Federal

In Spokesman Review Op-Ed, WAWG Executive Director Michelle Hennings shared, “In the hottest year ever recorded, another wheat harvest is wrapping up. Extreme weather means it’s more important than ever to preserve the critical infrastructure we depend on to deliver goods to market. The lower Snake River dams provide affordable, clean, and reliable energy for our farms and communities, but ... Read More »

New study details the potential impacts of banning glyphosate A recent study concludes that the loss of glyphosate as a viable tool for agriculture would result in doubled input costs for farmers, increased soil erosion, increased carbon emissions, and increased costs for consumers. “We assess that if glyphosate were no longer available, markets would adapt through substitution and adjusted practices, ... Read More »

Last month, Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) leaders and staff joined more than a dozen Washington agricultural stakeholders on a trip to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the state’s incredible ag industry at the 4th annual Taste of Washington event. The group included representatives from the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Washington State University, the Washington Grain Commission, the Washington ... Read More »

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) has joined 19 other advocates to launch the “Farm Bill for America’s Families: Sustaining our Future” campaign to urge Congress to pass the 2023 Farm Bill this year. The campaign seeks to engage consumers, leaders, and lawmakers on the importance of the farm bill and highlights five core objectives: food security, job creation, ... Read More »

From npr.org On July 17 the Russian government announced that it was pulling out of a deal to facilitate the export of millions of tons of grain from Ukrainian ports. The arrangement had been in place since July 2022. The Kremlin’s move immediately sparked concern, particularly in food insecure countries. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

From dtnpf.com Russia on Monday declined to extend the year-old agreement that has allowed Ukrainian grain to move out of Black Sea shipping ports, a move that immediately drove up commodity prices in response. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

From Reuters A deal allowing Ukraine to export grain via the Black Sea expires on July 17 and with Moscow saying it sees no grounds for an extension there are fears it may collapse. Why is it important? Ukraine is a major producer of grains and oilseeds and the interruption to its exports at the outbreak of war pushed global ... Read More »

From the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association On July 10, the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association (PNWA) released a review of scientific literature which confirms that data is lacking to confirm delayed mortality effects of the Lower Snake River dams (LSRD) on ESA listed fish. Delayed mortality is the scientific hypothesis that proponents of dam breaching rely upon to justify removal of ... Read More »

From the National Association of Wheat Growers Sens. Bennet (D-Colo.) and Marshall (R-Kan.) have introduced new legislation to improve the flexibility of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) crop insurance programming for wheat farmers facing unprecedented drought. Currently, farmers do not have the option through the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) to separately ensure enterprise units by fallow or continuous ... Read More »

From The Columbian Until a crisis arose last month over the debt ceiling, the Farm Bill was expected to be the most significant challenge facing Congress this year. When lawmakers return to session following a Fourth of July recess, that challenge will take center stage. The Farm Bill is a multiyear omnibus package of legislation that funds U.S. nutrition, conservation ... Read More »