PNW Grower Direct Seed Web Forum

Pacific Northwest Conservation Tillage Handbook Series No. 13
Chapter 10 – New Technology Access, Adaptation and Economics, March 2000

Author: Roger Veseth, WSU/UI Extension Conservation Tillage Specialist, Moscow, ID

At the request of Pacific Northwest growers, a PNW Grower Direct Seed Forum has been established on the Internet to facilitate in-depth grower-to-grower questions and discussions on direct seed cropping systems and technologies. It will provide a communications tool to help growers search for answers to their questions, as well as to share experiences and innovations. The Forum can be accessed through the PNW Conservation Tillage Systems Web site (http://pnwsteep.wsu.edu) — click on Grower Direct Seed Forum.

The Forum will expand the communications network initiated with the PNW Direct Seed E-mail List Server in late 1999 for all Ag-related personnel interested in direct seed system — also linked to the PNW Web site. The main purpose of the Grower Direct Seed Forum is to facilitate more growers-to-grower communications, although others with experience and expertise in various aspects of direct seed cropping systems, such as Ag industry representatives, researchers, extension educators, and other Ag support personnel, are encouraged to actively participate.

The Forum “conference” topics presently include: equipment design and modification; crop rotation; alternative crops; residue management; and management strategies for weed, disease and insect control. Additional conference area can be added on a variety of direct seed system topics.

The number of PNW growers with Internet access is growing rapidly. A 1999 USDA Agricultural Statistics Service study showed that an average of 40% of PNW growers had Internet access in 1999, up dramatically from 18% in 1997. Washington growers lead the NW and were second in the nation at 50%. Along with this rapid Internet access, NW growers are also moving towards direct seeding and more intensive cropping systems to improve productions efficiency and profitability, cropland productivity, and environmental protection. This Grower Direct Seed Forum, as well as the List Server and expanding library of resources on the main PNW Web site, are helping meet this increasing PNW demand for computer access to direct seed cropping systems technologies.

The Forum has a threaded discussion design, which refers to the arrangement of stored messages on the page, allowing participants to follow and respond to discussions starting at the original messages and continuing with successive replies to those messages. Participants can select options to receive e-mail notification when there are new messages on the Forum, or to be sent the messages by e-mail. There are separate mailing lists for each of the “conferences” and you need to select those you are interested in receiving. The Forum is simple to use, plus there is an introductory section that describes how to use the Forum. An excellent help program can also guide you through the process.

Pacific Northwest Conservation Tillage Handbook Series publications are jointly produced by University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System, Oregon State University Extension Service and Washington State University Cooperative Extension. Similar crops, climate, and topography create a natural geographic unit that crosses state lines in this region. Joint writing, editing, and production prevent duplication of effort, broaden the availability of faculty, and substantially reduce costs for the participating states.

Cooperative Extension programs and policies comply with federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, and sexual orientation. The University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System, Oregon State University Extension Service and Washington State University Cooperative Extension are Equal Opportunity Employers.