Posts by Trista Crossley
Legal eagles
If you’ve followed the controversy over the Columbia-Snake River System, you might have wondered who was representing the people and businesses that are dependent on the waterways for their livelihoods. That would be the Inland Ports and Navigation Group (IPNG). IPNG is a subgroup of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association that focuses on the legal…
Read MoreHighway to the future
One of the most important highways in the Pacific Northwest isn’t paved, but that doesn’t stop billions of dollars of goods and services from flowing up and down its length. Marine Highway 84, or M-84, is comprised of portions of the Columbia, Snake, and Willamette rivers and stretches from Lewiston, Idaho, down to Astoria, Ore.…
Read MoreA germ of an idea
The Port of Columbia is looking to build on the success of its Blue Mountain Station by paying tribute to the grains grown in the surrounding countryside. “I grew up on a big wheat and cattle ranch on the breaks of the Snake River, so this is my town. This is my past, my future.…
Read MoreBusiness-first or family-first farming?
The title of the Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization’s last winter workshop might have made attendees laugh, but the subject was anything but funny. Led by popular ag speaker Jolene Brown, “Stop the Fighting on the Way to the Funeral Home,” focused on doing business the right way in an industry known for its focus…
Read MoreSession focuses on landlords, leasing
Land is often a farm’s most important asset, and many retired farmers and farm families are opting to become landlords rather than selling land. Recognizing that fact, the Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization held a special workshop specifically for landlords in March. Attendees heard a market update from Rob Froom, senior central hedge desk manager…
Read MorePlot tours showcase research pipeline
Variety performance may be the cornerstone of Washington State University’s (WSU) summer plot tours, but there’s a lot of other information also on offer for growers. “While growers can get the information online, there’s something tangible about being able to see the different varieties,” said Clark Neely, WSU’s cereal variety testing lead and an Extension…
Read MoreFSA examining CREP contracts
Following a months-long audit, the Washington State Farm Service Agency (FSA) office has announced that more than 500 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) contracts in 21 counties may have been erroneously approved. Impacted producers were invited to join a call last month with FSA State Executive Director Jon Wyss to hear their options and ask…
Read MoreWheat College preview
Next month, Washington wheat growers will have the chance to hear about regenerative agriculture principles from the soil guy himself at the Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization’s annual Wheat College. Wheat College will be held June 4, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Lincoln County fairgrounds in Davenport, Wash. Ray Archuleta is the featured speaker.…
Read MoreA numbers game
Back in February, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the mother of all agricultural surveys, the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Decision-makers will use that data to help set farm policy and allocate money across the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other federal agencies. “The census of agriculture is conducted once every five years,”…
Read MoreUSDA agencies update growers
Two U.S. Department of Agriculture state leaders teamed up in February to update growers on the latest agency information as part of the Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization’s winter schedule. Jon Wyss, state executive director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Roylene Comes At Night, state conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),…
Read More
