From the National Agricultural Statistics Service Based on June 1, 2022 conditions, Washington winter wheat production is forecast at 131 million bushels, up 85 percent from 2021. Harvested area, at 1.80 million acres, is up 110,000 acres from the previous year. Yield is forecast at 73 bushels per acre, up 6 bushels from the May 1 forecast and up 31 bushels from last ... Read More »
Author Archives: Trista Crossley
Crop progress report 06/12: More precipitation with cooler temps throughout Washington
From NASS There were 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 5.2 days the previous week. Statewide temperatures were below normal. In Clark County, producers were cutting hay when rain wasn’t present. Pasture and wheat conditions looked good. In Skagit County, the weather remained cool and wet. There were areas of ponded water that negatively impacted potatoes and ... Read More »
McMorris Rodgers helps lead bill to protect dams, energy production in PNW
Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Congressman Dan Newhouse (WA-04), and Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03) have introduced legislation to protect the four lower Snake River dams. Specifically, the Federal Columbia River Power System Certainty Act supports the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) and the many benefits it brings to the region by improving and maintaining hydropower assets, ensuring ... Read More »
Wheat Growers encouraged by House passage of water resources bill
Efforts to protect lower Snake River dams critical to wheat industry The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) is encouraged by the U.S. House of Representatives’ bipartisan passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 (H.R. 7776), which continues robust investments in U.S. waterways infrastructure that allow wheat growers to safely and efficiently move our products to consumers ... Read More »
Interim legislative workgroups to focus on ag, salmon
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist With unprecedented revenues for a supplemental year, the 2022 supplemental operating budget appropriated over $63 billion. Of particular interest to the agricultural industry, the final budget maintained significant spending on salmon recovery, including multiple workgroups and studies for the industry. Salmon recovery stakeholder process The 2022 supplemental operating budget provided $300,000 for the governor’s office ... Read More »
Murray-Inslee draft dam breaching assessment coming this week
From the Capital Press Gov. Jay Inslee and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington will this week release a draft of their state-federal assessment of breaching four dams on the lower Snake River. Inslee and Murray want to determine if there are reasonable means to replace the benefits of the dams if they are breached in an effort to benefit ... Read More »
Crop progress report 06/05: Cool, wet conditions remained throughout Washington
From NASS There were 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, unchanged from the previous week. Statewide temperatures were below normal. In Clark County, producers were cutting hay. Pasture and wheat conditions looked good. In Snohomish County, conditions remained wet and cool with little fieldwork. Many fields had not tilled yet, and standing water was still present. Corn was planted ... Read More »
Wheat growers urge USDA consultation in review of glyphosate labeling case
From the National Association of Wheat Growers As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to decide whether to review a case that threatens federal preemption in the regulation of crop protection technologies, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) reiterates the need for the administration to consult with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the policy changes and the far-reaching ... Read More »
Stripe rust update 06/02: June forecast conditions favorable for disease development
By Xianming Chen On June 1, I was checking fields in the Palouse region (Whitman County, Wash., and Latah County, Idaho). Winter wheat ranged from Feekes 7 to Feekes 10, and spring wheat ranged from Feekes 2 to Feekes 5. Stripe rust was severe on low leaves and reached top leaves of winter wheat and started showing up on spring ... Read More »
Ag groups call for withdrawal of glyphosate court brief
In a letter to President Biden, 54 agricultural groups expressed grave concern with a recent amicus brief submitted by the U.S. Solicitor General to the Supreme Court advising the court against taking up a case regarding pesticide labels. The groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Soybean Association, the National Corn Growers Association, the National Association of Wheat ... Read More »