Soft wheat prices are a constant challenge for Western producers, forcing many to look to alternatives. Washington State University has developed a series of workshops designed to share the opportunities and benefits of adding oilseed crops to your rotation.

The Pacific Northwest has markets for a range of oilseed crops, including canola, mustard and camelina, but taking advantage of those markets requires some advance planning. Each workshop will be filled with a wide range of oilseed-focused information, a highlight of the Washington Oilseeds Cropping Systems Project.

This is a hands-on workshop series where you can learn about getting started growing an oilseed crop. The program features interactive diagnostic sessions with live canola plants, drill and combine settings, fertilizer management, variety selection, marketing and more. Information will be geared toward the growing conditions and rotations specific to the surrounding region of each workshop, including irrigated acres.

Presenters for the events include faculty and staff from universities in the PNW, local growers and ag industry representatives. Jeff Scott, an Oklahoma canola producer and the current U.S. Canola Association president; Ron Sholar, executive director of the Great Plains Canola Association; and producers from Washington, Oregon and Idaho will talk about the potential for forming a PNW Canola Growers Association.

The idea of that association would be to create a key funding resource for basic agronomy research, as well as collaborating with the USCA for lobbying at the federal level for crop insurance, bioenergy and crop protection.

Registration for the workshops is $20 including lunch and refreshments. Each workshop will end with an industry-sponsored social. WSU officials have applied to get certified crop adviser and pesticide credits for Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Each workshop runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by the social.

Dates and locations for the workshop series include:

• Jan. 26: Hartline, Historic Hartline School
• Jan. 31: Ritzville, American Legion
• Feb. 2: Clarkston, Quality Inn & Suites Conference Center

For more information visit css.wsu.edu/biofuels.