State

From the Capital Press The Washington Legislature has before it a proposal to require the use of low-carbon fuels in cars and trucks. The fuels, mixtures that would include more ethanol and diesel made from cooking oil, canola and other feedstocks, would reduce the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. While farm equipment would be exempt from the low ... Read More »

The statewide temperatures in Washington for the month of February were below normal throughout the state. In western Washington, crops were doing well. In Jefferson County, most areas received eight or more inches of snow. The snow was gone within a week, which caused no harm to grass, winter wheat and cover crops. In San Juan County, pasture lands and ... Read More »

By Trista Crossley At this time of year, most of the farm action is happening inside as growers are reminded of rapidly approaching farm program deadlines. State leaders from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) reviewed programs and deadlines and answered growers’ questions during a webinar last week as part of the Agricultural Marketing ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Yesterday was the 43rd day of the 2021 Legislative Session and the second legislative cutoff date when bills must make it out of their fiscal committees to remain alive. After yesterday’s cutoff, the Legislature will largely cease committee action and focus on floor action, which entails the entire chamber (either the House of Representatives or ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Washington House Democrats are again moving to adopt a low-carbon fuel standard, and farm groups continue to be among those pushing back. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Yesterday marked day 36 of the 2021 Legislative Session. Yesterday was the first legislative deadline when all policy bills must be voted out of their respective policy committees to remain under consideration for the year. Legislation not covered by this deadline includes bills that have been voted out of policy committee, bills in fiscal committees ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Farm groups are lobbying to amend a capital gains tax proposal, hoping to head off a tax hit for cattlemen and retired farmers. As proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee and introduced by Democrats in the Legislature, active farmers and ranchers who sell their land would be exempted from the tax on gains from the one-time sale ... Read More »

From the Capital Press U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson says his plan to end all salmon litigation and remove four Snake River dams would offer agriculture unprecedented legal protection, but industry stakeholders say it’s a non-starter. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist Friday marked day 27 of the 2021 Legislative Session, and thus far, 974 bills have been introduced. A week remains until the first legislative deadline, Feb. 15, 2021, when all policy bills must be voted out of their respective policy committees to remain under consideration for the year. Bills that do not meet this deadline will ... Read More »

Lower Snake River Dams targeted again, increasing carbon with end to navigation and removing clean power  From the Washington Association of Wheat Growers and the Washington Grain Commission A southern Idaho Congressman who has more than a dozen dams within his state without fish passage has floated a plan to breach the four lower Snake River dams, dams that contain some ... Read More »