03/21/05 Pasture clearinghouse during drought

With rangeland grazing threatened by drought again this year, Idahoans who will have pasture available for rent can use a University of Idaho web site to make contact with those looking for alternatives. RIMBEY "Browse the list and look for things that apply to them or may apply to their situation and there's contact information, phone numbers, emails that they can contact people." U of I range economist Neil Rimbey says the drought may force many ranchers to use private forage or hay for longer periods of time than they ordinarily would. This electronic pasture clearinghouse has been resurrected after first being used about four years ago. The website, www.ag.idaho.edu/pasture was developed in cooperation with the Idaho Cattle Association and includes links to pasture management resources. Speaking of the U of I, students and scientists are testing mustard meal as a fertilizer with a pesticidal punch. After growing 16 vegetable crops with the meal additive researchers found higher nitrogen levels in the plants. Next scientists will look at how nitrogen moves from meal to soil to plant and mustards potential as a pesticide. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott