Georgine Yorgey

Technology for Trade: New Tools and New Rules for Water Use and Allocation in Agriculture and Beyond

In the Columbia River Basin, as in other basins across the western United States, water allocation decisions and processes are important for making the most of naturally variable water resources for diverse instream and out-of-stream purposes. Tradeoffs inherently exist with so many competing uses for water, especially during drought years when available water is limited.

Figure of water use and governances

How Rangeland Resilience Can Help Ranchers Facing Climate Change Impacts

Natural climate variability, including variability driven by El Niño (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) cycles, dominates the Pacific Northwest’s climate and will remain very important into the future. At the same time, long-term climatic changes are already being felt, and are expected to continue. Average temperatu…

Shrub steppe vegetation with flowering balsamroot and lupin

Rapid Evaluation of Winter Wheat Residue Decomposition Potential

Managing crop residue is essential to reduced and no-till farming systems that enhance soil health and reduce soil erosion. And growers in different parts of the dryland Pacific Northwest are likely seeking different residue characteristics. In most areas with less than 12 inches of annual precipitation, wheat is grown every other year, and land is fallowed in between to…

Wheat residue on dry field

Using Natural Defense Responses to Protect Against Pest Damage in Potatoes

Peptide elicitors are naturally occurring signaling compounds that act within plants to induce and amplify defense responses. If specific peptide elicitors could be identified and synthesized, they could be used to maximize plants’ natural immunity, providing a more sustainable approach to controlling disease caused by pathogens and…

petri dish with white root hairs visible

New publication tackles approaches to nutrient recovery from dairy manure

Building on our long-term efforts relating to dairy nutrient management, we now have a new publication that summarizes the various approaches being explored for nutrient recovery on dairies – and what we know about the current costs and performance that are associated with each strategy.  The publication, Approaches to Nutrient Recovery from Dairy Manure, was […]

Low angle of dairy cattle in feed aisle