By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist This November, Washington voters will decide whether Washington state will be the first state in the nation to enact a carbon tax. The proposal, known as Initiative 732 (I-732), was drafted by a grassroots citizens group called Carbon Washington. I-732 imposes an initial $15 tax on carbon emissions from fossil fuels sold or used in ... Read More »
A meeting of the Spokane County Wheat Growers was held June 20 in Airway Heights. The main topic of discussion was the Hangman Creek watershed. Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) representatives were in attendance to gather producer input and maintain open dialogue in response to a current lawsuit and media attention. The Spokane Riverkeepers, an environmental group, has filed ... Read More »
By Trista Crossley Battle scars from the last farm bill debate have just barely faded, but according to industry representatives, it’s already time for agriculture to start thinking about the next farm bill, due in 2018. “It didn’t seem like agriculture had a loud enough voice in negotiations on the last farm bill,” explained Michelle Hennings, executive director of the ... Read More »
From Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Washington Association of Wheat Growers Lobbyist Diana Carlen has provided the following summary of who has filed for office in Washington state this election cycle. Senate The Senate Majority Coalition Caucus currently control the Senate by 26-23. The major races in the Senate are as follows: · 43rd District (Mercer Island): Sen. Steve Litzow (R) ... Read More »
By Josh Tonsager Legislative Director, National Association of Wheat Growers Congressional action this year on policy priorities important to wheat farmers has taken some unexpected turns, and the outlook for the legislative process is unclear. By now, this should not come as a surprise to anyone who has been following Congress the past several years. What should come as a ... Read More »
From U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers On May 18, the International Trade Commission (ITC) released its highly anticipated report on the economic impacts expected to accrue from the adoption of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). For the entire agriculture and food sector, the report forecasts a $7.2 billion increase in exports or a growth of about ... Read More »
From Agri-Pulse The Trans-Pacific Partnership would reduce the U.S. trade deficit and increate jobs throughout the country, but some of the biggest gains would be for the agriculture sector, according to a U.S. International Trade Commission report released Wednesday evening. The report concludes that if the TPP were implemented agricultural exports would rise by about $7.2 billion per year by 2032. Imports ... Read More »
From the Capital Press In a crowded gymnasium at Skyline High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders espoused his many positions for more than an hour on a long list of issues. “We’re doing something pretty radical in American politics. We’re telling the truth!” the Vermont senator shouted over the cheers of raucous supporters during the ... Read More »
By Xianming Chen Stripe rust has been spreading and developing quickly since the last update on April 13. The disease is now everywhere in the Pacific Northwest. When we took the early season note at Mount Vernon in Skagit County in northwestern Washington on April 18, stripe rust reached 60 percent severity on susceptible winter wheat varieties, as usual for ... Read More »
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the enrollment of more than 800,000 acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Washington state enrolled a total of 120,530 acres, second only to Iowa, which enrolled 128,212 acres. “The Conservation Reserve Program provides nearly $2 billion annually to land owners—dollars that make their way into local economies, supporting small businesses ... Read More »
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