Posts by Trista Crossley
CRP seeding window narrows
Planting a successful Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) stand depends heavily on adequately preparing the ground, but some growers in the driest parts of Eastern Washington are concerned their preparation window is being closed too early. According to the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) policy, conservation plans must be seeded within 12 months of the CRP effective…
Read MoreHealthy mind, healthy farms
Last month, a group of Washington wheat growers took steps to overcome the stigma of mental health by addressing suicide myths, learning to recognize the signs of suffering, and finding help for somebody in crisis. The session concluded the Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization’s winter schedule. The session was led by Darla Tyler-McSherry, founder of…
Read MoreMarketing at a glance
In mid-February, producers had the opportunity to hear marketing updates at both the macro and micro levels from two experts: Allison Thompson, owner of The Money Farm, and Randy Fortenbery, a professor and the Thomas B. Mick Endowed Chair in Grain Economics at Washington State University. The session was part of the 2025 Agricultural Marketing…
Read MoreUSDA agency updates
Wheat growers took over two Washtucna, Wash., institutions last month as part of the Agriculture Marketing and Management Organization’s (AMMO) winter schedule. Growers met at the local Lion’s Club to hear updates from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials and then gathered at Sonny’s Tavern for lunch afterward. Roylene Comes At Night, state conservationist for…
Read MoreCover crop conundrum
With the last administration’s push on climate-smart practices, a lot of attention has been focused on cover crops. But how do you implement a cover crop if your cash crop is winter wheat, and you don’t have many other rotation options? The answer, according to Jake Westlin, vice president of policy and communications for the…
Read MoreStrategies for spraying
In the first Agricultural Marketing and Management session of 2025, some of the top researchers in the region explored the weeds and weed management practices Eastern Washington wheat growers are working with. Drew Lyon, a professor and holder of the Endowed Chair Small Grains Extension and Research, Weed Science at Washington State University (WSU), tackled…
Read MoreA digital gathering space for growers, researchers
Carol McFarland hopes the PNW Farmers’ Network can play a complementary role in the digital space that the coffee shop plays in the real world, a place to gather and share information. And while it’s not required, a keen interest in talking about drills and spray nozzles is always welcome. The PNW Farmers’ Network was…
Read MoreHill, farm bill updates
The start of a new administration usually brings a flurry of activity, and the second Trump administration is no exception. Fortunately, Jake Westlin, vice president of policy and communications for the National Association of Wheat Growers, was on hand to walk growers through what’s happening on the Hill as part of an Agricultural Marketing and…
Read MoreWheat visits D.C.
Advocacy for Washington wheat growers doesn’t happen just at the state level. The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) also spends time in Washington, D.C., visiting with the state’s congressional delegation and working with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) on concerns at the national level. Wheat growers’ first trip of the new year…
Read MoreColfax business takes advantage of Whitman County’s bounty
Jaimie Appel was admiring the view of wheat fields from her home in Whitman County when the idea for a new business started to germinate. “I love being part of a farming family, but I wanted something of my own. My dad or my husband suggested making flour out of wheat. I thought, ‘well, yeah,’”…
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