By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist On Jan. 14, 2019, the Washington State Legislature will be back in session in Olympia for a “long” session that is scheduled to last 105 days. One of the primary tasks of legislators during a long session is to pass the state’s biennial budgets: operating, capital and transportation.   Democrats will control the agenda in Olympia ... Read More »

President signs critical bill into law After more than a year of meetings with legislators and advocating for Washington farmers, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) was gratified to see Congress act quickly in a bipartisan manner to pass the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, otherwise known as the 2018 Farm Bill last week. Today, WAWG applauds President Trump ... Read More »

From the National Association of Wheat Growers Today, President Trump officially signed The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the farm bill, into law. The signing ceremony was held in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) president and Sentinel, Okla., wheat farmer, Jimmie Musick, was invited to attend the ... Read More »

From the Capital Press A $1.1 billion orca-rescue plan rolled out Thursday by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee includes $750,000 for another look at breaching four dams on the Lower Snake River. The dams in southeast Washington generate electricity and allow farmers to move grain by barge down the Columbia River’s main tributary. Inslee said a task force would study whether ... Read More »

From Reuters The White House is delaying additional payments from a $12 billion aid package for farmers stung by President Donald Trump’s trade war with China because it expects Beijing to resume buying U.S. soybeans, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

From farmdocdaily On Monday Dec. 10, 2018, the House and Senate conference committee released the conference report for the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018; the final version of the 2018 Farm Bill (Senate Ag Committee; House Ag Committee).  On Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, the Senate moved quickly to pass the conference report with a final vote in favor of the ... Read More »

From the National Association of Wheat Growers The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) applauds the Senate and House of Representatives for their quick action and bipartisan votes on the 2018 Farm Bill conference report and calls on the president to sign the bill into law as quickly as possible. “Historically low prices, trade instability and the current weather challenges ... Read More »

From the Capital Press A climate-change agenda outlined Monday by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee calls for banning coal by 2025, mandating reductions in vehicle emissions and spending millions on energy-efficient buildings and to subsidize electric vehicles. The package does not not include a fee on greenhouse gases. Speaking at a press conference in Seattle, Inslee didn’t rule out a carbon ... Read More »

From U.S. Wheat Associates When the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) enters into force Dec. 31, 2018, Japan will grant preferential access to wheat export countries that are in the agreement. This has the potential to slash sales to a crucial market for U.S. wheat farmers. That is why U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) President Vince Peterson urged the U.S. ... Read More »

From Successful Farming With much of the recent grain trade headlines attributed to China and soybeans lately, there is one commodity that is sleeping in the background, which might end up being the grain that needs to truly be watched as we head into 2019: Wheat. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »