From the Capital Press The vast majority of salmon are getting up, over, around and through the four lower Snake River dams even as legal challenges and political battles swirl around them, according to the federal agency in charge of monitoring fish health. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »
Author Archives: Trista Crossley
Wheat growers support EPA decision
Today, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Sackett v. EPA that narrows the extent of federal jurisdiction over bodies of water under the Clean Water Act. “NAWG (the National Association of Wheat Growers) is pleased with the rule the Supreme Court issued today that rejected the confusing and expansive ‘significant nexus’ test that broadened the jurisdiction of the Clean ... Read More »
Farm input costs expected to rise 4% in 2023
Reprinted with permission from the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Minority Blog Alongside historic inflation across the broader U.S. economy, the highest in over 40 years, farmers and ranchers across the country experienced their own version of inflation: soaring land values, cash rents, fertilizer, fuel, chemical, animal feed, machinery, and interest expenses, among many others. The U.S. ... Read More »
Crop progress report 05/21: Warmer Than Normal Temperatures Helped Crop Emergence and Fieldwork
From NASS There were 6.9 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, up from 6.4 days recorded the previous week. Widespread warm temperatures allowed farmers to complete planting for spring planted grains and row crops in some areas. Farmers irrigated throughout the week to maintain adequate topsoil conditions. Grass growth and crop emergence benefited from the warmer temperatures. In Western Washington, ... Read More »
NAWG Responds to USDA’s Announcement of Disaster Aid Implementation
Today, Secretary Tom Vilsack announced how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to implement the $3.7 billion Congress appropriated for disaster aid in calendar year 2022. The Emergency Relief Program (ERP) and Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) will help assist crop and livestock producers who suffered losses due to qualifying natural disasters in 2022. To facilitate the process, the ... Read More »
Stripe rust update 05/17: Current pressure very low
By Dr. Xianming Chen On May 16, we were checking winter wheat fields in Whitman, Garfield, Columbia, Walla Walla, Franklin and Adams counties in Washington. Winter wheat ranging from early jointing (Feekes 5) to early flowering (Feekes 10.51). Stripe rust was not found in any of the checked commercial fields and not found in our stripe rust experimental plots in Central Ferry (Garfield County) and ... Read More »
Crop progress report 05/14: Spring crops planted, warmer weather reported in Washington
From NASS There were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, up from 5.8 days last week. Western Washington had some grass growth, but the warm weather slowed the growth. In San Juan County, grass was heading even though it was too short to cut for hay. Central Washington had a great week for farming. Tractors cultivated, seeded and sprayed ... Read More »
Myth-busting FSA’s new revenue-based disaster, pandemic assistance programs
By Zach Ducheneaux Administrator, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency In January, we announced two new programs designed to assist producers who experienced revenue losses from 2020 and 2021 natural disasters or the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs are revenue-based and feel a little different from our regular programs, but the goal is to better support farmers. Both the Emergency Relief ... Read More »
Countdown to Wheat College
Canadian agronomist will dial into the details of growing a successful wheat crop By Trista Crossley Editor, Wheat Life The details matter when it comes to growing a successful crop, and it’s the details that Ted Labun will be focusing on at next month’s Wheat College. Labun is the owner of TLC Agronomics Inc., a consulting company based in Calgary, ... Read More »
Lawmakers pass budgets, end 2023 Legislative Session
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The Legislature adjourned Sine Die as scheduled on the 105th day of the 2023 Legislative Session on Sunday, April 23. In the final week of the session, the Legislature focused on two items: bill concurrence and finishing negotiations on the state’s biennial budgets: operating, capital and transportation. Additionally, the governor has begun signing bills into ... Read More »