Impact/Purpose:

As part of a reduction in agricultural burning, to find commercial use and added value for straw wastes from grass seed and wheat.

Description:

While agricultural burning has been going on for many years in Oregon, Idaho and Washington among grass seed and wheat growers as a means for reducing or eliminating straw wastes, over these years it has become more apparent that ag burning has adverse environmental and human health and safety consequences. Media affected include soil, water and air, with resultant human health impacts. Some safety issue concerns are reduced visibility across roads which have resulted in fatal accidents, and on-farm accidents. More and more farmers now realize that removing the resulting straw immediately after harvesting (grass seed or wheat) has beneficial soil impacts. But taking this approach then requires that the straw be disposed of in some way that makes economic sense for the farmers. A majority of straw from grass seed is exported as animal feed, something not suitable for wheat straw. So finding value-added processes for the balance of the grass seed straw and wheat straw that provide an economic benefit is the objective of this effort. One approach being taken is to utilize wheat straw for making (wheat straw-based) particle board and moldings. While the technology has been available for some time and the product can be produced at a competitive price, market development for these "green" products has been slow.

Record Details: