By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Gov. Ferguson wrapped up bill action and signed the Operating Supplemental Budget, Transportation Supplemental Budget and the Capital Supplemental Budget into law the first week of April. All budgets were signed with partial vetoes. The Operating Supplemental Budget (SB 5998) included the following notable vetoes: Clean Energy Permitting/Planning: This section appropriates money for grants to ... Read More »
In late February, Michelle Hennings, executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG), testified in front of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) during a public hearing on the draft 2026 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife program. The NPCC is congressionally mandated to update its program every 10 years and is funded by a percentage of ... Read More »
According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington. Washington crop condition Winter wheat: 1% very poor 1% poor 6% fair 68% good 24% excellent Washington crop progress: Spring wheat planted: 36% this week 12% last week 26% last year 33% 5-year average Barley planted: 24% this week 11% last week 20% last ... Read More »
From the Capital Press Drought, pests and disease pressure loom. Pacific Northwest wheat farmers are ahead of schedule following an “unconventional” winter, the region’s leaders say. Read the article here. Read More »
What do Alex McGregor, Butch Wiswall, Aaron Esser, David Harlow, Karl Felgenhauer, Rusty and Sandy Jamison, Sen. Mark Schoesler, Brett Blankenship, Brian Baumann, Brit Ausman, Walt Neff, Grant and Matt Miller, Stacey Rasmassen, Larry Cochran, Morgan Adams, and Ben Cochrane (just to name a few) all have in common? They are all Washington AgForestry Leadership Program alumni. For the upcoming ... Read More »
On March 31, 2026, the National Agricultural Statistics Service released the 2026 Prospective Plantings report. Washington growers report planting 1,850,000 acres of winter wheat, unchanged from 2025. Spring wheat is projected to be 450,000 acres down 5% from 2025, which was at 475,000 acres. Barley acres are up just slightly from 2025 at 70,000. All wheat planted area for 2026 ... Read More »
By Douglas Poole When I came back to my family’s dryland farm near Mansfield, Washington, after 20 years away, the land told me something had to change. My grandfather and father had worked this ground for over 70 years, and the soil showed it. In places, erosion had taken it down to bare bedrock. The more we tilled, the more ... Read More »
From the Capital Press A Washington State University economist says it’s time for farmers to sell their wheat, as the conflict in Iran has pushed prices higher. But, the conflict is likely to increase input prices for farmers. Last fall, economist Randy Fortenbery told farmers they might want to start thinking about selling their wheat when December futures prices hit ... Read More »
By Dr. Xianming Chen On March 18, we were checking wheat fields in Franklin, Benton, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Whitman counties. Wheat plants ranged from Feekes 3 to 6. Stripe rust was found in all counties. In Franklin County, stripe rust has developed quickly since the field check on March 3, forming rust foci (hot spots) of several feet in diameter. In Horse ... Read More »
From smallgrains.wsu.edu Weather data collected by USDA’s Dr. Xianming Chen from November 2025 to February 2026 indicate severe epidemic levels of stripe rust. Highly susceptible varieties could experience yield losses of 40-60%. Commercial fields will likely have yield losses between 8% and 40% without a fungicide application. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »
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