Patrick Bell, the recently appointed Farm Service Agency (FSA) state executive director, is no stranger to the state’s agricultural industry, but the scale of it took him a little bit by surprise. “I always knew the importance of commodities and the row crops, especially being based in Spokane, growing up…
Most folks raised in Washington wheat country live their entire lives without becoming seasoned world travelers. Matthew Warren, born and raised in Dayton, Wash., exemplifies the polar opposite of that. Warren graduated from Dayton High School in 2014 and wasted no time in moving across the U.S. to Columbia, S.C….
Regenerative agriculture is a conservation management approach that emphasizes natural resources through improved soil health, water management, and overall farm vitality. The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Regenerative Pilot Program is investing $700 million to support regenerative agriculture — $400 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and $300…
Growing up on a farm, all of us heard our parents yell from a distance, “Be careful!” Being around farm equipment, I’m sure we’ve all had close calls — and sometimes not-so-close calls. When we are younger, farm safety is mostly just a warning to keep us from getting hurt….
In agriculture, cash isn’t always the most practical way to pay employees. Many farm operations are asset-rich but cash-tight at certain points in the year. That is where commodity wages come in — a unique compensation method that can offer tax advantages when done correctly but also brings risks if…
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…
Wheat Life reached out to Patrick Bell, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) state executive director, to ask him about growers’ concerns with the Conservation Reserve Program. These are the written answers Bell provided. As rental rates continue to decrease in Eastern Washington, CRP is becoming less attractive to growers. What…
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 2026 Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization’s (AMMO) Wheat College will be held June 2, in Colfax, Wash., at the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds. The keynote speaker will be Dennis Pennington, a wheat systems specialist at Michigan State University (MSU). His presentation is titled, “Stacking the Bushels: Small Decisions, Big Yield.”…
This month’s column, focusing on mental health in agriculture, is a bit of a challenge to tackle. It’s a crucial issue that we should all be mindful of, especially given the current state of the industry. It’s important for us to look after our own mental well-being and support our…
