Spinning up grower education 2025 AMMO sessions to begin in January
2025January 2025
By Trista Crossley
Editor

This year’s slate of Agricultural Marketing and Management Organization’s (AMMO) winter sessions will focus on mental health, weeds, local and global markets, and U.S. Department of Agriculture agency updates.
“Our goal each year with the AMMO program is to bring information that is important and relevant to growers,” said KayDee Gilkey, outreach coordinator for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers.
All in-person sessions begin with registration at 9:30 a.m., and presentations at 10 a.m. Lunch will be included. WAWG members can attend AMMO sessions free of charge; nonmembers will be charged $25 per session. Preregistration is required. More information is available at wawg.org/ammo-workshops/ as well as a registration link. Growers can also call the WAWG office at (509) 659-0610 to register. AMMO has offered grower education programs since 2009. It provides education opportunities and an avenue for growers to connect with professionals and experts on many of the challenges facing agriculture.
The Franklin County town of Washtucna will play host to an AMMO seminar this year and will include lunch at hometown favorite, Sonny’s Tavern and Grill. While AMMO sessions have been held in many parts of Eastern Washington, this is the first time the schedule has come to Washtucna. This session, scheduled for Feb. 19, will include updates from the leaders of the state’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.
“Sonny’s is owned and operated by a local ranching family, and supporting rural communities is something AMMO is proud to do,” Gilkey said.
For growers who can’t make it to Washtucna but still want to hear from NRCS and FSA, the session will be repeated in Spokane Valley on Feb. 21 and includes a roundtable of NRCS and FSA experts who are ready to answer grower questions.
Another special AMMO session Gilkey highlighted will focus on mental health, presented by Darla Tyler-McSherry. Tyler-McSherry turned her grief over her father’s suicide into a mission to prevent other farm families from experiencing the same thing through her initiative, Ask In Earnest.
Ask In Earnest trains people to recognize the signs of somebody struggling with mental health and provides tools and resources to start a difficult conversation. Tyler-McSherry hopes the AMMO session will help farmers understand there’s nothing wrong in asking for help when things get overwhelming.
“That’s where we challenge the stigma and help people understand that just like we’d go to the doctor for help with our sprained knee or our diabetes or our high blood pressure, we can tap into a professional to help with our mental health, too. There’s no shame in that. We shouldn’t feel like we have to suffer through that alone. It’s not a weakness to ask for help. It’s a sign of incredible strength and bravery,” she explained.
Wheat Life previewed Tyler-McSherry’s AMMO presentation in the December issue. A copy of the article can be found at wheatlife.org/from-grief-to-action/.
While the bulk of AMMO sessions will happen in February, the first one will be held on Jan. 28, in Pullman, Wash., and will focus on all things weeds. Washington State University (WSU) Extension personnel will discuss a variety of topics, including managing drift, herbicide efficacy, and the new Endangered Species Act pesticide labels. Gilkey has applied for three pesticide credits for the session.
One of AMMO’s most popular sessions tends to be the one focused on global and wheat markets. Allison Thompson, owner of The Money Farm, will examine the global wheat market, while WSU Extension’s Randy Fortenbery will focus on the regional and local market.
A farm bill webinar with Jake Westlin, vice president of policy and communication for the National Association of Wheat Growers, will be held on Thursday, Feb. 13, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
Wheat College, also part of the AMMO offerings, is scheduled for early June with Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson at the Wheat Land Fairgrounds in Ritzville. Wheat College will offer a mix of indoor and outdoor presentations, providing interactive demonstrations on the latest agronomic research being conducted in the Pacific Northwest. Besides Johnson, personnel from WSU Extension will provide localized presentations. Registration reminders will be mailed prior to the event to WAWG members. Unlike the regular AMMO sessions, admittance for Wheat College is free of charge to both WAWG members and nonmembers.
All Things Weeds with Washington State University Extension personnel. Pesticide credits have been applied for. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and session begins at 10 a.m., Jan. 28, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Pullman, Wash.
Farm Bill Update webinar with the National Association of Wheat Growers, Thursday, Feb. 13, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
USDA Program Updates with NRCS and FSA. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and session begins at 10 a.m., Feb. 19, at the Washtucna Lions Building in Washtucna, Wash.
Global and Local Wheat Markets with Allison Thompson, The Money Farm, and Randy Fortenbery, WSU Extension. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and session begins at 10 a.m., Feb. 20, at the Hampton Inn-Garden Springs in Spokane, Wash.
USDA Program Updates with NRCS and FSA. A roundtable of experts will answer grower questions following the main presentation. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and session begins at 10 a.m., Feb. 21, at the USDA headquarters in Spokane Valley, Wash.
Ask in Ernest with Darla Tyler-McSherry. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and session begins at 10 a.m., Feb. 27, at the Hampton Inn-Garden Springs in Spokane, Wash.
Wheat College with Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson at the Wheat Land Fairgrounds in Ritzville, Wash. More information will be made available at wawg.org/ammo-workshops/ closer to the event.
AMMO sponsors
Thank you to these industry stakeholders who help make the Agricultural Marketing and Management seminars possible:
AgWest Farm Credit
Almota Grain
Farmland Company
HighLine Grain Growers
JW & Associates, PLLC
Northwest Grain Growers
PNW Farmers Cooperative
Patton & Associates LLC
Syngenta
The McGregor Company
Washington Grain Commission