State

By Dr. Xianming Chen Based on the weather conditions in November and December 2020, stripe rust in the 2021 wheat growing season is forecasted to be in the upper range of moderate epidemic level (20-40 percent yield loss on susceptible varieties). Using forecast models based on the 2020 November and December weather data, yield loss of highly susceptible winter wheat ... Read More »

By Diana Carlen WAWG Lobbyist On Jan. 11, 2021, the Washington State Legislature will be back in session, but operating very differently from past years due to the pandemic. For the first time in the state’s history, the session will be mostly conducted in a virtual format, and come January, the typically bustling capitol campus will be noticeably quiet and ... Read More »

The statewide temperatures in Washington for the month of December were slightly below normal to above normal throughout the state. In San Juan County, the month of December was extremely wet. Many lowland fields were flooded with storm water. Most ponds had already filled, which was about two months early. Livestock were on stockpiled feed, and those farms with adequate ... Read More »

The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) hasn’t let pandemic-induced social distancing stop it from continuing its work of advocating for the Washington wheat industry.  Early last month, more than 50 members virtually took part in WAWG’s annual meeting to hear state and federal agency updates and to review WAWG’s resolutions for the upcoming year. A special guest was Martin ... Read More »

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has released his 2021-23 biennium climate policy package. The plan: Caps statewide greenhouse gas emissions and invests in clean energy, transportation and climate resilience programs, and funds part of the Working Families Tax Credit. Establishs a clean fuel standard and reduces transportation emissions through electrification. Requires new buildings to be carbon free by 2030 and eliminates ... Read More »

From q13fox.com The Washington state House on Friday released its plan for the upcoming legislative session, with opening ceremonies held at a nearby private university in order to abide by coronavirus restrictions, but with the rest of the work done remotely. Their plan comes more than a month after the Senate released its own plan to do the work of ... Read More »

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) has indicated that it has no plans to relax its regulation of the state’s waters despite a revised federal ruling that redefines what waters are considered “waters of the U.S.” The revision, which was finalized in June 2020 by the Trump Administration, narrows the definition of waterways that fall under federal regulation from ... Read More »

Energy and Commerce Committee to benefit under her leadership The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) congratulates Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) for her recent selection as the Republican leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers has been a steadfast advocate of the farmers and ranchers of Eastern Washington. She has fought to make sure the ... Read More »

By Michelle Hennings WAWG Executive Director This year…WOW! I really hope 2021 will be the year that we get back to some normalcy. I’m ready to put 2020 in the rearview mirror, as I’m sure many of you are, as well.  Life, both personally and professionally, in a pandemic, has been interesting. On the positive side, I’ve gotten to enjoy ... Read More »

From the Seattle Times Washington Senate Minority Leader Mark Schoesler, who had a hand in guiding Republicans through several years in the majority, will step down from his leadership post, a spokesperson confirmed on Monday. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »