From the National Association of Wheat Growers and U.S. Wheat Associates The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) are pleased with the bipartisan U.S. Senate vote approving the appointment of former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to that important post again under the Biden-Harris Administration. “We welcome Secretary Vilsack’s return to USDA in a year ... Read More »

By Trista Crossley At this time of year, most of the farm action is happening inside as growers are reminded of rapidly approaching farm program deadlines. State leaders from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) reviewed programs and deadlines and answered growers’ questions during a webinar last week as part of the Agricultural Marketing ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Yesterday was the 43rd day of the 2021 Legislative Session and the second legislative cutoff date when bills must make it out of their fiscal committees to remain alive. After yesterday’s cutoff, the Legislature will largely cease committee action and focus on floor action, which entails the entire chamber (either the House of Representatives or ... Read More »

From Progressive Farmer Members of Congress are urging the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Small Business Administration to issue new clarifications that would make more farmers and ranchers eligible for forgivable loans through the Paycheck Protection Program. But with less than six weeks until the application deadline, there’s little time for SBA to change its guidance. Read the rest ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Washington House Democrats are again moving to adopt a low-carbon fuel standard, and farm groups continue to be among those pushing back. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

Funded by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program provides assistance to producers who suffered eligible crop quality losses due to natural disasters occurring in 2018 and 2019. The deadline to apply for QLA is March 5, 2021. Eligible crops include those for which federal crop Insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Yesterday marked day 36 of the 2021 Legislative Session. Yesterday was the first legislative deadline when all policy bills must be voted out of their respective policy committees to remain under consideration for the year. Legislation not covered by this deadline includes bills that have been voted out of policy committee, bills in fiscal committees ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Farm groups are lobbying to amend a capital gains tax proposal, hoping to head off a tax hit for cattlemen and retired farmers. As proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee and introduced by Democrats in the Legislature, active farmers and ranchers who sell their land would be exempted from the tax on gains from the one-time sale ... Read More »

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General sign-up period, which had previously been announced as ending on Feb. 12, 2021. USDA will continue to accept offers as it takes this opportunity for the incoming administration to evaluate ways to increase enrollment. Under the previous administration, incentives and rental payment rates were reduced, resulting ... Read More »

From the Capital Press U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson says his plan to end all salmon litigation and remove four Snake River dams would offer agriculture unprecedented legal protection, but industry stakeholders say it’s a non-starter. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »