The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline from March 5 to April 9 for agricultural producers to apply for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program because of recent winter storms and some clarifications to program rules. This program assists producers who suffered crop quality losses due to qualifying 2018 and 2019 natural disasters. “Because of recent winter ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Thursday marked the halfway point of this year’s 105-day regular legislative session, which is scheduled to end on April 25. Lawmakers in both chambers have been debating and taking votes on dozens of bills in lengthy day and late evening sessions for the past two weeks. Unless considered Necessary to Implement the Budget, all bills ... Read More »

Ryan Poe, president of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers testified today in a hearing in the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee on SB 5373, a carbon tax bill. You can watch the hearing here. Below is Poe’s testimony. Good morning Chair Carlyle and members of the committee: My name is Ryan Poe and I am a fifth generation ... Read More »

Last week, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) concluded its annual conference, which entailed organizational action and adoption of 2021 policy priorities. Given the impacts of COVID-19 over the past year, the board re-elected the same slate of officers to continue in their roles for 2021. With that action, the board has re-elected Dave Milligan (Michigan) as president; Nicole ... Read More »

Agricultural producers wanting to enhance current conservation efforts are encouraged to renew their existing Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Classic contract. Through CSP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service helps private landowners improve their business while implementing conservation practices that help ensure the sustainability of their entire operation. Application for CSP Classic are due by March 31, ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Monday, Feb. 22, was the second legislative deadline, when all bills must have been voted out of their respective fiscal committees to remain “alive.” Since then, the Legislature has mostly ceased committee action and is focused on floor action for the time being, which entails the entire chamber (either the House of Representatives or the ... Read More »

By Trista Crossley Chandler Goule, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), and Josh Tonsager, vice president of policy and communications for NAWG, joined growers on a webinar last month to discuss the issues NAWG is working on for the wheat industry in the other Washington. The session was part of the 2021 Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization’s ... Read More »

The lower Snake River and its four dams is a multi-purpose system balancing economic benefits and environmental protection for the entire Pacific Northwest. The dams continue to make our region strong and balanced by irrigating our farms, shipping our goods, generating clean power, and supporting our economies. Join Karl for the sixth episode of the 22nd Annual Tri-Cities Regional Economic ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The Washington Legislature has before it a proposal to require the use of low-carbon fuels in cars and trucks. The fuels, mixtures that would include more ethanol and diesel made from cooking oil, canola and other feedstocks, would reduce the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. While farm equipment would be exempt from the low ... Read More »

The statewide temperatures in Washington for the month of February were below normal throughout the state. In western Washington, crops were doing well. In Jefferson County, most areas received eight or more inches of snow. The snow was gone within a week, which caused no harm to grass, winter wheat and cover crops. In San Juan County, pasture lands and ... Read More »