State

From NASS There were 4.1 days suitable for field work last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported at 1% very poor, 10% poor, 31% fair, 55% good and 3% excellent. A low temperature of 23 degrees F was reported in the northeast region, while a high temperature of 70 degrees F was reported in the southeast region. Statewide temperature ... Read More »

The WAWG office has received multiple inquires regarding the final spring plant date for crop insurance purposes. With up to 200 percent precipitation over last year throughout Eastern Washington, current field conditions are causing growers to be concerned about their ability to meet RMA’s final plant date. WAWG is in communication with the Spokane Regional RMA office on this issue. Growers are encouraged ... Read More »

From WSU’s Wheat and Small Grains website The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is considering rule changes affecting the use of restricted-use herbicides. The possible rule changes were agreed upon by a workgroup consisting of representatives from Washington State University (WSU) and various agricultural sector representatives, including the Washington Association of Wheat Growers. The existing rules covering restricted-use pesticides ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Yesterday marked the 93rd day of the 2017 Legislative Session. Another important legislative deadline occurred last week, when all bills must have passed out of the opposite chamber’s fiscal committees to remain “alive.” The next legislative deadline is April 12 when all bills must have passed out of both chambers to remain “alive,” unless they are ... Read More »

This year marks the fifth annual Wheat College, an educational outreach effort from the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG). Landing in the Tri-Cities for the first time, Wheat College will be held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick on April 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This popular workshop has been held throughout Eastern Washington wheat ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The Pacific Northwest wheat industry is asking Congress to fund research into the reliability and accuracy of the falling number test and the quality of soft white wheat. The industry wants the U.S. House appropriations committee to provide $1 million to the USDA Agricultural Research Service to study the accuracy of the test and $2 million ... Read More »

By Dr. Xianming Chen April 6, 2017 On April 5, we were checking wheat fields in Whitman, Garfield, Columbia, Walla Walla, Benton, Franklin and Adams counties of Washington and Umatilla County of Oregon. Winter wheat ranged from Feekes 2 to 7. We found stripe rust in all of these counties and about 80 percent of more than 70 fields checked. For ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Farmers in the Northwest are planting more pulses, canola and barley, forgoing some wheat acreage as a result of low prices. Chickpea, canola and barley acres increased in the PNW, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service prospective plantings report. “I think farmers are looking for options to plant something other than wheat when they ... Read More »

Yesterday marked the 86th day of the legislative session. Another important legislative deadline occurred last week, when all bills from the opposite chamber must have passed out of their respective policy committee to remain “alive” this session. Yesterday was another deadline in which all bills must pass out of the opposite chamber’s fiscal committees to remain alive. House releases and passes operating ... Read More »

From NASS There were 4.4 days suitable for field work last week. Pasture and range conditions were reported to be 1% very poor, 12% poor, 33% fair, 52% good, and 2% excellent. A low temperature of 27 degrees Fahrenheit was reported in the northeast region, while a high of 69 degrees was reported in central Washington. Statewide temperature differentials ranged ... Read More »