From the Capital Press The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has affirmed state-protected status for the greater sage grouse, exasperating agriculture groups that argue the state’s inventory of endangered and threatened species shouldn’t include wide-ranging species not on the federal list. Washington’s list of 53 endangered, threatened or sensitive species includes 16 not protected by the Endangered Species Act. The ... Read More »

Compiled by Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist House Proposal House Democrats released their proposed supplemental budget early this week and voted it off the floor Thursday by a vote of 50-47.  The House proposal raises teacher starting salaries from $35,000 to $40,000 per year and offers teachers a $650 annual bonus for continuing professional certification. The budget proposes paying for salary ... Read More »

The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) joined with other stakeholder groups, including the Washington Grain Commission, to fund a study on the economic impacts of the last year’s West Coast ports slowdown on Washington State businesses. According to the study, which was released in late February, between October 2014 and March 2015, slowdowns at West Coast ports cost Washington ... Read More »

Just a few weeks after the Washington Association of Wheat Growers’ (WAWG) trip to Olympia, leadership and staff headed east to take their advocacy and outreach to the federal level in Washington, D.C. The early-February trip was made to coincide with the annual winter meeting of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). “Working with our national organization (NAWG) allows ... Read More »

Brian Cochrane, a dryland wheat farmer from Franklin County, has been appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to take part in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Air Quality Task Force. “I feel honored and humbled to be selected for the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force,” Cochrane said. “I have been looking for a way to impact the ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The list of active bills has been further narrowed after the deadline for bills to pass their house of origin was reached last Wednesday. Policy committees have resumed public hearings on legislation from the opposite house. The next deadlines are Friday, Feb. 26, when bills must get out of their policy committee and Monday, Feb. 29, ... Read More »

The following updated resources are available on the Washington State University Oilseed Cropping Systems website (scroll down the home page to see all items): • Spring oilseed supply list from seed dealers and retail outlets in the Pacific Northwest. Canola, mustard, camelina, sunflower, safflower and flax are all available. • Remember the Crucifer Quarantine now applies to Eastern Washington counties. ALL seed ... Read More »

Amid gray skies and heavy downpours, a large group of Washington Association of Wheat Growers’ (WAWG) members, leadership and staff spent two days in January crisscrossing the state capitol to visit more than 50 legislators and agency leaders. “I want to thank those members who took the time out of their busy schedules to come with us to Olympia,” said ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Today is the 36th day of the 60 day session. The focus in the Legislature this week will be on passing bills out of the house of origin. The deadline to pass bills out of the house of origin is Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 5 p.m. The Legislature did not work over the weekend which ... Read More »

From the Capital Press USDA’s Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service have both introduced new Internet features to meet a 2014 Farm Bill mandate that they improve electronic record access for their customers. FSA Farm Plus launched in January, offering producers web-based reports on their base acres, planting histories, ownership and rental records, fields in the Conservation Reserve ... Read More »