By Tim Murray (Reprinted from 2018) High-temperature adult-plant resistance, frequently referred to as HTAP resistance, is used widely in PNW winter and spring wheat varieties to help reduce the impact of stripe rust. This time of year, when we’re transitioning into warmer spring temperatures, is when I often get the question “how warm does it need to be for HTAP ... Read More »

The 2026 WSU Variety Testing Program crop tour schedule is available on the WSU Small Grains website. Many of the traditional tours put on by the WSU Extension Dryland Cropping Systems Team on the schedule again, including the Lind Field Day, the WSU Spillman Farm Field Day, and the Wilke Farm Field Day. These field days offer a chance to ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index rose in late 2024 and early 2025 with the fortunes of President Donald Trump, whom many farmers viewed favorably. But for much of 2026, survey results have been more in line with pessimistic scores from the previous administration. Producer sentiment dropped in April with concerns about input costs and ... Read More »

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 7 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week. Washington crop condition Winter wheat: 2% very poor 4% poor 10% fair 63% good 21% excellent Washington crop progress: Winter wheat headed: 3% this week 2% last week 1% last year 1% 5-year average Spring wheat planted: 87% this week 76% last ... Read More »

On April 30, 2026, the House of Representatives passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567). In response, National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Jamie Kress issued the following statement: “NAWG appreciates Chairman Thompson’s leadership in advancing this critical legislation. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 delivers meaningful improvements that will provide ... Read More »

On April 24, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is maximizing disaster assistance support for producers by issuing a second Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) payment to eligible producers who have approved program applications for losses due to natural disasters in calendar years 2023 and 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has ... Read More »

By Ben Tindall, in the Washington State Standard As the 2026 Washington state legislative session came to a close, there was at least one thing worth noting: some of the worst anti-farm ideas introduced this year did not make it across the finish line. That is the good news. The bad news is that stopping bad bills is not the same ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The National Weather Service’s seasonal outlook predicts the Northwest will be hotter and drier than normal for the next three months and probably for the rest of the year. The outlook, released April 16 by the weather service’s Climate Prediction Service, offers no hope that drought conditions will improve this irrigation season. Oregon, Washington, Idaho and ... Read More »

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week. Washington crop condition Winter wheat: 1% very poor 1% poor 6% fair 67% good 25% excellent Washington crop progress: Winter wheat headed: 2% this week 1% last week 0% last year 0% 5-year average Spring wheat planted: 76% this week 65% last ... Read More »

By Dr. Xianming Chen USDA-ARS Since the last update on March 19, stripe rust of wheat has been developing fast in the Pacific Northwest, and many winter wheat fields have been applied with fungicides at the herbicide timing. We have been planting spring cereal nurseries and collecting stripe rust data from winter nurseries at some of the experimental fields. On April ... Read More »