From NASS There were 6.4 days suitable for field work last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported at 12 percent very poor, 32 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 24 percent good and 1 percent excellent. A low temperature of 50 degrees F was reported in the northeast region, while a high temperature of 105 degrees was reported in both the ... Read More »
State
New port worker contract adds stability to PNW export operations
From U.S. Wheat Associates Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) are crucial workers at U.S. export grain elevators. Overseas wheat buyers in the Asia-Pacific region likely recall the challenges faced in 2015 during a lengthy contract negotiation that occasionally interrupted the West Coast supply chain. Although the dispute was finally settled with a contract through June 2019, ... Read More »
Impasse on water bill means no capital budget for now
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist On July 24, the Washington State Legislature adjourned after 193 consecutive days in session without passing either a state capital budget or legislation addressing the Hirst State Supreme Court water right decision. While a final capital budget providing more than $4 billion for constructions projects across the state had been agreed to by negotiators, the ... Read More »
Crop Progress Report 08/06: Hot weather begins to impact Washington
From NASS There were 6.8 days suitable for field work last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported at 3 percent very poor, 19 percent poor, 40 percent fair, 35 percent good and 3 percent excellent. A low temperature of 46 degrees F was reported in both the west and northeast regions, while a high temperature of 105 was reported in ... Read More »
D.C. fly-in meets with success on trade, research, crop insurance
In mid-July, officers and staff of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) flew into the other Washington to talk about the impacts of proposed budget cuts to wheat growers. The group jammed more than 20 meetings into four days, including a visit to the White House to meet with Ray Starling, special assistant to the president for agriculture, trade ... Read More »
Important crop insurance deadline nears in PNW
From RMA The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds producers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington states to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2018 crop year before the sales closing dates. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the sales closing dates to do so. Crop insurance is ... Read More »
Crop Progress Report 07/30: Dry weather persisted in Washington
From NASS There were 7 days suitable for field work last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported at 11 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 40 percent fair, 26 percent good and 8 percen excellent. A low temperature of 45 degrees F was reported in the northeast region, while a high temperature of 102 was reported in the southeast region. Statewide differentials ... Read More »
Warwick vows to continue to fight for rural Washington
Sen. Judy Warnick (R-Moses Lake), sponsor and lead negotiator on the Senate bill overturning the Supreme Court’s Hirst decision and restoring the right of rural property owners to drill household wells, offered the following statement last week regarding House leaders’ refusal to act on the issue during the 2017 legislative session: “While I am disappointed that the House leadership chose to ... Read More »
Crop Progress Report 07/23: State continues to be in a dry spell amid harvest
There were 7 days suitable for field work last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported at 10 percent very poor, 12 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 44 percent good and 1 percent excellent. A low temperature of 38 degrees F was reported in the northeast region. A high temperature of 102 was reported in the southeast region. Statewide differentials ranged ... Read More »
Legislative update: Legislature adjourned, but no water fix, no capital budget
By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Friday, July 21, the state Legislature adjourned on the final day of the third special session without passing a capital budget or a fix to a Supreme Court decision addressing water rights known as the Hirst decision. Lawmakers were in session for 193 days this year on what was scheduled to be a 105-day session. While ... Read More »
WAWG