A Whitman County stream, parts of which run dry in the summer, is causing tensions between landowners and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology). Whitman County landowners who own land along Spring Flat Creek are being told by Ecology that they are polluting the waterway and will have to…
Before the Olympia Days trip, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I knew we would be meeting with legislators, talking about issues that matter to our communities, and learning more about how the state government works. Not only did I learn more about how the government works, but the…
Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson will be the featured speaker at this year’s Wheat College, which will be held June 4 at the Wheatland Fairgrounds in Ritzville, Wash. Johnson is the resident agronomist with Real Agriculture, where he hosts a weekly podcast, “Wheat Pete’s Word.” He spent 30 years as the…
In a state known for its microclimates, Washington State University’s AgWeatherNet has been providing localized weather information to growers for more than 40 years. According to Lav Khot, director of AgWeatherNet, the system dates back to the 1980s when rudimentary weather stations were deployed, mainly in central Washington, to help…
In a recently released report, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is tackling ag viability in the face of a changing climate and figuring out ways to help farmers come out ahead. Published in March 2025, the “WSDA Climate Resilience Plan for Washington Agriculture” is designed to support the…
Winter and early spring grower meetings have provided a great opportunity for me to continue to meet growers, have conversations about programs, and visit fields to see practices that they’ve implemented. I’ve been pleased with the number of growers that have reached out to me with questions and feedback on…
In the midst of global uncertainty, volatile markets, shifting regulations, and a growing disconnect between consumers and producers, there’s one thing I believe more than ever: grower involvement matters. It matters because our voices are needed now more than ever. Farming communities are shrinking. Many small and mid-sized operations have…
With over 10 million miles of air travel — equivalent to 18 trips to the moon and back — I still find turbulence unsettling. The same applies to managing an agricultural business amid today’s economic uncertainties, driven by geopolitics, conflicts, societal trends, and Mother Nature. Navigating this requires a focus…
