WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources

06/11/2026

What builds soil organic matter?

A new Perspectives piece from Andrew McGuire looks at a 2025 study comparing organic and conventional farms in Germany. The takeaway: organic or conventional matters less than the practices driving biomass inputs, nutrient availability, crop rotation, and tillage.

Read the full piece:
🔗 csanr.wsu.edu/what-actually-builds-soil-organic-matter

06/11/2026

Do you work with specialty crop growers or agricultural communities facing climate-related risks?

Practical Adaptation for Specialty Crops is a 5-day, in-person course for Extension professionals. Participants will learn in the field, explore practical climate adaptation strategies, and use tools like climate analogs, AgroClimate tools, and scenario planning to support grower conversations and adaptation planning.

Up to 12 Extension professionals will be selected, with most expenses covered, including course fees, hotel, meals, and flights.

Apply by June 26 for priority review. Applications will be accepted through July 10 or until the course is filled.

🔗 csanr.wsu.edu/practical-adaptation

Extension professionals can apply for a week-long course on farming with increasing weather viability.

06/11/2026

WSU scientists dive into the history of cherry breeding to benefit consumers and growers.

06/01/2026

As open-environment poultry systems grow, farmers need more tools for managing parasites and pathogens.

A CSANR BIOAg-supported project led by Jeb Owen found that heritage chicken breeds do differ in disease resilience. In one example, Campylobacter colonization rates ranged from 0% to 57% depending on breed.

The findings are early, but they point to breed selection as one possible tool for farmers managing disease pressure in cage-free, free-range, pasture, and organic poultry systems.

Read the story:
🔗 csanr.wsu.edu/disease-resilience-in-heritage-breeds

05/28/2026

Drone technology helping Estelbrook Farms & Vineyard protect their soils, spotlighted by our partners at WaSHI! 🍇🌱

The WaSHI Soil Health Ambassador Program shares the experiences of innovative producers, including Alex and Shahnnen Head from Estelbrook Farms & Vineyards. Learn from them about reducing vineyard fuel use, compaction, and chemical sprays with drones. Read more about their experience: https://washin...

05/13/2026

We were grateful to have Sieg Snapp, associate dean for research, and Vicki McCracken, associate dean and director of Extension, join us in person last week for a conversation about CSANR's future.

The retreat built on months of collecting input, including small-group discussions with 39 participants from across Washington agriculture and 28 follow-up survey responses that helped sharpen our priorities together.

We’re focused on how CSANR can continue contributing to a resilient, adaptable agricultural economy in Washington state. 🌾🍎🐄

04/20/2026

CSANR’s Sonia Hall shared how climate pressures are already shaping tree fruit production at the Chelan County Resilience Summit.

From earlier seasonal water availability that doesn’t align with peak mid-summer demand to varietal differences in sunburn risk affecting market value and storage, her keynote connected climate science to on-the-ground decisions for growers.

Events like this bring researchers, industry, and communities together to turn insight into practical action for Chelan County’s future.

04/20/2026

A new app that turns soil test data into clear visual profiles and management guidance.

04/20/2026

An update on the long-term agroecological research and extension soil health sites as part of the Washington Soil Health Initiative.

04/17/2026

Last month, CSANR’s Teal Potter led an early-career ag and climate policy tour in Washington, DC as part of the Climate Analogs Academy.

Graduate students and Extension professionals met with Senate Agriculture Committee staff, USDA Climate Hubs, and national organizations like NSAC to understand how ag and climate policy is developed, implemented, and informed by research.

The USDA building spans an entire city block, but its elevators are just elevators.

🔗 csanr.wsu.edu/climate-analogs-academy