Saturday, August 30, 1997

Willie Nelson and friends slate Farm Aid '97 for Oct. 4

Willie Nelson and other entertainers have scheduled Farm Aid '97 for Oct. 4 in Texas Stadium at Irving.

The benefit concert also will include John Mellencamp, Neil Young, and John Conlee, along with the Dave Matthews Band, John Fogerty, and the Allman Brothers Band.

In the past 12 years, Farm Aid has granted more than $13 million to more than 100 farm organizations, churches, and service agencies in 44 states.

Only last year, Willie also donated the proceeds from his renowned Fourth of July Picnic to aid the thousands of farmers who were stricken by drought in Texas.

Hat's off to Willie.

Wheat gets resistance to Hessian fly

The Hessian fly wreaked havoc on a lot of winter wheat in the southern part of the Abilene region this year.

The fly has been tough on both hard red winter wheat (HRW) and soft red winter wheat (SRW) in various parts of the nation.

But SRW will soon have improved resistance to the Hessian fly Ñ the grain's most destructive pest -- thanks to a new cultivar and eight new germplasm lines.

Wheat breeders will use the news germplasm to develop improved wheat cultivars adapted to both eastern and southern states.

In the Southeast, the warm climate climate allows up to six generation of Hessian flies to breed each season. In 1989, the pest caused an estimated $28 million in damage to the Georgia wheat crop alone.

Scientists at USDA's Agricultural Research Service have come up with a new cultivar named Grant, along with eight new germplasm lines with resistance to the fly. Grant has been field-tested in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Ohio.

ARS Entomologist Roger Ratcliffe is cooperating with researchers at Purdue University.

Eastland County Peanut Tour

The 1997 Eastland County peanut crop looks far more promising than last year.

A '97 Peanut Tour and Field Day is 8:30 a.m. Sept. 23 with registration on the parking lot of Catfish Corner in Carbon.

From there, those making the tour will travel to he Harry Glen Justice Farm, then continue to the Birdsong-Everton Farms in the Flatwood community.

A stop also will be made at the Birdsong-Everton (Taylor Place).

Three continuing education units can be earned for all commercial, non-commercial, and private applicators.

Several specialists will cover a wide array of peanut topics.