Research Needs Identified by the Alaska USDA NRCS
To be considered by partners in the
North and West Alaska Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Network
Need:
Development of a comprehensive agronomic fertilization guide based on
soil type, soil test, and yield response for agronomic crops grown in the
State of Alaska.
Issue:
Alaska NRCS currently uses Alaska NRCS Agronomy Technical Note 16
to make fertilizer recommendations based on soil test results. Technical
Note 16 was developed using available research data from within and
outside the state of Alaska and has been successful in providing guidance
to develop fertilizer recommendations based on soil test results for
agronomic crops in Alaska. Currently no document has been developed
to correlate crop yield response to specific fertilizer inputs for Alaska
crops.
Application: To provide reliable fertilizer recommendations to agricultural producers in
Alaska with associated yield response data.
Scope:
Statewide
Potential Partners: University of Alaska Fairbanks, UAF Cooperative Extension
Service, ARS
Estimated Cost:
$15,000 to $50,000
Status:
Proposed
Contact:
Helen Denniston
State Resource Conservationist
800 W Evergreen, Suite 100
Palmer, AK 99645
907-761-7756
Helen.denniston@ak.usda.gov
Research Needs Identified by the Alaska USDA NRCS
To be considered by partners in the
North and West Alaska Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Network
Need:
Collection of new and compilation of existing wind data for Alaska.
Issue:
Wind data that meets the commonly accepted criteria for conservation
tools, such as the Wind Erosion Prediction System, does not exist for a
large majority of the communities in Alaska. Many of the WINGEN
stations that are used in the tools are miles away from the actual site
being studied and many times there are physical features, such as a
mountain range, between the WINGEN station and the study site. There
is data available but it lacks the historical collection required to meet
“normal” protocols.
Application: To develop a revised list of WINGEN stations using existing local data.
The premise is that even though the local data may not meet the national
standard (50 years of collection) its use would be much more accurate
than using WINGEN stations that are 300 or more miles away, have
different topographic features and landuses.
Scope:
Statewide
Potential Partners: UAA Climate Center, UAF, UAF CES, NRCS Climate Center,
NRCS WRTC, NOAA
Estimated Cost:
$20,000 to $25,000
Status:
Proposed
Contact:
Helen Denniston
State Resource Conservationist
800 W Evergreen, Suite 100
Palmer, AK 99645
907-761-7756
Helen.denniston@ak.usda.gov
Research Needs Identified by the Alaska USDA NRCS
To be considered by partners in the
North and West Alaska Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Network
Need:
A GIS based statewide boundary map for all active farms in Alaska.
Issue:
The Farm Service Agency Common Land Unit (CLU) GIS layer for Alaska
exists but does not contain many of the agricultural tracts being farmed in
the state.
Application: Many agricultural producers in Alaska do not participate in USDA
programs and are not listed on the CLU map. Spatially identifying existing
agricultural properties could assist agencies in developing models for
agricultural impacts, aid in providing assistance to areas that have not
traditionally participated in USDA programs and to catalog agricultural
development areas, areas which have been abandoned and active farms.
Scope:
Statewide
Potential Partners: UAF, NASS, State and Local Government, FSA
Estimated Cost:
$50,000 - $75,000
Status:
Proposed
Contact:
Helen Denniston
State Resource Conservationist
800 W Evergreen, Suite 100
Palmer, AK 99645
907-761-7756
Helen.denniston@ak.usda.gov
Research Needs Identified by the Alaska USDA NRCS
To be considered by partners in the
North and West Alaska Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Network
Need:
Development of a comprehensive pesticide recommendation guide for
Alaska.
Issue:
Alaska NRCS relies on the University of Alaska Cooperative Extension
Service (UAF CES) to make pesticide recommendations on a case by
case basis for all land uses in Alaska and no centralized publication exists
that provides pesticide recommendations for Alaska by crop or land use.
Pesticide use and registration is governed by the Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation Division of Environmental Health and
registered pesticides and associated data is held by the Kelly Registration
system. The lack of an annual publication which lists approved pesticides
by crop or land use, recommended rates, and restrictions that is published
by the land-grant university could result in environmental degradation and
crop losses. This proposal would result in the development of a print or
web based recommendation guide that could be easily updated each year
to reflect changes.
Application: For all individuals considering the use of pesticides on lands within the
state of Alaska.
Scope:
Statewide
Potential Partners: University of Alaska Fairbanks, UAF Cooperative Extension
Service, ARS, Alaska Department of Conservation, Soil and Water
Conservation Districts.
Estimated Cost:
$15,000 to $50,000
Status:
Proposed
Contact:
Helen Denniston
State Resource Conservationist
800 W Evergreen, Suite 100
Palmer, AK 99645
907-761-7756
Helen.denniston@ak.usda.gov