is passed,” Long said. Established in 1970, CPCRC offi ces and laboratories are lo- cated on Tubbs Ranch Road just north of Pendleton. The building is shared with Oregon State Uni- versity’s Columbia Basin Agri- cultural Research Center, which also focuses on experiments to benefi t farmers. Funding woes actually started a year ago, Long said, in the wake of the federal gov- ernment’s budget sequestration. When a budget was fi nally passed, the ARS experienced an 8 percent cut across the board, which dropped $152,000 out of CPCRC’s discretionary funds. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. we are prepared to do, we would be in a position I think to win the day.” What’s not certain, Hansell said, is whether Brown will re- tain the same budget and staff throughout the session. He said retaining Whitman is especial- ly critical, given the knowledge and expertise he already has about region’s water needs. “Should he leave, that would be a huge loss in this whole se- ries of events,” Hansell said. Whitman did not return calls to the East Oregonian seeking comment. Gary Neal, general manag- er at the Port of Morrow, said they have hosted Brown on tours before and said she has taken an interest in the region’s potential for growth and pro- duction. Neal, who also serves on the NOWA Board of Direc- tors, said he hopes Brown will continue the same kind of ap- proach in the coming months. “I think she understands how important water is to this region, and the benefi ts the cit- izens of this state derive from that,” Neal said. “We would ask her to seriously commit to carrying that forward as it’s originally been proposed in front of the legislature now.” Septoria a concern for westside wheat, expert says By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press Stripe rust isn’t the only issue Willamette Valley wheat farm- ers have to worry about, Oregon State University Extension cere- als specialist Mike Flowers said. “Actually, it looks like a pretty bad septoria year,” he said. Septoria is a fungal disease that is resistant to the strobilurin class of fungicides, which are good on rusts, Flowers said. “We’re also whittling away our effi cacy of the triazole class of chemistry on septoria,” he said. “What we would really like to see is guys who don’t need to treat (their crops) not treating. Those guys that are, need to make sure they’re using an appropriate product.” Another class of chemicals, called SDHIs, is effective on septoria, but Flowers cautions that the disease could build up a resistance to it as well. Farmers going after rust early can use strobilurins or triazoles, but should avoid products with SDHIs except at the time of fl ag- leaf application, the best timing for septoria control, he said. “We don’t want to see them put that class of chemistry on early or late,” he said. “The more we use it, the quicker we’re go- ing to lose that chemistry.” ROP-8-6-4/#16