State

From the Farm Service Agency Agricultural producers can now make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2021 crop year. The sign-up period opened Oct. 13. These key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety-net programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops, and more than ... Read More »

From NASS There were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week, down from 5.9 days the previous week. Western Washington suffered from a challenging autumn, and producers struggled to harvest forage crops. Between summer replanting, cool temperatures and smoke, crops did not mature on their typical timeline. Corn harvest was immature. Some corn fields had blown-down stalks that ... Read More »

Last month, the National Agricultural Statistics Service released their findings that the value of Washington’s 2019 agricultural production totaled $9.49 billion, down 2 percent from the previous year. All wheat fell to fourth place as potatoes moved up to third. Apples remain the leading agricultural commodity with a 2019 value of $1.96 billion. This is down 8.5 percent from the ... Read More »

From the Capital Press A coalition of environmental and fishing groups plans to again sue the federal government to protect endangered salmon and steelhead runs in the Columbia River Basin. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

One of the most important events that takes place at the annual Tri-State Grain Growers Convention is the annual meeting of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) where members review the association’s resolutions, update and vote on them. This year, in light of the convention’s cancellation thanks to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, WAWG will be holding a separate ... Read More »

The Washington Association of Wheat Growers’ (WAWG) Legislative Action Fund (LAF) helps to provide funding for the organization’s lobbying efforts, especially in Olympia and Washington, D.C.  This year, meeting formats may look different than in the past, but it has never been more critical to have wheat growers’ voices heard. WAWG needs your generous contributions to continue to tell wheat’s ... Read More »

From NASS There were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week, down from 6.2 days the previous week. The San Juan County harvests were closing down with more moisture and cooler temperatures last week. Pastures rebounded with cool season grasses. Some fields were replanted. Most of the tree fruit crops were harvested, but some late apples, quince and ... Read More »

From the Capital Press A La Nina is expected to make winter in the Pacific Northwest wet and cold, relieving drought conditions in Oregon and Washington, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday. In the southern tier of the U.S., La Nina is forecast to turn winter dry and warm, worsening drought conditions that cover much of the Southwest ... Read More »

From NASS There were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week, down from 7.0 days the previous week. Western Washington had favorable dry conditions for harvesting and fall planting during the week. The weekend brought two to three inches of precipitation, which temporarily shut down fieldwork. Some of the corn harvest was immature and wet. There were reports ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The Washington Department of Ecology says it will regulate wetlands, streams and ditches not covered by the Trump administration’s definition of the waters of the U.S., effectively retaining the Obama-era clean water rule that was widely opposed by farm groups. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »