The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced changes to its crop insurance policies. Major changes for 2018 focus on conservation compliance certification and choice of unit structure based on the risk management needs of producers. “Every producer’s situation is unique. At RMA we want to ensure the policies we provide are flexible enough so that producers are ... Read More »

By Ben Conner Director of Policy, U.S. Wheat Associates Many European farmers breathed a sigh of relief this week as the European Commission chose to extend registration of the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate for five years. But farmers in Europe and elsewhere around the world are justifiably worried about the challenges represented by the European Union’s pesticide policy. The extension of glyphosate ... Read More »

From the Capital Press When it comes to farming, Idaho is famous for potatoes, Washington for apples and Oregon for its greenhouse and nursery crops. But when you combine the three states, the Pacific Northwest is, or at least should be, more famous for wheat, said Idaho Wheat Commission Executive Director Blaine Jacobson. Read the rest of the story here. Read More »

From NASS There were 3.9 days suitable for fieldwork last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported at 15 percent very poor, 24 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 18 percent good and 2 percent excellent. A low temperature of 23 degrees F was reported in the east central region, while a high temperature of 70 degrees was reported in the southeast region. Statewide ... Read More »

Two new high school seniors have been selected to represent Washington wheat farmers as ambassadors for the upcoming year: Lexi Deishl of Waterville and Kyle Appel of Colfax. Deishl and Appel were selected after a written application process that included submitting a short introductory video. The ambassadors will represent Washington wheat farmers at various civic and community events and will ... Read More »

From NASS There were 4.4 days suitable for field work last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported at 7 percent very poor, 25 percent poor, 52 percent fair and 16 percent good. A low temperature of 22 degrees F was reported in the east central region, while a high temperature of 67 degrees was reported in the southeast region. Statewide temperature differentials ranged from normal ... Read More »

In October, the Economic Research Service (ERS) released its annual update of the State Export Data product, which estimates a state’s agricultural export value for selected commodities, and its total export value. Tracking agricultural export products back to their original source of production can be complicated, since U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not collect data on agricultural exports by ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Rural Democrats may join Republicans on specific issues but don’t expect them to give Republicans a majority in the state Legislature, a legislative watcher says. Democrats will control the state Senate by one vote starting in January and already control the House by one vote. While such thin margins have caused switch overs in the past ... Read More »

Leaders and staff of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) recently took part in the wheat industry’s fall conference in Charleston, S.C. Ben Adams, president of WAWG, said the conference, hosted by the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), is a forum where WAWG can contribute to the national conversation around the wheat industry’s ... Read More »

From NASS There were 3.3 days suitable for field work last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported at 4 percent very poor, 32 percent poor, 50 percent fair and 14 percent good. A low temperature of 8 degrees F was reported in the northeast region, while a high temperature of 57 degrees F was reported in both the west and southeast regions. Statewide temperature differentials ranged ... Read More »