Author Archives: Trista Crossley

The Washington Association of Wheat Growers is hiring!

We are looking for a dedicated, passionate advertising sales professional, preferably with print industry experience, to join our team as our ad sales manager for Wheat Life Magazine. Our ideal candidate lives in Eastern Washington, has a background in agriculture and cares deeply about promoting the people who grow the best wheat on earth. Wheat Life is a high quality, ... Read More »

State Legislative report 03/03: Lots of action, but finish line is in sight

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Tuesday, March 3, marked the 51st day of the 2020 Legislative Session. Another important legislative deadline occurred Monday, when all bills from the opposite chamber must have passed out of their respective fiscal committee to remain alive this session. This Friday is the deadline for all bills to pass out of the opposite chamber by ... Read More »

Washington wheat sides with federal report to preserve Snake River dams

From the Washington Association of Wheat Growers and the Washington Grain Commission Nearly four years after U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon ordered the federal government to develop an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that included a dam breaching alternative for restoring endangered species salmon runs, the draft report reviewed and rejected the approach. Released jointly by the U.S. Army Corps ... Read More »

Stripe rust forecast to be in the severe epidemic level in eastern PNW

By Dr. Xianming Chen Based on the predication models using the weather data from Nov. 1, 2019, to Feb. 29, 2020, wheat stripe rust is forecasted to be in the severe epidemic level range (40-60 percent yield loss) in the 2020 growing season. The models predicted highly susceptible varieties to have 44 percent to 53 percent with an average of 48% ... Read More »

Grower comments needed on Columbia River System Operations draft EIS

The Columbia River Systems Operations draft EIS was released today by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration. The EIS presents a no-action course and five alternatives, one of which includes breaching the four lower Snake River dams. According to the executive summary, “Despite the major benefits to fish expected from (breaching the lower Snake River ... Read More »

Legislative update 02/25: House, Senate release proposed budgets

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Tuesday marked the 44th day of the 2020 Legislative Session. On Wednesday, Feb. 19, the Legislature reached a milestone—the deadline to pass bills out of the house of origin (House Bills must be voted out of the House, and Senate Bills must be voted out of the Senate). Bills that were not voted on are ... Read More »

Crop progress 02/20: February sees wet west; dry east

From NASS Western Washington continued to have an active and wet weather pattern. Water was pooling in many fields, but no damage was reported. Fair spring calving rates were reported despite the inclement conditions. San Juan County had severe rain events before Feb. 10. Run-off volumes hit a 30-year record high. Water closed roadways and blew culverts. Livestock was still ... Read More »

If exports rise, farmers won’t need trade aid, says Perdue

From agriculture.com U.S. ag exports have gained limited traction from President Trump’s ballyhooed trade victories, but Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is optimistic that demand will improve. “I hope we can show that a third round [of trade war payments] is not needed for 2020,” Perdue said in a statement. “We still believe farmers want trade rather than aid.” Read the ... Read More »

Waterways association opposes Brown support for breaching dams

From the Capital Press Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s support for breaching four Snake River dams as a long-term goal has sparked a strong rebuke from the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. Read more here. Read More »

National Wheat Foundation officially opens 2020 wheat yield contest

The National Wheat Foundation (NWF) is pleased to announce that it is accepting grower enrollment for the 2020 National Wheat Yield Contest! The contest is divided into two primary competition categories: winter wheat and spring wheat, and two subcategories: dryland and irrigated. The Foundation is accepting entries for winter and spring wheat. The deadline for winter wheat entries is May 15 with an ... Read More »