By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The 2020 legislative session wrapped up on March 12, concluding its intense 60-day session on-time for the third year in a row.  Legislators began the 2020 session primarily focused on homelessness, housing and figuring out transportation funding in light of voter-approved $30 car tabs.  Democratic lawmakers also hoped to use their large majorities in the ... Read More »

From Progressive Farmer Planting season for many is right around the corner, if it hasn’t already started. Meanwhile, the country is dealing with unprecedented times where schools, restaurants and businesses are closed to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, and we are encouraged to keep social gatherings to no more than 10 people. As farms, we simply can’t halt upcoming ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The wheat market will be full of uncertainties for the foreseeable future, a Washington Grain Commission board member says. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

By Christopher Mertz Director, Northwest Region, National Agricultural Statistics Service The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is working with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to conduct a pilot nonirrigated cropland survey. The purpose of this pilot study is to provide supplemental data to FSA to help set Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) rates as they pertain to ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The severity and length of trade disruptions caused by the coronavirus won’t be clear for several weeks, but there are signs that logistical problems caused by the disease may have already peaked, according to port and trade group representatives. Read the rest of the article. Read More »

There’s some good news for Douglas County producers who are wondering what to do with their expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage. At February’s state board meeting of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG), Jon Wyss, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Washington state executive director, announced a temporary fix for growers in Douglas County who are ineligible for the current ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Tuesday marked the 57th day of the 2020 Legislative Session which is scheduled to end on March 12. Another important legislative deadline occurred last week, in which all bills must have passed out of both chambers to remain alive, unless they are deemed Necessary To Implement the Budget. Over the next four days the legislature ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist During the 2020 Legislative Session, state lawmakers are once again considering adopting a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) for transportation fuels. A top priority of Gov. Inslee’s, LCFS legislation passed the House last year, but stalled in the Senate.   Aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a LCFS would require fuel suppliers to reduce the carbon ... Read More »

On behalf of the Northwest wheat-producing states, we strongly support the findings in the Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), specifically the Preferred Alternative for the operations, maintenance and configuration of the Columbia River System. Together, our four states produce over 500 million bushels of wheat annually. Much of that wheat is bound for export markets.Pacific Northwest ... Read More »

We are looking for a dedicated, passionate advertising sales professional, preferably with print industry experience, to join our team as our ad sales manager for Wheat Life Magazine. Our ideal candidate lives in Eastern Washington, has a background in agriculture and cares deeply about promoting the people who grow the best wheat on earth. Wheat Life is a high quality, ... Read More »