WAWG
From Politico President Donald Trump’s trade war is already prompting farmers and agricultural forecasters to plan for a dismal 2019 growing season before the fall harvest is complete. Trade disputes — namely the escalating feud with China — have weighed on commodity prices and the president has threatened to ratchet up tariffs rather than ease tensions come Jan. 1. To ... Read More »
Federal
President’s memo cements deadline for Columbia River system reviews
From whitehouse.gov Today, President Trump signed a memorandum to reduce regulatory burdens and promote more efficient environmental reviews of water infrastructure projects in the West, including the Columbia-Snake River System. Decades of uncoordinated regulatory actions have diminished the ability of Federal infrastructure to deliver needed water and have increased costs in the West. Court actions dictating water operations have further complicated ... Read More »
Administration announces intent to negotiate trade agreements with Japan, EU and UK
At the direction of the president, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer recently notified Congress that the Trump Administration intends to negotiate three separate trade agreements with Japan, the European Union and the United Kingdom. In officially notifying Congress, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is following the procedures set out in the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of ... Read More »
Farm bill stalemate: Conservation concerns
From farmdocdaily.illinois.edu The conservation title is traditionally one of the least controversial and partisan of the major, mandatory funding titles in a farm bill debate; that the conservation title is part of the current stalemate adds to the concerns about the 2018 Farm Bill. The House version of the farm bill eliminates the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) (farmdoc daily, July ... Read More »
NAWG president hopeful farm bill will get done this year
Major farm groups along with commodity and conservation organizations are calling on Congress to finish the farm bill this year. Among those is the National Association of Wheat Growers. NAWG President Jimmie Musick, an Oklahoma grower, is hoping the final legislation gets approved yet this year. Musick sat down for an interview with WNAX Radio. Listen to it here. Read More »
NAWG welcomes ARC, PLC farm payment relief
From the National Association of Wheat Growers Last week, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue announced farm program payments for the 2017 crop year through the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program, which were both created in the 2014 Farm Bill, have now gone out to producers. These safety net programs provide ... Read More »
USDA issues farm safety net, conservation payments
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to invest in rural America with more than $4.8 billion in payments being made, starting this month, to agricultural producers through the Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Conservation Reserve (CRP) programs. Approximately $3 billion in payments will be ... Read More »
WAWG leaders emphasize farm bill at September DC fly-in
Advocacy is like seeding—timing is everything. That’s why the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) held another policy fly-in in mid-September as the conference committee continues to try to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the 2018 Farm Bill. Marci Green, president of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG); Michelle Hennings, WAWG executive director; and Nicole Berg, WAWG’s ... Read More »
Spokane County issue highlights importance of NASS survey information
By Trista Crossley What happens when not enough surveys are turned into the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)? Farmers in Spokane County found out the hard way when they didn’t get a 2017 Agricultural Risk Coverage payment for low yields in spring wheat. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) bases Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and the Price Loss Coverage (PCC) program ... Read More »
US wheat grower organizations react to new trade deal with Canada, Mexico
The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) welcome the Trump Administration’s decision to move ahead with an updated trade deal with Canada and Mexico and look forward to learning more about the details. We are pleased that the administration recognizes the need for policy certainty with some of our top customers. While NAWG and USW ... Read More »