Two new growers, representing Benton and Spokane counties, have joined the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) state board. Markus Smith, Benton County Smith lives in Prosser with his wife, Kayla, and their nine-month old daughter, Adeline. “I’ve always been interested in representing the wheat industry. I grew up reading Wheat Life. With the total population of farmers dwindling, it ... Read More »
From the National Agricultural Statistics Service Western Washington saw a warmer February than usual. There was less precipitation than normal. In central Washington, operations saw typical February weather, with less precipitation than normal. There was a week of snow, which all melted and helped the soil profile. Crops were getting through the winter in good shape. In Yakima County, significant ... Read More »
From the Columbia Basin Herald Budget writers in both the Senate and House have suggested allocating $30 million for refunding farmers impacted by the Climate Commitment Act. With the climate program, fuel used for agricultural purposes was supposed to be exempt. According to farmers and truckers in Eastern Washington, that proposal refund falls short. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »
By Diana Carlen Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers Feb. 25 marked day 49 of the 60-day session. This past week was filled with committee hearings on bills from the opposite chamber and rollouts of the state’s supplemental operating, capital, and transportation budgets. Now that all the budget proposals have been released, the differences between the House and Senate proposals ... Read More »
From the Capital Press With the support of the Inslee administration, Senate and House Democratic budget-writers Monday proposed refunding $30 million in cap-and-trade fuel surcharges to farmers and trucking companies. Farmers who bought fewer than 1,000 gallons of fuel would be eligible for a $600 refund. Farmers who bought up to 4,000 gallons would get $2,300. Farmers who bought more ... Read More »
By Diana Carlen Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers The Legislature has finished the sixth week of the 60-day legislative session. Feb. 13 marked a critical milestone — the deadline to pass bills out of the chamber where they originated. The House has passed 270 bills, and the Senate has passed 260 bills this session. Bills that did not make ... Read More »
At the 2023 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention, Washington wheat growers welcomed Gil Crosby, a grower from Spokane County, as the secretary/treasurer for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG). Crosby grew up on his family’s farm outside of Fairfield, Wash. After graduating from Liberty High School, he attended Washington State University and graduated from Eastern Washington University. In the 1990s, ... Read More »
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), in collaboration with Washington State University, is working on a Climate Resilience Plan to support agricultural producers through the effects of a changing climate. WSDA is asking Washington producers to fill out a short, anonymous survey by Feb. 23, 2024, to help the agency understand their concerns and where resources should be focused. ... Read More »
From the Capital Press U.S. District Judge Michael Simon has approved a memorandum of understanding negotiated by the Biden administration and litigants in a lawsuit over Snake River dam operations. The agreement stays the lawsuit until Dec. 13, 2028, with the possibility of another five-year extension. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »
By Diana Carlen Lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers The Legislature recently passed the halfway point of the 60-day legislative session and the second major deadline — the fiscal committee cutoff. This means fiscal bills that were not voted out of their respective fiscal committees in the chamber (Senate or House) where they were introduced, are likely “dead” for the ... Read More »
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