The Washington State Department of Agriculture wants to help farmers evaluate their conservation efforts and provide access to resources and technical implementation assistance through a free, voluntary, web-based program, Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources (STAR). In the online STAR tool — startool.ag — growers answer simple, production-specific questions about their rotations,…
Earlier this year, Jon Wyss was reappointed as state executive director of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) for the third time. A lot has changed since his first term in 2019, and we wanted to know what keeps bringing him back, and what’s happening at the Washington state FSA office…
Making spirits from Washington wheat and agricultural products is a unique labor of love. It involves the careful cultivation of soft winter wheat, the creation of custom stills, a meticulous distillation process, and the infusion of the spirits with locally sourced botanicals and fruits. This process, which can take years,…
Our farm started using Roundup (glyphosate) close to 40 years ago. Maybe even 50. What began as a simple weed control solution has become one of the foundational tools in modern agriculture. But today, it’s under fire like never before. As regulatory and public scrutiny intensifies, it’s time we speak…
Glad tidings readers! Our topic of conversation is a product that is not necessarily new, though it’s gaining traction and increased interest due to recent enhancements from the Risk Management Agency. When introduced in 2020, the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) premium costs outweighed the coverage benefit for many producers, making…
The Wilbur-Creston and Odessa school districts are putting the finishing touches on a new curriculum that gives students a leg up in today’s agricultural industry. Students got a taste of the training on offer at a precision ag field day in May at Weismil Farms north of Odessa. The idea…
My experience as a Washington wheat growers ambassador during the Olympia Legislative Days was more than I could have ever hoped. I was able to meet so many new people, from the other wheat growers that were with me to the government officials we met with. My favorite part was…
Technology has moved plant breeding forward by leaps and bounds, but not without some resistance, most notably to genetically modified organisms (GMO)s. Gene editing could provide a viable alternative in breeding programs without all the GMO baggage. In gene editing, researchers modify the current DNA of a plant to either…
A question that I’ve used in the past as an ice breaker for discussion was, “Would you sell wheat if the market price was $10 a bushel?” Growers have actually had the opportunity to do this, and some of you may have accomplished this goal as prices went higher than…
Looking back, everything in Tomy Gertsch’s employment history seems like it was in preparation for her current job as a senior risk management specialist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency’s (RMA) Spokane Regional Office. Gertsch grew up in Hermiston, Ore. While her family’s main occupation wasn’t…
