In February, leaders of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) took their advocacy efforts to Washington, D.C. For four extremely busy days, they met with policymakers to discuss farm bill, trade, crop insurance and conservation. “Because of the relationships we’ve developed with our congressional delegation, we were able to get access to high level meetings such as the office ... Read More »

By Gary Bailey Washington Grain Commission Chairman, USW Director and a wheat farmer from St. John, Wash. As Washington Grain Commissioners, trade has consumed a great deal of our time this past year. Relationships with our international partners are critical to the survival of our trade with countries such as Japan. Most of us have seen the proposed effects on ... Read More »

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and 33 state wheat organizations have expressed hope in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer that the administration will immediately prioritize accession to TPP to save the valuable Japanese market for U.S. wheat farmers. “Once TPP is ratified, U.S. wheat exports to Japan will be at serious risk,” ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist This Thursday is the last scheduled day of the legislative session. Unlike recent years, there is no talk of a special session. 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 ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Increasing regional demand, competition for acreage from other crops and higher shipping costs may force the Russian wheat industry to market its crop closer to home in the coming years, a top U.S. Wheat Associates official says. “While we are not done with Russian competition and they are here to stay as a main player in ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Pesticide legislation that Washington lawmakers recently passed only faintly resembles the bill that unnerved farmers in January. Senate Bill 6529 no longer requires growers to notify the state Health Department at least four business days before spraying. Gone is also a mandate to file monthly public reports on chemical use. Read the rest of the story here. Read More »

On March 01, 2018, the U.S. Senate confirmed Gregg Doud to be chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). Trade is a top priority for U.S. wheat farmers, and this nomination is welcome news for our growers. “We believe the confirmation of Gregg Doud will bring a needed agriculture voice to USTR’s political leadership,” ... Read More »

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) are extremely disappointed in the decision announced today to impose sweeping tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. We have repeatedly warned that the risks of retaliation and the precedent set by such a policy have serious potential consequences for agriculture. It is dismaying that the voices of ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Today marks the 52nd day of the 2018 Legislative Session. With just more than a week left remaining for the regular session, the legislature is focused on moving the supplemental budget through the final days of the session and passing bills off the floor. This Friday at 5 p.m. is the deadline to pass bills ... Read More »

From NASS The first half of February was warmer than normal while the second half of the month was much colder than normal. Most of the state experienced large drops in temperatures, with some regions reporting temperatures having dropped to single digits during the night. Some regions even reported temperatures dropping down to as far as -14 degrees F. Meanwhile, ... Read More »