Elevators across Eastern Washington are suddenly finding it hard to insure parts of their structures regardless of condition, and if they do find insurance, the price is sky high. Palouse Grain Growers Manager Mike Bagott said they were unable to renew the insurance on their wooden crib elevator through their…
Nine farmers in the Hangman Creek Watershed are taking part in a pilot program that, if successful, has the potential to help solve a major water quality conundrum: installing riparian buffers without breaking producers’ bottom lines. The Hangman Creek Riparian Restoration and Conservation Program is funded by the Washington State…
In agronomy, context is key. That was the message growers heard from Ted Labun at the 2023 Wheat College last month in Colfax, Wash. Labun is the owner of TLC Agronomics Inc., a consulting company based in Calgary, Alberta, that works with producers to grow successful crops by incorporating best…
Every year, during the second full weekend in June, Bickleton, Wash., is overrun with horses, but only some of them are real. Tucked away on the west end of the Horse Heaven Hills in eastern Klickitat County, Bickleton, population 90, features an impressive list of gems: it hosts one of…
Most Washingtonians are feeling some pain at the pump, but many growers are seeing red, as their on-farm fuel bills are costing thousands more than they should. The culprit is legislation, passed in 2021 and put into action in January 2023, that promised to exempt fuel used on the farm…
Nestled among rolling hills in Lincoln County, Harrington, Wash., is a town with a small population but surprising momentum. Turn-of-the-century buildings are in the process of being renovated, including the Electric Hotel and the former U.S. Bank building. Local businesses line the main street — you can buy a pair…
Earlier this year, I was given the opportunity to join the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) in lobbying for our farmers at both the state and federal level. During both trips, I was able to meet with legislators, create meaningful connections with many new people, and experience how our…
In two, three-hour listening sessions organized by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on the lower Snake River dams, antidam activists dominated the conversation despite stakeholders’ best efforts. In the first session, held on March 31, only three of the 50 speakers were in favor of the dams….
Sometimes, when you sign up for something, you’re not sure what you are getting into. I thought I might be a good fit for the role of a wheat ambassador for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) due to my FFA experiences in public speaking, but I had no…
Washington wheat growers are represented by three organizations working together on behalf of the wheat and small grains industry in the Evergreen state. Although it might be confusing, each organization — the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, the Washington Grain Commission and the Washington Wheat Foundation — fulfills a specific…
