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 »

From Agri-Pulse A spending bill that included a rider to stop the Obama administration from implementing its “waters of the U.S.” rule failed in the House after conservatives bolted over an amendment that was adopted to protect LGBT rights. The defeat of the bill threw in doubt the open amendment process that the GOP leadership was using to debate appropriations ... Read More »

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) has selected Chandler Goule as it’s new chief executive officer, replacing Jim Palmer who stepped down to spend more time with his family on his Missouri farm. Goule will assume his responsibilities on July 5. Most recently, Goule served as senior vice president of programs at the National Farmers Union (NFU) where he ... Read More »

From NAWG Last Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the Senate version of the FY 2017 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill includes $21.25 billion in discretionary spending, including $2.54 billion for ag research through the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the National Institute of Food Agriculture (AFRI). Additionally, similar to the House version, the Senate bill increases funding for ... Read More »

From U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers On May 18, the International Trade Commission (ITC) released its highly anticipated report on the economic impacts expected to accrue from the adoption of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). For the entire agriculture and food sector, the report forecasts a $7.2 billion increase in exports or a growth of about ... Read More »

From Agri-Pulse The Trans-Pacific Partnership would reduce the U.S. trade deficit and increate jobs throughout the country, but some of the biggest gains would be for the agriculture sector, according to a U.S. International Trade Commission report released Wednesday evening. The report concludes that if the TPP were implemented agricultural exports would rise by about $7.2 billion per year by 2032. Imports ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Agriculture groups are nervous that a “technical report” released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be used to justify new federal controls over water usage. The EPA claims its report — “Protecting Aquatic Life from Effects of Hydrologic Alteration” — is meant to provide state regulators with “technical support” about the impact of water ... Read More »

For the week ending May 15 Washington state crops ahead of schedule and livestock are thriving There were 6.0 days suitable for field work. Pasture conditions were reported as 6 % poor, 17% fair, 52% good and 25% excellent. Temperatures throughout the state ranged from 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the central region to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the southeast region, ... Read More »

It was a mixed agenda at the most recent meeting of the Washington State Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Agriculture and Water Quality Advisory Committee in Airway Heights at the end of March. Topics discussed ranged from frivolous complaints and nonpoint pollution plan funding to Ecology’s intent to send warning letters to some southeast Washington producers. Kelly Susewind, Ecology special assistant, ... Read More »