January 2000

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Exports To Taiwan Exceed 1999 Agreement From U.S. Wheat Associates Wheat Letter Final figures are in for U.S. wheat exports to Taiwan for the calendar year, and they're good. The U.S. garnered a 92% market share of Taiwan's wheat imports, 903,100 metric tons (MT) out of estimated total imports of 981,000 MT. Australia and Canada each accounted for about 4% of market share each. The U.S. wheat exports exceeded commitments made by the Taiwan Flour Millers Association in a "letter of intent" signed by C.M. Hseu, chairman of TFMA, and Alan Tracy, president of U.S. Wheat Associates. The letter, which was signed in September 1998 during TFMAs agricultural mission to the U.S., called for Taiwan to purchase 750,000 to 850,000 tons in 1999. A similar mission to the U.S. in 1999 had to be postponed because of Taiwan's devastating earthquake in September. Officials are now looking forward to a wheat mission from TFMA in May. Initial indications are that a letter of intent may span two years, covering 2000 and 2001. Barley: Making A Good Grain Better AgKnowledge, a University of Idaho publication If you ask college students what comes to mind when they hear the word "barley," chances are they'll brighten and say "beer!" True, some barley gets malted. People over age 30 might say "soup" or "one of those eight grains in my multi-grain bread," but basically, barley is underappreciated in the U.S. Idaho is the nation's third, and sometimes second, largest producer of barley. Coors Brewing Company moved its breeding and research program from Colorado to Idaho (near Burley) about a decade ago. C. T. Liu, director of the University of Idaho Barley Variety Enhancement Program, works to develop superior varieties of malting, food, and animal feed barley adapted to the environmental conditions and cropping systems in Idaho. And he tirelessly extols barley's characteristics. "Barley is a tough crop. It doesn't have to have good soil or fertilizer. It can grow where other grains don't do well&emdash;in harsh, dry, high conditions." Frank Johnson, who farms near Clarkston, Washington, and Liu met at a barley research meeting sponsored by Idaho, Washington, and Oregon barley commissions. "The PNW barley commissions, through their support of research, are doing a bang-up job of improving barley," said Johnson. "Used to, dairymen would say they had to go to Montana to get plump barley, but now Idaho, Washington, and Oregon raise barley just as plump as Montana barley." Most of the U.S. barley crop is used for animal feed. In contrast, this humble grain&emdash;domesticated at the dawn of agriculture&emdash;is the main food of Tibet and consumed more often in other countries than the U.S. Barley's uses take many forms: miso soup is delicate while beef and barley soup is two-fisted; roasted barley makes a nutritious tea; sprouted and roasted, it's an ingredient in beer; fermented, an aromatic wine; barley flakes make a good hot cereal; the freeze-dried juice of young plants is a diet supplement. "The market for human consumption of barley is improving and will continue to improve," said Johnson, "but only gradually, as Americans become more aware of barley's uses and benefits." "C. T.'s job is to look all over the world for varieties of barley that have attributes that suit them to Idaho conditions," said Dick Heimsch, director of UI's Agriculture Experiment Station, "and thus have the potential for commercial success." In 1992, Liu introduced hulless waxy barley. Because this variety threshes free from the hull, it takes less room to store and transport. Moreover, its nutritional value is higher. In Japan, waxy hulless barley is mixed with rice and eaten as a hot grain. In 1998, Liu introduced Camas to regional farmers, a variety from North Dakota&emdash;the nation's leading producer of barley&emdash;that didn't do well there, but does do well here."Plant breeding," said Bob Dwelle, chair of UI's plant science division, "is not only a science, but an art, and C. T. has a special talent for the art of plant breeding. He has a good eye for the potential of a new variety." In recognition of Liu's contributions, the Idaho Barley Commission awarded him their outstanding service award in 1998. David Lineback, former dean of the UI College of Agriculture, stated that Liu's work in barley, with development of new varieties, is of great value to the college and state. For more information, call (208) 885-6681. China Purchase Of Wheat? From U.S. Wheat Associates Wheat Letter Will they or won't they? And if they do, when? Traders in Hong Kong and others are reporting that any imports of U.S. wheat will likely depend on the outcome of China's bid to join the World Trade Organization. Ever since it was announced that the U.S. and China had reached a trade agreement in November, helping to pave the way for China's entry to the WTO, many have tried to predict a Chinese wheat purchase. Friendly overtures between politicians in both countries, the final approval of last April's phytosanitary agreement, and talk of possible crop damage in north China due to cold weather, have all added fuel to the fire of speculation. China's food system is complex, and purchasing predications are historically difficult. The China National Cereals, Oils, and Foodstuffs Import & Export Corp. (COFCO) is the sole state-authorized agent for importation of wheat. However, the system is actually more complex, as nearly all U.S. spring wheat exported to China in the past year went to commercial mills, via a quota system, basically as direct purchase wheat. Some U.S. legislators are calling on China to make a wheat purchase, now, to show "good faith" and thereby help convince Congress to approve permanent Normal Trade Relations status. It is not hard to imagine the other side of coin, where it is not inconceivable that the Chinese would defer a major wheat purchase until the U.S. Congress first shows its "good faith" and votes to give China permanent NTR.

NW Direct Seed Internet Network By Terence L. Day, Washington State University Communications about direct seed cropping systems in the Northwest have moved into cyberspace with the launch of an e-mail list server and World Wide Web page. Roger Veseth, WSU/UI extension conservation tillage specialist, says: "This communications network was established to help accelerate the development and grower adaptation of direct seed cropping systems in the dryland production regions of the Inland Northwest. Direct seeding, in combination with more intensive cropping, can improve production efficiency, profitability and competitiveness in global markets, as well as enhance the productivity of our crop land resources, and increase protection of the environment." The list, PNW Direct Seed, will be used to share new information resources, events, research results, technology innovations and experiences across the dryland production regions of the Inland Northwest. It will also help provide access to direct seed systems technology from other regions and countries that may be adapted to Northwest production conditions. "Messages are sent and received by e-mail, and are also stored for later access on the web site," Veseth said. PNW Direct Seed is sponsored by Solutions To Environmental and Economic Problems, or STEEP for short. The list server provides a common forum for growers, and representatives from agri-support industries, agencies and groups. The initial address list includes over 250 growers, conservation districts, university extension agents and researchers, federal scientists, PNW grower organizations, and Ag industry representatives across the dryland cropping areas of the Inland Northwest. Veseth said e-mail privacy is protected on the list. Only the list server administrator will have access to the list of people subscribed. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to rveseth@uidaho.edu. In the body of the message put the state (e.g. ID for Idaho), organization/occupation, name and e-mail address of the person to be subscribed. For more information, contact Veseth, by phone at (208)885-6386, or e-mail rveseth@uidaho.edu. Ag Researchers Seek Virus Resistant Wheats Two viruses&emdash;wheat streak mosaic and barley yellow dwarf&emdash;are bad news to wheat growers across Idaho and elsewhere in the Northwest. The mosaic virus can claim 90 percent of a field's yield. The yellow dwarf virus can take 70 percent, said Bob Forster, University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System plant pathologist at Kimberly. Wheat producers work to avoid the yellow dwarf virus, carried by cereal aphids, by planting winter wheat after the insects' fall. They wait until counts at UI extension-operated aphid suction traps peak, then drop. The strategy can carry some costs. Delayed seeding may reduce yield potential in the absence of disease. But the risk is better than the almost-all or nothing gamble of planting too early and suffering devastating losses if the aphids find a field of freshly emerged seedlings. Mites carry the wheat streak mosaic virus. Wheat growers must try to break the green bridge of live wheat or grasses growing nearby that permit the mites to move into a newly emerged field. Growers disk under any volunteer wheat or grass plants at least two weeks before sowing. UI scientists have taken up the gene gun in hope of an alternate defense. At Moscow, plant pathologist Phil Berger and wheat breeder Bob Zemetra teamed up to try to insert viral resistance directly into established wheat varieties. Although the two viruses are particular targets, the researchers also want to insert generic viral resistance into wheat. DNA carrying the resistance is shot into wheat embryos using a gene gun. Berger's group supplies the genes; Zemetra's group shoots the gene in and grows the transgenic wheat plants. Berger then evaluates the plants for viral resistance and Zemetra evaluates their desirable characteristics, such as yield and end-use quality. The genetic engineering techniques used offer a greater chance that the event, in this case wheat developing viral resistance, will take place. "The key to modern microbiology is being able to select for these rare events," Berger said. A series of tests help the scientists determine which plants show viral resistance. Zemetra focuses on two soft winter wheat varieties popular in the Northwest&emdash;Daws and Lambert. "If transformation is successful, the virus-resistant varieties should already have the other characteristics needed by Idaho producers," he said. Sometimes the changes are surprising. In some transformed Lambert lines, the wheat's growth habit changed enough that Zemetra asked his scientific aide if his eyes deceived him. "I actually walked out and asked (senior scientific aide) Jenny Hansen if we had a different variety in the field." Looks alone do not count for much. The real test will be whether the changes can keep viruses at bay and whether the new variety can meet all of the other yield and quality criteria. "One of the benefits of this program is it's giving us a lot of experience with wheat transformations," Zemetra said. "When other disease-resistant genes become available, the UI program will be able to insert them into Pacific Northwest varieties." The stakes are enormous. The Northwest's wheat crop is worth about $1 billion a year. Even with the best efforts of growers, the viruses cut production by 1 to 3 percent a year, Berger estimates, translating into annual losses of $10 to $30 million. For more information, call (208) 885-6681. Cyprus Returns As U.S. Wheat Customer From U.S. Wheat Associates Wheat Letter In a remarkable show of customer loyalty by millers who advise the Cyprus wheat purchasing agency, the 1999 U.S. market share in the country rebounded to 40% of purchases to date after losing nearly all market share in 1998. The Canadian Wheat Board had targeted Cyprus in 1998 by offering high quality wheat at prices under U.S. wheat values. USW experts in the region continue to work with key wheat industry officials, hoping to further increase U.S. market share. Humor A little boy was digging a large hole in his backyard. His neighbor happened to be in his backyard also and noticed the activity. The neighbor asked, "What are you digging that hole for?" The little boy replied, "My goldfish died and I am burying him." The neighbor said, "Why are you digging such a large hole for a little goldfish?" The boy answered, "It's in your cat!" Farm Facts 1). Farmers use reduced tillage practice on 100 million acres and 26 million acres are farmed in narrow strips to prevent erosion. 2). Farmers and ranchers provide food and habitat for 75% of the nation's wildlife. 3). U.S. farmers maintain 170,000 miles of windbreaks and 1.3 million acres of grass waterways.

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