05/13/05 New Ag Dean; bigger winter wheat crop

05/13/05 New Ag Dean; bigger winter wheat crop

Washington Ag May 13, 2005 The head of the Economics Department at Kansas State University, Dr. Daniel J. Bernardo has accepted the position of Dean of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University. Provost Robert C. Bates says that Bernardo is an outstanding economist who understands the diversity and complexity of agriculture and related disciplines. During the dean recruitment process Bernardo described himself this way. Bernardo: "You know I am pretty much a straight shooter and you will know exactly where I am coming from? Bernardo, who received his Ph.D. from WSU in 1985, will assume his new position August 1st. James Cook has been interim Dean since James Zuiches stepped down in 2003. Despite all the drought talk this year the Washington Agricultural Statistics Service says farmers may harvest seven percent more winter wheat this year than last based on increased acreage and a projected yield of 68 bushels an acre, a bushel more than in 2004. But State Statistician Ray Garibay cautions there is still a lot of weather between now and when the crop goes in the bin. Garibay: "The soil moisture conditions are extremely short so if we don't receive timely rain we could see this crop turn south." But based on conditions as of May 1st, Washington farmers are forecast to harvest 125.8 million bushels of winter wheat. I'm Bob Hoff.
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