Members of the Washington and Oregon delegation signed onto a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), urging USDA to take all statutory eligibilities into account when distributing the $10 billion in aid to Pacific Northwest agricultural producers hit hard by extreme heat, drought and wildfires this summer. “Congress provided $10 billion to cover ... Read More »

From bpa.gov At first glance, dams look like they only hold back and store water, but they actually do so much more. Dams can help protect communities from floods, provide water to irrigate farmland, enable safe passage for boats and barges, create places to play on the river and provide the Northwest with renewable, carbon-free electricity. While not all dams ... Read More »

From NASS There were 6.9 days suitable for fieldwork, up from 6.5 the previous week. Statewide temperatures for the week ending Oct. 17 were below normal. In San Juan County, there were cooler temperatures with some rainfall throughout the area. Low pressure systems stacked up leading into the fall rainy season. Livestock was on stockpiled feed. Harvest of CSA vegetable ... Read More »

After being canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions last year, the 2021 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention promises to be better than ever. This year’s event is slated for Nov. 30-Dec. 3 at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane, Wash., and is sponsored by the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG), the Oregon Wheat Growers League and the Idaho Grain Producers Association. ... Read More »

Last month, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) sent a letter to Richard Flournoy, acting administrator of the Risk Management Agency (RMA), providing feedback on two proposed crop insurance regulation changes. Specifically, WAWG supported a change that would allow winter wheat and spring wheat to be insured as separate enterprise units. Currently, all types of wheat are grouped together. ... Read More »

From NASS There were 6.5 days suitable for field work, down from 6.7 the previous week. Statewide temperatures for the week ending Oct. 10 were mostly below normal. San Juan County reported cooler temperatures with some rainfall throughout the area. Fall crops were planted, and harvest was near completion. Tree fruit harvest was in the final weeks, and pastures were ... Read More »

From the Spokesman.com By almost any conceivable measure, this summer’s lengthy and extreme drought led to historic lows in the production and quality of the region’s signature cash crop. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

From the Capital Press Agricultural exporters and shipping industry leaders had a heated exchange at the Agriculture Transportation Coalition’s virtual convention. Each group — carriers, port leaders and exporters — expressed frustration at the continued challenges that have afflicted the global shipping industry since COVID-19 first hit in late 2019. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

From the Capital Press The continuing resolution to fund the federal government through Dec. 3 includes disaster aid for wheat farmers, says the head of the National Association of Wheat Growers. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

From the Farm Service Agency Final market year average (MYA) prices for 2020 have been published for wheat, barley and oats. The MYA for wheat and barley fell below the statutory reference price resulting in a 2020 Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payment rate for those crops. The MYA for oats exceeded the statutory reference price, so no payment will be ... Read More »