Legislature
Warning … Advocacy ahead
As the 2024 legislative season begins, leaders and staff of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) are kicking up advocacy efforts at both the state and national levels. “Over the next few months, we’ll be traveling between Olympia and Washington, D.C., to present the concerns and issues that Washington…
Fuel workgroup winds down
In September, the Washington State Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Fuel Exemptions Workgroup wrapped up four months of work. Whether it was successful or not might depend on who you are talking to. Washington State’s Climate Commitment Act, which includes a cap-and-invest program, went into effect in January 2023 and requires…
Pain at the pump
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…
A deep dive into advocacy
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…
New, innovative legislative disappointments
New, innovative legislative disappointmentsI was talking to my neighbor about the highs and lows of farming. It got me thinking, what emotion seems to be the most prevalent in agriculture? I’m gonna go with disappointment. I’ve heard of disappointing weather, politicians, equipment dealerships and don’t even get me started on…
Riparian buffer taskforce report released
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s riparian taskforce’s final report was released in December and contains a number of recommendations developed through discussions by a wide variety of stakeholders, including wheat industry representatives. Michelle Hennings, executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG); Ben Adams, past president of WAWG and…
OLYMPIA DAYS 2023
More than 30 wheat growers, landlords and industry leaders made the trip to Olympia last month to take part in the Washington Association of Wheat Growers’ (WAWG) annual lobbying visit, the first time since 2020 they’ve been able to meet with state legislators in person on Capitol grounds. Over the…
Legislative launch
The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) is gearing up for some heavy legislative lifting in 2023. There’s a lot of big issues on the state agenda, including amending the state’s agriculture overtime rule to include a seasonal exemption, protecting against restrictive riparian buffer rules, and continuing to advocate against…
Join us in investing in our future
I’m fortunate to be old enough to have grown up in the age before cell phones, personal computers, the internet, social media and “Tic Tac,” or whatever they call it. My media entertainment was primarily relegated to the static-prone, antenna-received Northwest Public Broadcasting (NWPB) channel we had beamed in; Channel…
‘Dam’ critical: Legislators tour Ice Harbor facility
In September, agricultural stakeholders joined state legislators on a tour of Ice Harbor Dam to talk about why the lower Snake River dams are a critical part of the state’s transportation and utility infrastructure. The Washington Association of Wheat Growers was one of the sponsors of the tour. During the…
