At the 2023 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention, Washington wheat growers welcomed Gil Crosby, a grower from Spokane County, as the secretary/treasurer for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG).
Crosby grew up on his family’s farm outside of Fairfield, Wash. After graduating from Liberty High School, he attended Washington State University and graduated from Eastern Washington University. In the 1990s, he spent nine months living in Germany, working odd jobs and living with a brother who was in the military. When the brother got shipped out to Macedonia, Crosby had to decide on his next step.
“I was going to go live with my sister in Seattle, but then she got engaged,” Crosby explained. “I was talking to my mother, and she asked me if I wanted to farm and live in my grandma’s old house. I never even thought about going back to the farm, but I’ve been here ever since.”
Crosby runs the family’s farm with help from his mother, who takes care of the finances, and an uncle. They raise wheat, lentils, garbanzo beans, and barley using a direct seed system. He first got active in WAWG by attending the county meetings, then became a state board member. He said he enjoys traveling to Olympia and Washington, D.C., to meet and talk with legislators about the issues farmers are facing.
“We are trying to be good stewards of the land, because if we harm the land, we can’t make a living growing a crop,” Crosby explained. “I don’t think the public understands that.”
Crosby said it is important for younger growers to get involved in industry organizations.
“Before I got more involved with the wheat growers, I had no idea how much influence the association has, and I’m still learning,” he said.
In his spare time, Crosby enjoys traveling, golf, and winter sports.