The Washington state office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is launching a new voluntary Riparian Buffer Program in fiscal year 2023 that will compensate producers not only for things such as time, materials, labor and equipment required to install the buffers, but also for the income the land put into buffers would have produced. According to NRCS in ... Read More »

From NASS There were 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 5.5 days reported the previous week. A strong weather system arrived in the Northwest late in the week bringing strong winds and some heavy rain. Temperatures fell as cooler air followed the weather system. Topsoil moisture conditions improved throughout the state. Two to three inches of rainfall ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The Pacific Northwest is in for a colder, snowier winter that will fade into a dry ending for spring, a veteran weatherman predicts. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

The National Wheat Foundation is now accepting applications for the Jerry Minore Scholarship, honoring students pursuing a career in agriculture. The scholarship is available to college students for the 2023 academic year, with an application deadline of Dec. 31, 2022. Interested students can apply under the Education and Scholarships tab on the National Wheat Foundation website. “The scholarship is meant ... Read More »

From bloomberg.com Russia agreed to resume a deal allowing safe passage of Ukrainian crop exports, abruptly reversing course after Turkey and the United Nations pushed ahead with the shipments over Moscow’s objections. Wheat prices dropped on the news. Read the entire article here. Read More »

From NASS There were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 6.3 days reported the previous week. A more typical autumn weather pattern continued in Washington. A series of weather fronts hit the western end of the state. The Cascade Mountains acted as a rain shadow, limiting the amount of moisture falling in much of Eastern Washington. Statewide, ... Read More »

From NASS There were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 6.7 days reported the previous week. Temperatures continued to remain well above normal throughout most of the week. As the week ended, a more traditional late-October rainy pattern arrived in northwest Washington and spread throughout the state. Weekend precipitation was reported statewide. Wildfire smoke from fires in ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Adequate funding for the next farm bill will be the biggest hurdle as lawmakers continue work on the legislation, a wheat industry leader says. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

Agricultural producers can now change election and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2023 crop year, two key safety net programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Producers have until March 15, 2023, to enroll in these two programs. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has started issuing payments totaling ... Read More »

From NASS There were 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 7 days reported the previous week. Statewide, average temperatures remained well above normal throughout Washington. Little to no precipitation was reported statewide. Wildfire smoke from fires in central and western Washington impacted air quality in both regions. Western Washington remained unseasonably dry. The dry fall was favorable for late planted ... Read More »