8 CapitalPress.com January 27, 2017 Panel tackles falling number problems By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press A panel of experts at this year’s Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific Northwest Farm Forum will discuss the impacts falling number tests have had on wheat growers’ wallets. More than 40 percent of soft white wheat samples tested by the state’s grain inspectors had low falling number in 2016. “You’d be hard-pressed to find somebody that didn’t have GO NUMBER ONE! GO SCHULTE! Kids will create ag-themed entries for new contest Visit us at Spokane Ag Expo! Capital Press The Spokane Ag Expo will host a new event this year for kids ages 12 and un- der. The “Kids Creative Cor- ner” contest is for young- FX 530 30’ MOWER Excellent shredding and distribution capabilities on Fixed Knife units 30”, 32”, 36” 38” row spacings. sters who “just like to create things,” according to Expo organizers. Kids were invited to cre- ate an entry that is farm-, ranch- or agriculture-related. Ideas include creations made from — but not limit- ed to — Legos, a diorama, ROTATE CROPS FOR PROFIT CANOLA Roundup Ready :: FX742 42’ MOWER Replace 2-3 cutters while reducing the numbers of tractors & fuel. FX 1800 180” MOWER Continuously welded deck makes the cutter extremely easy to clean. Weighs less than double decks. to determine falling number and improve grain handling, particularly during harvest. They’re also discussing im- provements to the current test equipment and procedure to increase the accuracy and reli- ability. grain inspection program. The Falling Numbers Pan- el will be at 9 a.m. Thursday in Convention Center Semi- nar Rooms 402 B&C. A falling numbers machine may also be on site for farmers to see how the test is done. The panel will cover cus- tomer requirements for falling number tests and the reasons they have them, Sullivan said. Carter will talk about the ag- ronomics involved in falling number. By MATTHEW WEAVER 5026 ROTARY CUTTER 26’ cutting width virtually does the job of two 15’ cutters without the extra operating costs. Round skid pans. “The last few years, we thought we were on track to have a pretty clear indicator of what varieties were susceptible, and this year, everything got flip-flopped, so we’re now back to square one,” Sullivan said. Sullivan said the commis- sion and state Department of Agriculture are talking to the USDA Agricultural Research Service and USDA Federal Grain Inspection Service about developing a rapid, simple test for grain elevators and growers an issue with it,” said Mary Palmer Sullivan, vice president of the Washington Grain Com- mission. “Everybody’s talking about it and there’s a lot of peo- ple that are very upset, because it’s hitting them financially in a way that’s hard to understand.” The panel includes commis- sion representatives Ty Jessup and Damon Filan, Washington State University winter wheat breeder Arron Carter and Don Potts, Eastern Washington re- gional manager of the state RS320 ROCK PICKER Large 3.2 cu yard hopper / T-iron tapered grate / Picks 2” to 28” rocks / Large flotation tires. SRW1400 WINDROWER Windrows 2” to 25” rocks Fully enclosed final drive chain. Patented floating drum. Walter Implement Inc. 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They are to be dropped off 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Spokane Convention Center at the corner of Spo- kane Falls Boulevard and Division Street, and must be age due to sprouting in wheat. A low falling number indi- cates a high level of alpha am- ylase, an enzyme that degrades starch and diminishes the qual- ity of wheat products. Rain and temperature fluc- tuations are the primary caus- es. Discounts for falling num- ber vary depending on the el- evator. Some companies dock a penny per point below 300, so a result of 280 would cause a 20-cent per bushel discount. picked up between noon and 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 9. Entries will be displayed during the Expo. All entrants receive a free ticket to the Expo, plus two more tickets for family or friends. Prizes include “Best of Show,” “Most Creative” and “Show Director’s Choice.” Each winner in the three cat- egories will receive $25 and a ribbon. Winners will be an- nounced on the first day of the Expo at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 7. O’Leary hopes the contest becomes an annual event. “(It) gets the younger ones involved,” O’Leary said. 2017 Pacific Northwest Farm Forum Bronze Sponsors AGPRO Marketing & Manu- facturing Inc. AgVentures NW LLC Bank of America Merrill Lynch Banner Bank Columbia Grain Inc. CO–Energy, A Connell Oil In- corporated Company Global Harvest Foods LTD Great Western Malting Com- pany Inland Power & Light INB L7 Trading LLC Pomeroy Grain Growers Inc. Port of Whitman County Rain and Hail LLC, Northwest Division State Bank Northwest Syngenta The Haskins Company The McGregor Company Tri-State Seed Company Washington Wheat Founda- tion West Coast Seed Mill Supply Company Whitgro Inc. Wilbur-Ellis Company Winston & Cashatt, Lawyers