U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) are pleased that U.S. wheat growers now have the opportunity to increase efforts to expand export market access with USDA’s Jan. 31 announcement awarding $200 million to 57 organizations through the Agriculture Trade Promotion Program (ATP). USW was awarded $8.25 million, which will be distributed over the next ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Karen Sowers, who has been the interim executive director of the new Pacific Northwest Canola Association since its founding, is making the position permanent. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $200 million to 57 organizations through the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) to help U.S. farmers and ranchers identify and access new export markets. The ATP is one of three USDA programs created to mitigate the effects of unjustified trade retaliation against U.S. ... Read More »

From Dr. Xianming Chen Field survey in November 2018  On Nov. 16, 2018, our crew was checking winter wheat fields in Whitman, Lincoln, Adams, Grant and Douglas counties in Eastern Washington and found two leaves with stripe rust in only one field in Grant County near the border with Lincoln County. Wheat plants in that field were at Feekes 4. The ... Read More »

By Ben Conner Vice President of Policy, U.S. Wheat Associates Last week, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) submitted comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on negotiating objectives for a potential trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom (UK). The UK has been part of the European Union (EU) since before the creation of the World Trade ... Read More »

From the American Farm Bureau Federation From the outlook on the overall U.S. economy to the impacts of tariffs and tax reform on farmers and ranchers, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s four economists shared their insights on a variety of topics during a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 100th Annual Convention. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

Crosscut considers the fact that Democrats have a solid majority in both houses of the statehouse for the first time in years and a long list of environmental priorities. Will they and Gov. Inslee be successful in passing environmental legislation? Read the article here. Read More »

From USDA U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced on Jan. 22 that all Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices nationwide will soon reopen to provide additional administrative services to farmers and ranchers during the lapse in federal funding.  Certain FSA offices have been providing limited services for existing loans and tax documents since Jan. 17, and will continue to do so through ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The Washington Legislature convened its 105-day session on Monday, January 14thin what we expect to be a busy year.  Democrats control the agenda in Olympia after significantly increasing their margins in the November election.  Democrats control the Senate 28-21 and in the House by 57-41.  There are many new faces in Olympia as twenty-eight new ... Read More »

The Washington Department of Agriculture recently updated its rules relating to use-restricted herbicides in certain counties.  The purpose of this change was to update references and make the rule easier to understand. Complete information is available on the agency web site at: https://agr.wa.gov/LawsRules/Rulemaking/PM/UseRestrictedHerbicides.aspx Read More »