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CapitalPress.com
Friday, June 11, 2021
People & Places
Digging into soil compaction
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
PULLMAN, Wash. —
Farmers and researchers
have known soil compaction
is a problem ever since the
invention of tractors, Haly
Neely says.
But they didn’t have the
technology they needed to
tackle it. Until now.
Neely is assistant profes-
sor of spatial soil and water
management at Washington
State University. She recently
received a grant from the
Foundation for Food and
Agriculture Research to
study soil compaction.
Soil is a mixture of min-
eral particles, organic mat-
ter, water and air. When soil
becomes compacted because
it’s too wet or due to the
use of heavy machinery or
the loss of organic matter,
those particles move closer
together. The soil can’t hold
as much water, and plants
can’t access nutrients and
beneficial microbes.
Land-grant
universi-
ties estimate a yield reduc-
tion of at least 20% due to
compacted soil. Severity
increases in drier weather.
A new tool
Neely’s research will use
a hydraulically driven pene-
trometer modified by the Soil
Health Institute and Univer-
sity of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Previously, most measure-
ment tools were driven into
the ground by hand, Neely
said, but the results weren’t
reliable. A pressure gauge
was located at the top of the
tool. Two individuals might
push using different levels of
force. The moisture content
and texture of the soil affect
the measurement.
Given these factors,
researchers couldn’t use the
most basic bulk density mea-
surement to determine com-
paction, Neely said.
On the new tool, the
device that takes pressure
readings is at the bottom of
the tool, avoiding some of
the other issues that made
measurements “squirrelly,”
Neely said.
It uses a near-infra-
red spectrometer, running a
fiber-optic cable through the
hollow instrument to shine
light through a small window.
The light bounces off the soil
and is reflected, sending a
signal back to researchers.
“Now you have force,
water and clay content, and
now you can model what the
bulk density is,” Neely said.
“You’ve not pulled a single
soil core, you have to take
nothing back to the lab and
you can do this quickly, so
you can get them across the
whole field.”
She is looking for farmers
interested in working with
her on the project.
“Instead of just saying,
‘Compaction’s a problem,’
they need to know what to
do about it,” Neely said. “At
least the farmer can make
an informed decision. Right
now, we’re just kind of
guessing, based on our expe-
rience. Which is not bad,
often it’s going to turn out to
be true. But (we’re) getting
some numbers around that so
they can really make the best
possible decision for their
operation.”
Established 1928
Capital Press Managers
Western
Innovator
HALY NEELY
Occupation: Assistant
professor, spatial soil
and water management,
Washington State Uni-
versity.
Current location: Pull-
man, Wash.
POSTMASTER: send address changes to
Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR
97308-2048.
Education: Bachelor’s
degree at Washington
State University in
agricultural journalism.
“It was my dream at the
time to work for Capital
Press.” Master’s degree
in soil fertility, also WSU.
Ph.D. in soil physics, Texas
A&M University
Family: Married to Clark
Neely, variety testing
lead at WSU
Contact: (509) 335-0947,
h.neely@wsu.edu
Matthew Weaver/Capital Press
Washington State University assistant professor Haly
Neely uses her new hydraulically driven soil penetrome-
ter to better measure soil compaction in farmers’ fields.
Twitter: https://twitter.
com/HalyinPullman
“Any opportunity I
get to work with her, I
do,” Morgan said. “She’s
highly clever, very tech-
nically capable and never
really took ‘No, this doesn’t
work,’ for an answer. She
could always put in the time
and the thinking to make
things work. Many times,
she made things work that
nobody else could.”
Neely moved to WSU
from Texas A&M in August
2019.
She was raised in Waits-
burg, working for the
Northwest Grain Grow-
ers as a grain-scale opera-
tor during her summers as a
college student.
Understanding soil
She took a soil science
class and fell in love with
the subject.
“It’s such a complex sys-
tem, it’s right beneath your
feet, it’s something most
people don’t think about,”
she said. “But it is vital. The
more I learned about it, the
more I was interested in it.”
She was drawn to soil
compaction for the same
reason. It’s not as read-
ily visible as changes to
organic matter, she said.
“It’s something that’s
easily ignored, but it’s a big
problem,” she said. “It’s
a hard problem, but I feel
like it’s a solvable problem
with the tools and technol-
ogies we have now.”
United Fresh Convention
and Expo (in person and online):
Los Angeles Convention Center.
