From Successful Farming According to the latest USDA data, the nation’s winter wheat crop is in its worst condition since 2006. In its Crop Progress report, released Monday, the department rated 46% of the crop poor or very poor, which is the highest combined percentage since June 2006. Read the rest of the article here. Editor’s note: Washington’s winter wheat crop ... Read More »

From the Capital Press More growers seem to be trying new things to combat herbicide resistance in weeds, a USDA researcher says. Farmers ask USDA weed research scientist Olivia Landau how to incorporate pre-emergence herbicides into their systems. “That’s super helpful if you’re trying to get some control over weeds that emerge throughout the season,” Landau told Capital Press. “It’s ... Read More »

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week. Washington crop condition Winter wheat: 3% very poor 4% poor 18% fair 57% good 21% excellent Spring wheat: 0% very poor 5% poor 28% fair 64% good 3% excellent Barley: 0% very poor 3% poor 20% fair 75% good 2% excellent Washington ... Read More »

From Progressive Farmer Landowners with acres potentially eligible to enroll as base acres for USDA commodity programs should get notifications sometime in the next month informing them about their eligibility. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

From the Capital Press Stripe rust may last the entire wheat season, longtime USDA research plant pathologist Xianming Chen says. “It’s a combination of the growth stage and weather conditions,” Chen told Capital Press of the fungus, which impacts wheat and barley. “If the weather becomes dry and hot quickly, that could either stop or slow down (the rust). But ... Read More »

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week. Washington crop condition Winter wheat: 0% very poor 5% poor 25% fair 67% good 3% excellent Spring wheat: 3% very poor 4% poor 16% fair 56% good 21% excellent Barley: 0% very poor 3% poor 17% fair 78% good 2% excellent Washington ... Read More »

By Xianming Chen Stripe rust has been continually developing in the Pacific Northwest. The relatively dry conditions between the middle of April and middle May slowed the rust development little bit, but the periodical showers and relatively low temperatures in the last couple of weeks have been pushing for stripe rust to increase further. We have completed collecting stripe rust data ... Read More »

On May 18, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of Colton L. Buckley as chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the nation’s primary private lands conservation agency. Buckley, who currently serves as associate chief of NRCS, brings extensive leadership experience in conservation and agriculture policy to the role. As associate chief, he has overseen the agency’s ... Read More »

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 6 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week. Washington crop condition Winter wheat: 2% very poor 4% poor 12% fair 59% good 23% excellent Washington crop progress: Winter wheat headed: 24% this week 10% last week 19% last year 15% 5-year average Spring wheat planted: 96% this week 94% last ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The Pacific Northwest crop tour season kicks off May 29 in Wilbur, Wash., and runs through July 3, ending in Bickleton, Wash. “Obviously an interesting winter with the warmth and openness, with atypical insect pressure and pretty severe rust overwintering,” Washington State University spring wheat breeder Mike Pumphrey told Capital Press. “Spring wheat plantings went in ... Read More »