From small grains.wsu.edu Washington Agribusiness: Status and Outlook 2016 is the inaugural issue of a new annual publication. Produced by WSU economic sciences faculty, it examines the opportunities and challenges facing Washington agriculture. Each issue will come out in January and will provide an update on Washington’s major sectors, including wheat and barley, specialty crops, tree fruit, beef, and dairy, as ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Today is the 57th day of the regular legislative session. Last Friday was another important deadline. It was the last day to consider bills from the opposite house, except initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, budgets and matters necessary to implement budgets. With only four days left of the regular session, the primary focus of the ... Read More »

By Xianming Chen USDA ARS Plant Pathologist Severe stripe rust forecasted for the eastern Pacific Northwest Based on our forecast models using the weather conditions from November 2015 to February 2016, stripe rust will potentially cause yield loss of 53 percent on highly susceptible varieties, indicating an epidemic in the severe (40-60 percent yield loss on susceptible varieties) range. This ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The American Farm Bureau Federation is bringing numbers to the table in support of congressional ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multi-lateral trade agreement between the U.S. and 11 other countries. Farm Bureau’s economic analysis of TPP shows the agreement has the potential to increase U.S. exports by $5.3 billion annually and boost annual net farm ... Read More »

Earlier this year, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced producers participating in the Agriculture Risk Coverage County Option (ARC-CO) would have an opportunity to request a change of FSA administrative county for your farm. The deadline to request the transfer is now April 15, 2016. FSA bases a farm’s payments for the Agriculture Risk Coverage County (ARC-CO) program on county data ... Read More »

From Agri-Pulse The Senate Agriculture Committee approved a bill to preempt state GMO labeling laws, and there were signs there may eventually be enough Democratic support to get a version of the legislation enacted. Three Democrats on the committee voted to support the bill, and three others, led by ranking member Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, expressed optimism that they could ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Washington’s mountain snowpack is much greater in than it was a year ago, but warm weather and a lack of significant snowfall in February mean it will melt sooner than desired. Statewide snowpack was 99 percent of normal on March 1, down from 109 percent on Feb. 1 and 120 percent on Jan. 1, said Scott ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Last Friday was the deadline for bills to pass out of their policy committees from the opposite chamber. Monday was the deadline for bills to pass out of fiscal committees unless they are bills needed to pass the budget. This Friday, March 4, at 5 p.m. is the last day to pass opposite house bills, except ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has affirmed state-protected status for the greater sage grouse, exasperating agriculture groups that argue the state’s inventory of endangered and threatened species shouldn’t include wide-ranging species not on the federal list. Washington’s list of 53 endangered, threatened or sensitive species includes 16 not protected by the Endangered Species Act. The ... Read More »

Compiled by Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist House Proposal House Democrats released their proposed supplemental budget early this week and voted it off the floor Thursday by a vote of 50-47.  The House proposal raises teacher starting salaries from $35,000 to $40,000 per year and offers teachers a $650 annual bonus for continuing professional certification. The budget proposes paying for salary ... Read More »