Whether online or in person, United
Fresh is your partner connecting
the global fresh produce industry.
Sponsored by the United Fresh Pro-
duce Association and the Fresh Pro-
duce and Floral Council. Website:
https://www.unitedfresh.org/unit-
ed-fresh-convention-expo-2021/#
MONDAY-TUESDAY
JUNE 28-29
Idaho Cattle Association Sum-
mer Round-Up: Stagecoach Inn,
Salmon, Idaho. The conference will
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Oregon Dairy Women
Gracie Krahn, left, was crowned 2021-22 Oregon Dairy
Princess Ambassador, and Bella Giraud, of Benton Coun-
ty, was named Alternate Dairy Princess Ambassador
County Dairy Princess Ambassadors, from left: Krisarah
Nygren, Linn Benton Counties; Mia Berry, Washington
County; Hanna VanDeWalle, Yamhill-Polk Counties; Jess
Hewitt, Clackamas County and Mariana Llamas; Tilla-
mook County.
dairy farming runs deep.
Both Amy Krahn and her
husband, Ben, were raised
on dairies in Oregon and
Wisconsin, respectively.
In 2010, they purchased a
5-acre farm in Albany, Ore.
where they milk a dozen
cows and bottle their own
line of non-homogenized,
or “creamline,” milk.
The farm is partly a
means to support their
daughters’ passion for show
animals. Gracie Krahn
and her younger sister,
Clancey, have competed
in showmanship events
from Madison, Wis., to
Louisville, Ky. They raise
their animals on the farm,
and are directly respon-
sible for their day-to-day
care.
Gracie graduated from
Santiam Christian High
School last year, and is
now attending Linn-Ben-
ton Community College,
where she studies animal
sciences. She was also pre-
viously crowned the 62nd
National Jersey Queen by
the American Jersey Cattle
Association in early 2020 —
another post whose duties
include dairy advocacy and
education.
Upon being crowned Ore-
gon Dairy Princess Ambas-
sador,
Krahn
received
$3,000 in scholarships. She
was one of five county dairy
princess ambassadors vying
for the state title.
Bella Giraud, of Benton
County, was named Alter-
nate Dairy Princess Ambas-
sador and will assist in pro-
motional events for the
coming year.
include updates from the National Cat-
tlemen’s Beef Association, Idaho Beef
Council, Idaho Department of Agricul-
ture and Idaho Departments of Lands,
as well as market updates. An optional
rafting trip is planned for June 27.
Website: www.idahocattle.org
Sunday at the St. Paul, Ore., rodeo
grounds. Tickets are $16 to $26,
not including a convenience fee,
and can be purchased online at
StPaulRodeo.com. For more infor-
mation, visit the rodeo’s website
or call 800-237-5920. Covid guide-
lines will be in place during the
rodeo. Tickets purchased earlier in
the year will be honored.
Oregon Dairy Women
The
Oregon
Dairy
Women have also named
this year’s incoming coun-
try dairy princess ambassa-
dors, all of whom will com-
pete next spring for the state
crown. They are:
• Jess Hewitt, Clackamas
County.
• Krisarah Nygren, Linn
and Benton counties.
• Mariana Llamas, Tilla-
mook County.
• Mia Berry, Washington
County.
• Hanna VanDeWalle,
Yamhill and Polk counties.
CALENDAR
THURSDAY-
SATURDAY
JUNE 24-26
Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is
published weekly by EO Media Group,
2870 Broadway NE, Salem OR 97303.
Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR,
and at additional mailing offices.
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
Submit upcoming ag-related
events on www.capitalpress.com
or by email to newsroom@capital-
press.com.
An independent newspaper
published every Friday.
Hometown: Waitsburg,
Wash.
Gracie Krahn crowned Oregon Dairy Princess Ambassador
SALEM — Like mother,
like daughter.
Gracie Krahn, 19, was
crowned the 2021-22 Ore-
gon Dairy Princess Ambas-
sador on May 31. She fol-
lows in the footsteps of her
mother, Amy Krahn, who
was crowned in 1996.
Oregon Dairy Women,
a nonprofit volunteer orga-
nization, started the Dairy
Princess Ambassador pro-
gram in 1959 to advocate
for Oregon’s dairy indus-
try. The Dairy Princess
Ambassador travels around
the state giving presenta-
tions at schools, fairs and
other community events,
highlighting dairy prod-
ucts, farming and nutri-
tional benefits.
