At their county meeting in January, Franklin County wheat growers elected a new representative for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers’ (WAWG) board of directors. Ben Cochrane is the 5th generation to work on the family’s farm in Kahlotus, Wash. “I’m excited to be a part of WAWG. I’m looking forward to being a contributing member,” Cochrane said. Cochrane graduated ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist We have completed the fourth week of the 2023 Legislative Session. So far, legislators have introduced nearly 1,500 bills for the body to consider. There are only two weeks remaining until the first legislative deadline known as a “cutoff date”. By Feb. 17, bills must be voted out of their respective policy committees to remain ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Sunday marked the 21st day of the 2023 Legislative Session and completion of the third week of the session. Committees are still holding hearings on new bills as well as scheduling bills for executive action, which is the action of voting bills out of policy and fiscal committees. Bills are continuously being revised as they ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist We have completed the second week of the 105-day session. Committees have been busy holding public hearings and passing bills out of committee. In addition, legislators are dropping dozens of bills daily. As of Jan. 20, over 1,000 bills have been introduced. The first legislative deadline is Feb. 17, 2023, when all bills must be ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist The Washington state legislative session began on Monday, Jan. 9. It is the first in-person session since the pandemic hit, and everyone is excited to be back in person. Committees are allowing both in-person and remote testimony. The 2023 session is scheduled to last 105 days and end on April 23. The primary job of ... Read More »
By Trista Crossley Editor, Wheat Life At one of the break-out sessions at the 2022 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention, growers got an “inside the beltway” perspective of the 118th Congress and potential impacts of the 2022 elections on wheat industry priorities. Congress began the new session divided. There are slim majorities in both chambers with the Republicans holding the House ... Read More »
By Michelle Hennings Executive Director, Washington Association of Wheat Growers Happy New Year!! We just wrapped up the 2022 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention last month, and what a SUCCESS! Our attendance was better than it’s been for many years. It was great to be back networking with farmers. The convention featured highly acclaimed national speakers and quality educational break-out sessions ... Read More »
From U.S. Wheat Associates A coalition of U.S. farm and food industry groups recently expressed support for a bipartisan Congressional agreement that, in part, maintains navigational access to the Lower Snake River Dams. The Agricultural Transportation Working Group noted that the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 helps protect U.S. agriculture’s dependence on comprehensive transportation system including inland waterways ... Read More »
Two new high school seniors have been selected to represent Washington wheat farmers as ambassadors for the upcoming year: Shaley Tiegs of Fairfield and Angelina Widman of Rosalia. Tiegs and Widman were selected after a written application process that included submitting a short introductory video. The ambassadors will represent Washington wheat farmers at various civic and community events and will ... Read More »
Last month, Michelle Hennings, executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG), joined several other commodity representatives in a roundtable discussion in Wenatchee with U.S. secretary of transportation, Pete Buttigieg, during his swing through the Pacific Northwest. Also participating were Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). The group discussed transportation, trade and the high cost ... Read More »
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