01/14/05 Potato grower gets environmental award

01/14/05 Potato grower gets environmental award

Farm and Ranch January 14, 2005 Darrin Morrison of Smith and Morrison Farms in Mount Vernon, Washington, says he is honored to have been given the 2004 Environmental Stewardship Award for the Western United States by the National Potato Council at its recent annual meeting.. Morrison's consideration for the environment extends from the potato field to the waste water from the farm's packing shed. Morrison: "We use a grass filter strip that actually filters out the water, traps any of the soil, nutrients, or any harmful things that might be in there before it reaches the salmon stream." In the field Morrison utilizes a program developed by Washington State University to reduce pesticide use to control potato late blight and manages chemicals to prevent the development of pathogen resistance. Morrison says you don't quit farming after harvest, especially in an area that gets 20-30 inches of rain in the fall and winter. Morrison: "So we like to grow a nice healthy grass, or grain cover crop, that will take up any of the nutrients that are in the soil so they are not leached out. It also protects the ground from compaction and it holds the soil right on the top. It don't allow it to erode and runoff in the drainage water." Underground tile helps remove excess water and those grain cover crops also benefit wildlife. Morrison doesn't look at these practices as costs. Morrison: "Just trying to be a good neighbor is what it is, and be a good steward." That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today. Good health tomorrow. I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
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