From the Center Square Expanding domestic market access and promoting exports of American farm products are among the provisions being endorsed by U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., as Congress considers reauthorization of the nationwide Farm Bill. “Trade continues to be critical for American farmers and ranchers, and American agricultural products are a key part of the global food supply,” Newhouse ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Farmers usually have one main question for economist Randy Fortenbery. “They always want to know when the price is going to be better, and there’s not always a good answer for that,” Fortenbery said. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

By Diana Carlen Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers Washington state legislators are gearing up for the upcoming legislative session, which will begin on Jan. 8, 2024, but prior to that, they will be hosting their annual Assembly Days in Olympia. This is an opportunity for legislative committees to hold work sessions and for legislators to outline priorities for the ... Read More »

The holidays came a little early for Washington wheat producers as they gathered a week before Thanksgiving to celebrate and support the industry, honor their fellow growers, and hear updates about the obstacles the industry is facing in the coming year. “The Tri-State Grain Growers Convention is always a fun, informative event that brings our members together to learn from ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The Washington Farm Bureau estimates farmers have paid at least $153 million and likely far more this year in cap-and-trade fees, even though lawmakers intended to exempt agriculture from the tax on fossil fuels. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

Concerned stakeholders left out of dam breaching discussions with Administration. Pacific Northwest (PNW) agriculture groups and stakeholders, including the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, The McGregor Company, Washington State Potato Commission, and Washington Farm Bureau, strongly oppose the proposed “U.S. Government Commitments in Support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and in Partnership with the Six ... Read More »

By Trista Crossley Editor, Wheat Life Capitol Hill may seem far away, but what happens in Washington, D.C., has a direct impact on Eastern Washington farmers. Two National Association of Wheat Growers’ (NAWG) staff, Keira Franz, environmental policy advisor, and Jack Long, government relations representative, gave an “inside the beltway” perspective about Congress at the 2023 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention. ... Read More »

On November 29, the document entitled “U.S. Government Commitments in Support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and in Partnership with the Six Sovereigns” was made public in a letter from Pacific Northwest members of Congress to President Biden. The draft agreement is based on the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative, a proposal to the Biden Administration from the six sovereigns ... Read More »

From the National Agricultural Statistics Service There were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, up from 4.7 days reported the previous week. Western Washington saw cool and dry weather, with less rain than the previous week. Central Washington temperatures cooled, and the area did not receive any moisture. In Yakima County, tractors were observed plowing and disking in the ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Republican lawmakers continue to warn President Joe Biden about secret plans developed by the White House Council on Environmental Quality and plaintiffs in a long-running lawsuit over the four lower Snake River dams. Republican Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo of Idaho and Steve Daines of Montana sent a letter to Biden to discuss their concerns ... Read More »