State

Crop progress report 06/09: Weather started to warm in Washington

From the National Agricultural Statistics Service There were 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 5.7 days the previous week. Western Washington saw more precipitation early in the week than the rest of the state, and temperatures remained moderate. Central Washington had some rain during the beginning of the week, but as the week progressed, the daytime highs ... Read More »

WAWG welcomes new staff member

The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) is happy to welcome Keri Gingrich as the association’s new administrative assistant.  Gingrich grew up in Ritzville, Wash., on a wheat and cattle farm. She joined the U.S. Air Force where she trained as a Morse code operator. She was stationed at Wheeler Air Force Base in Honolulu, where she “enjoyed the fun ... Read More »

Crop progress report 06/02: Cool temperatures in Washington

From the National Agricultural Statistics Service There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, up from 5.6 days the previous week. Western Washington producers received more rain this week and had cool temperatures. Central Washington saw limitations for herbicide applications last week due to the wind and rain. In Yakima County, irrigation districts were rationing water. Small brush fires ... Read More »

Stripe rust update 05/31: High rust pressure present

By Xianming Chen Stripe rust in the Palouse region On May 30, I was checking wheat and barley fields in the Palouse region (Whitman County, Wash., and Latah County, Idaho). Winter wheat ranged from boot (Feekes 10) and heading (Feekes 10.5), and winter barley reached the flowering stage (Feekes 10.52). Spring wheat and barley ranged from early tillering (Feekes 2) ... Read More »

Crop progress report 05/26: Wet week in Washington

From the National Agricultural Statistics Service There were 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, up from 5.3 days the previous week. Western Washington producers received rain that hindered fieldwork and planting. Early strawberries were affected by the weather conditions. Central Washington received some precipitation. Spring-seeded crops were up and looked good. In Yakima County, asparagus harvest continued, and more ... Read More »

WAWG expresses concern over transportation study

The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) joined with Pacific Northwest Waterways Association and the Washington Public Ports Association in a letter to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) regarding the transportation study on how to replace barging capabilities on the lower Snake River. The group contends the study fails to address the requirements laid out in the budget ... Read More »

Crop progress report 5/19: Dry and windy in Washington

From the National Agricultural Statistics Service There were 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 5.5 days the previous week. In western Washington, the weather was mild, and there was little rain. Central Washington had high winds that prevented any spraying from being completed. In Yakima County, there were reports of small brush fires throughout the Yakima Valley. ... Read More »

Crop progress report 05/12: Sunshine in Washington

From the National Agricultural Statistics Service There were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington, down from 6 days the previous week. In western Washington, the weather began to warm up and was ideal for planting. Producers were busy getting their new grass and corn plantings in. Central Washington had rain at the beginning of the week in some areas ... Read More »

Winter winter production up 19% in Pacific Northwest

From the National Agricultural Statistics Service Based on May 1, 2024 conditions, production of winter wheat in Washington was forecast at 117 million bushels, up 24% from 2023. Yield was expected to average 65 bushels per acre, up 11 bushels from last year. Harvested acres were forecast at 1.80 million acres, up 50,000 acres from 2023. In Idaho, production was ... Read More »

NRCS-WA Opened a Second Batching Period for the Conservation Stewardship Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service in Washington (NRCS) has opened a second batching period for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Only applications eligible for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds will be batched and ranked during this batching period. Producers interested in applying this round need to do so by June 6, 2024. The IRA provides ... Read More »