It is the first time in the
62-year history of the pro-
gram a mother-daugh-
ter duo have served in the
position, said Jessica Jan-
sen, president of the Ore-
gon Dairy Women.
“I think it’s really neat,”
Jansen said. “It shows that
multi-generational aspect
of dairy farming, and
being involved in the dairy
community.”
For the Krahn family,
Entire contents copyright © 2021
EO Media Group
dba Capital Press
Age: 35
Problem-solver
“I’m pretty sure that most
people that work with Haly
figure out her tenacity
pretty quickly,” said Cris-
tine Morgan, chief sci-
entific officer at the Soil
Health Institute in Morris-
ville, N.C.
Morgan called Neely one
of the more effective prob-
lem-solvers in soil science
research today. She was
Neely’s Ph.D. adviser and
later a colleague at Texas
A&M University.
Joe Beach ..................... Editor & Publisher
Anne Long ................. Advertising Director
Carl Sampson .................. Managing Editor
Samantha McLaren ....Circulation Manager
WEDNESDAY-
THURSDAY
JUNE 30-JULY 1
Western Governors’ Associ-
ation 2021 Annual Meeting (vir-
tual): The event will feature gov-
ernors in roundtable discussions
on topics such as energy response,
public lands challenges, shared
stewardship, infrastructure and
workforce. Website: www.west-
gov.org
WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY
JUNE 30-JULY 4
St. Paul Rodeo: 7:30 p.m.
nightly, with a 1:30 p.m. matinee
TUESDAY-
THURSDAY AUG.
10-12
2021 Cattle Industry Con-
vention & Trade Show: Gaylord
Opryland Resort, Nashville, Tenn.
The convention will include edu-
cational seminars, exhibits and
networking. Website: http://con-
vention.ncba.org
WEDNESDAY-
FRIDAY AUG. 18-20
Farwest Show: Oregon Con-
vention Center, 777 NE Martin
Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland.
The Farwest Show, the biggest
green industry trade show in
the West, is produced by the
Oregon Association of Nurser-
ies, a trade organization that
represents and serves the inter-
ests of the ornamental horticul-
ture industry. For more informa-
tion, go to www.FarwestShow.
com
R-CALF USA 2021 Conven-
tion and Trade Show: Rush-
more Plaza Civic Center, Rapid
City, S.D. The convention will
feature industry speakers and
networking opportunities. Web-
site: www.rcalfconvention.com
AUG. 20-29
Western Idaho Fair: Expo
Idaho, 5610 Glenwood St.,
Boise. Check back later for more
information. Website: www.ida-
hofair.com
AUG. 27-SEPT. 6
Oregon State Fair: Oregon
State Fair & Exposition Center.,
2330 17th St. NE, Salem, Ore.
We’re looking forward to welcom-
ing you back to the Oregon State
Fair, Aug. 27-Sept. 6, 2021. Stand
by for more information! Website:
https://oregonstatefair.org/
SEPT. 3-11
Eastern Idaho State Fair:
Eastern Idaho Fairgrounds, 97
Park St., Blackfoot, Idaho. The
daily schedule and entertainment
line-up will be published in June.
Website: https://funatthefair.com/
SEPT. 3-26
Washington State Fair:
Washington State Fair Events
Center, 110 9th Ave. SW, Puyal-
lup, Wash. Open Labor Day week-
end. Closed Tuesdays and Sept.
8. Website: https://www.thefair.
com/
Letters to the Editor: Send your
comments on agriculture-related public
issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or
mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital
Press. Letters should be limited to
300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday.
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twitter.com/CapitalPress
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Index
Dairy .....................................................10
Markets .................................................12
Opinion ...................................................6
CORRECTIONS
The June 4 story “The
Heartbeat of Pulses,”
incorrectly identified the
International Year of Pulses
as originating from the
World Trade Organization.
The United Nations was the
organization that declared
the year.
Also, Tim and Christine Mc-
Greevy have been married
for 38 years, and not 30
years, as the story incor-
rectly indicated.
The Capital Press regrets
the errors.
Correction policy
Accuracy is important to Capital Press
staff and to our readers.
If you see a misstatement, omission or
factual error in a headline, story or photo
caption, please call the Capital Press news
department at 503-364-4431, or send
email to newsroom@capitalpress.com.
We want to publish corrections
to set the record straight.