As the 2026 Washington State Legislative Session gets underway on Jan. 12, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers is preparing for a short, intense session that is likely to bring some challenges. While wheat growers will be formalizing state and national priorities for the year at the Jan. 13 state…
In an attempt to clear the air over agriculture and water quality, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) convened the first meeting of the Ag and Water Quality Advisory Committee in March 2014 under then-director Maia Bellon. More than 10 years and three directors later, the committee is still…
Last month, Washington wheat growers gathered at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to celebrate the state’s small grain industry and the people that make it grow. “We had a great turnout this year,” said Michelle Hennings, executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG). “We…
This article is my last one covering marketing basics before we put everything together to develop a marketing plan. Unfortunately, it covers a difficult subject that is hard to cover in a short article. First, what is a minimum pricing contract (MPC)? It is a marketing tool that combines a…
Wheat, potatoes, shellfish, and irrigation interests came together in late August to help state legislators “savor the land” during a day-long agricultural tour across the Skagit Valley. Approximately 20 legislators took part in the tour, which included visits to several farms, a local flour mill, a tidegate, and an estuary…
In early October, Grassl Farms in Franklin County was a hive of activity as more than 100 growers gathered to learn about low-till and direct seeding methods and see several drills in action. The low-till drill demonstration was organized by Kara Kaelber, district manager of the Franklin Conservation District (FCD);…
The 2025 wheat harvest in Eastern Washington was a mixed bag. Winter wheat yields were average to above average in most locations with good quality. Unfortunately spring wheat yields were poor thanks to an unusually dry spring and summer. As the calendar turns over to October, harvest memories are already…
For the third year in a row, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) and other river stakeholders brought a group of congressional staffers to Lewiston, Idaho, in mid-August to showcase the lower Snake River dams and the critical role they play in the region’s economy. Sixteen staffers from across…
In late June, Columbia-Snake River System stakeholders hosted a tour of the Pacific Northwest’s premier waterway for members of the Upper Mississippi Waterway Association (UMWA). The tour began in Astoria, Ore., and concluded in Lewiston, Idaho, and comes a year after a similar trip down the Mississippi River by many…
Understanding where our food comes from is something every person should know — and something every child should be taught. That’s the heart of the mission behind Washington Ag in the Classroom (WAIC), a program I’m honored to be a part of. My name is Alisha Klein, and I serve…
