For more than 40 years, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has been helping Eastern Washington growers address natural resource concerns. But lately, some growers in low rainfall zones have been feeling like their participation in CRP is more likely to break the bank than help keep the farm afloat. The…
Getting to experience Olympia Days and everything that it brought forth was an experience that was not only personally eye-opening, but also one that made me all the more proud to come from a community that champions agriculture. It was really rewarding to see how a group of farmers and…
The devil’s often found in the details, and one Lincoln County grower is shifting through a wheat field of data to find answers. Jesse Brunner, a fifth-generation farmer north of Almira, Wash., is going into his third year participating in the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN). The program, which…
Returning to her family’s Whitman County farm may not have been in the cards for Carrie Bellecourt, but she’s found a way to honor her background by sharing her wheat-growing knowledge with her first-grade classes. Bellecourt grew up in Steptoe, Wash., the daughter of Jim and Cathy White. Jim was…
Despite a major late January snowstorm that disrupted travel through much of the country, leaders and staff of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) trekked to Washington, D.C., to take part in national wheat organization meetings and spend time on the Hill, meeting with congressional offices and administration officials….
This article continues our marketing plan discussion from the February 2026 issue of Wheat Life. The next step in making a marketing plan is to form a market outlook. It is hard to do this objectively because our natural inclination is one of hope — for higher prices — but…
Last month, growers and staff of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) spent three days in Olympia, discussing WAWG priorities with legislators, handing out cookies, and meeting with the governor and his staff to advocate for the state’s wheat industry. “We met with more than 40 legislators from both…
“Slow down, son. We want to get there in one piece,” John said to his grandson. “But Gramps, I’m barely going the speed limit,” replied Tommy, the driver of the old Buick. “We are getting close, and I don’t want to miss any of the sights,” John replied. “Johnny, nothing…
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…
