Stripe rust developing on spring wheat, barley crops By Xianming Chen Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS Based on recent field surveys in Adams and Whitman counties of Washington, wheat crops have been progressing fast since the last update in May. Winter wheat ranged from Feekes 10.5.4 (milk) to Feekes 11.3 (almost ripe). Spring wheat ranged from Feekes 5 (early jointing) to Feekes ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Washington State University’s winter wheat breeder and spring wheat breeder will share an endowed chair position to improve wheat breeding and genetics using the latest technology. Arron Carter and Mike Pumphrey were named co-recipients of the Orville A. Vogel Endowed Chair during a field day at the dryland research station June 16 in Lind, Wash. Funded ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Farmers in the Pacific Northwest could receive a lower price for their wheat if it has too much protein. Connell, Wash., wheat farmer Chris Herron said he recently saw an unusual sight at local grain elevators. They are discounting 5 cents per bushel for white wheat that has more than 10.5 to 11 percent protein. Read ... Read More »

By Trista Crossley Battle scars from the last farm bill debate have just barely faded, but according to industry representatives, it’s already time for agriculture to start thinking about the next farm bill, due in 2018. “It didn’t seem like agriculture had a loud enough voice in negotiations on the last farm bill,” explained Michelle Hennings, executive director of the ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The public is so well-fed that most Americans have little interest in where their food comes from. Which is a problem for farmers, said Kim Kidwell, executive associate dean of academic programs for the Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences. “If we don’t have citizens who care about that, we don’t ... Read More »

From the Capital Press A Washington state farm group this week assured the Environmental Protection Agency that it will pay $2,000 for records related to the What’s Upstream advocacy campaign. Save Family Farming, whose members include Western Washington diaries under scrutiny by environmental groups, wants to know the depth of EPA’s involvement and its motives for funding the campaign, the ... Read More »

From Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Washington Association of Wheat Growers Lobbyist Diana Carlen has provided the following summary of who has filed for office in Washington state this election cycle. Senate The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus currently control the Senate by 26-23. The major races in the Senate are as follows: · 43rd District (Mercer Island): Sen. Steve Litzow (R) ... Read More »

By Josh Tonsager Legislative Director, National Association of Wheat Growers Congressional action this year on policy priorities important to wheat farmers has taken some unexpected turns, and the outlook for the legislative process is unclear. By now, this should not come as a surprise to anyone who has been following Congress the past several years. What should come as a ... Read More »

Stripe rust found throughout Pacific Northwest wheat fields By Xianming Chen Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS We were checking wheat and barley fields on May 25 in Latah County of Idaho and Whitman, Spokane, Lincoln, Grant, Douglas and Adams counties of Washington. Winter wheat ranged from Feekes 10 (boot) to Feekes 10.5.4 (milk), and spring wheat and barley ranged From Feekes 1 ... Read More »

The McGregor Company will award 10 Standing Tall for American Agriculture scholarships to regional high school seniors this spring. The 2016 graduating high school seniors who will each receive a $1,000 scholarship are: • Marisa Lustig, Cottonwood, Idaho • Anthony Wiley, Prosser, Wash. • Madison Fisher, Wilder, Idaho • Kenton Lyman, Colfax, Wash. • Miles Maxcer, Moscow, Idaho • Hallie ... Read More »