Solutions to Environmental and Economic Problems (STEEP)

Abstract

This article describes one model for organizing and mobilizing scientific resources to address the highly complex and costly problem of soil erosion in the Pacific Northwest. With a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to the agricultural experiment stations in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, as well as supplementary state and federal funds, STEEP awards intermediate-term (15 year) grants for research in five areas: tillage and plant management, plant design, erosion and runoff predictions, pest management, and socioeconomics of erosion control. Most of the research projects require collaboration across disciplines and, in some instances, across state boundaries. After 6 years of effort the results obtained with STEEP indicate that the model might be applicable to other regions and problems.

Fifty years of survey innovation

“…In addition, the social context and lack of efficient no-till methods slowed down that process, just as the slow development of the internet and fiber optic capabilities would later slow down adoption of internet survey methods. My experience with the Beal and Bohlen model of early vs. late adopters helped me engage in this research in effective ways (Oldenstadt et al 1982; Carlson, and Dillman, 1983; Carlson and Dillman, 1988). People, and in my case farmers, could be divided into categories of innovators, early adopters, late adopters, and laggards, who had quite different demographics, as described by Beal and Bohlen.…”

Control of Rattail Fescue (Vulpia myuros) in No-Till Winter Wheat

“…The focus of STEEP was to develop and encourage grower adoption of new, economically feasible conservation cropping systems based on principles of soil surface and crop residue management that were proven to be effective for erosion control (Oldenstadt et al, 1982). The core strategy was a shift to reduced-and no-till and away from moldboard plow tillage that was universal with conventional farming.…”

“…The rationale was to evaluate the extent that program goals were achieved and the return from money spent. STEEP was launched in 1976 with a mandate to establish a cooperative effort between the state agricultural experiment stations of Idaho (ID), Oregon (OR), and Washington (WA), and the USDA Agricultural Research Service for developing a new approach to control erosion and water quality degradation focused mainly on the high precipitation Palouse region (Oldenstadt et al, 1982). However, the studies covered an area of about 8.3 million acres of prime wheat lands, including low and intermediate precipitation zones encompassing parts of the three Pacific Northwest states.…”

Integrating Historic Agronomic and Policy Lessons with New Technologies to Drive Farmer Decisions for Farm and Climate: The Case of Inland Pacific Northwestern U.S.

“…Gray et al (1938) attributed the lack of significant progress in adopting soil conserving practices to a failure to address shortterm economic needs of farmers. In 1975, iPNW research and extension programs, Solutions to Economic and Environmental Problems (USDA-funded STEEP, nd 1 ; Oldenstadt et al, 1982) followed by the USDA-funded Columbia Plateau PM10 (CP3) project were established with specific goals to develop and implement economically viable solutions to reduce water and wind erosion. Viable reducedand no-tillage systems were the major research outcomes of these projects, followed by vigorous extension efforts to translate the research into grower-adaptable individual best management practices, principally outlined in compendiums of soil management guides (STEEP nd 1 , Papendick et al, 1985).…”