USDA

wheat field

It may be a pain, but NASS data is critical

By Andy Juris
WAWG President

The older I get, the more I’m convinced most of us (me included) stop maturing somewhere between ages 12 to 15. Adults must shave more often, but that’s about the only major difference later in life. Thus, almost any social group we, as adults, participate in can be viewed through…

wheat field

Douglas County CRP issue uncovered

By Trista Crossley
Editor

Producers in Douglas County have been notified about an issue with approximately 150 general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 2022 sign-ups. Fortunately, Jon Wyss, Farm Service Agency (FSA) Washington state executive director, was ready with a fix, which he told producers about during a phone call last month. “We at the…

wheat field

CRP rates, IRA funds focus of grower seminars

By Trista Crossley
Editor

The final Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization’s seminar for the 2023 winter schedule focused on the latest updates from the Washington state offices of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The seminar was held in Spokane and then repeated the next day in Pasco….

Financial assistance available to growers

By Guest Author Nate Gallahan

Wheat growers across Washington interested in enhancing their natural resources have a second opportunity this year to apply for financial assistance. A new application window opened Feb. 24 for producers to apply for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) assistance through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (IRA-EQIP)…

wheat field

AMMO is coming to town

By Trista Crossley
Editor

The Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization (AMMO) is back, with a 2023 calendar that includes seminars on herbicides, taxes and the markets.  “We are excited to be fully back to in-person seminars this year. I think many people are tired of webinars and are looking for opportunities to get away…

wheat field

Washington ag’s 2021 top 10

By Trista Crossley
Editor

Thanks to the impact of the 2021 drought on wheat’s value of production, the crop slipped from No. 3 to No. 4 in the list of Washington state’s top 10 agricultural commodities last year. Apples remained at the top of the list, followed by milk, then cattle and calves, which…

Watershed work update

By Trista Crossley
Editor

This year, water quality work in the Hangman Creek Watershed was marked by two reports released by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology): the “Nutrients and Sediment Pollutant Source Assessment, 2018,” that was released in May, and the “Hangman Settlement Agreement 2021 Annual Report,” released in August. Both documents…

wheat field

FSA program audit uncovers error

By Trista Crossley
Editor

In early August, some Eastern Washington producers learned they had been mistakenly enrolled in a conservation practice they didn’t qualify for, and their contracts were being cancelled. But along with the bad news was some good news — the state Farm Service Agency (FSA) office already had a solution in…

Agriculture by the numbers

By Trista Crossley
Editor

For 35 years, Chris Mertz has been helping the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) tell the story of agriculture through numbers. “I’m sure I’ve gotten biased over time, but I just think any story is better when you toss in some figures,” he laughed. “It’s exciting to see people see…

wheat field

CRP rate redux

By Trista Crossley
Editor

There’s good news for some growers who enrolled in the 2022 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up despite the overall lower rates. The national Farm Service Agency (FSA) office has decided to increase the rates in Asotin and Franklin counties after reviewing data compiled by the state FSA office, the…

Lessons from the great, greasy potato incident of 2003
By Andy Juris
WAWG President
Financial liquidity stress test
By Dr. David Kohl
President, AgriVisions, LLC
Small town, big community
By Andy Juris
WAWG President