During the next several weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major midyear surveys, the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey. The agency will contact more than 4000 producers across theNorthwest to determine crop acreage and stock levels as of June 1, 2022. “The June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey are two ... Read More »

From the National Agricultural Statistics Service  Based on May 1, 2022, conditions, production of winter wheat in Washington is forecast at 121 million bushels, up 70 percent from 2021. Yield is expected to average 67 bushels per acre, up 25 bushels from the previous year. Growers planted an estimated 1.85 million acres in the fall of 2021, up 100,000 acres ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Contract negotiations between the longshoremen’s union and container terminal owners along the West Coast have begun amid port congestion problems that are already crippling farm exports. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

From NASS There were 4.6 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 5.2 the previous week. Statewide temperatures were below normal. In San Juan County, cool and rainy weather continued throughout the area. Field conditions impacted crop planting, grass growth and first cuttings of hay. In Benton County, hop bines grew up the trellis system, and hop yard irrigation ... Read More »

The Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA) has hired Heather Stebbings as executive director to replace Kristin Meira. Stebbings has 15 years of advocacy and public policy experience for the Pacific Northwest maritime community, including 13 years directing communications and government relations for PNWA. She joins the association from member Shaver Transportation, where she has served as marine services and government ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Researcher Jorge Dubcovsky and his team have identified one of the genes in wheat that increases yield — the holy grail for farmers. Yield — the amount of wheat grown per acre — is how wheat farmers pay the bills. “We always joke in wheat breeding that the first three top priorities are yield, yield and ... Read More »

On April 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated nine Washington counties as primary natural disaster areas. Those counties are Adams, Asotin, Benton, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla and Yakima counties. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for eight or more consecutive ... Read More »

From NASS There were 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, up from 4.4 the previous week. Statewide temperatures were below normal. In San Juan County, cool and rainy weather was present throughout the area. Fields were too wet for any work to take place. Many vegetable seed and grain growers were behind with spring planting. Grass fields were thin, ... Read More »

Marci Green, a Spokane County wheat farmer and a past president of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, is helping promote the benefits provided by the lower Snake River dams by narrating a commercial running on broadcast and cable TV, streaming video, and social media channels. Read More »

National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) past president and Cass City, Mich., wheat farmer Dave Milligan attended the Senate Agriculture Committee’s first field hearing on Growing Jobs and Economic Opportunity: 2023 Farm Bill Perspectives from Michigan. The hearing is the first Senate Agriculture Committee review of the 2018 Farm Bill and will focus on farm programs, conservation, rural development, research, ... Read More »