Tailoring Extension Education Efforts to Region-Specific Oilseed Production Zones in Washington State.

The Washington State Biofuels Cropping Systems Research and Extension (WBCS) Project was initiated in 2007 and funded by the state legislature in response to biofuel mandates. Current research projects are focused on oilseed (canola, camelina, mustard, and safflower) and cellulosic (switchgrass) crops based in four major agroclimatic zones: 1) high rainfall, annual cropping, 2) low to intermediate rainfall, wheat-fallow cropping, 3) irrigated, central WA, and 4) western WA.  After five years, Washington State University and USDA-ARS scientists have compiled extensive results from field and laboratory research.  Extension and outreach education is a vital part of the WBCS Project to transfer those results into relevant, timely and easily accessible information to growers, industry, agency, and others.  We are utilizing four primary means of disseminating research data from each cropping zone:  1) case studies of experienced oilseed producers, 2) comprehensive oilseed production workshops, 3) a series of Extension publications, and 4) a website dedicated to the WBCS project.  Feedback from the various methods has been positive, particularly in regards to how information is presented by individual crop production zones.