drought

From the Washington State Department of Agriculture We would like to hear from you! On behalf of the Washington Soil Health Initiative (WaSHI), the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) invites dryland producers to take part in a survey. We are interested in understanding how and why you manage your…

From the Spokesman.com By almost any conceivable measure, this summer’s lengthy and extreme drought led to historic lows in the production and quality of the region’s signature cash crop. Read the rest of the article here.

From the Capital Press The continuing resolution to fund the federal government through Dec. 3 includes disaster aid for wheat farmers, says the head of the National Association of Wheat Growers. Read the rest of the article here.

From the USDA Economic Research Service Widespread drought across the northern and western regions of the United States has dampened prospects for projected production and exports in the 2021/22 marketing year of three classes of U.S. wheat: hard red spring, white, and durum. Cultivation of hard red spring wheat, typically…

From NPR The wheat harvest on Marci Green’s farm doesn’t usually begin until late August, but a severe drought stunted this year’s crop and her crews finished harvesting last week because she didn’t want what had grown so far to shrivel and die in the heat. It’s the same story…

From the Capital Press Over the summer, National Association of Wheat Growers CEO Chandler Goule toured six wheat-producing states. He says Washington wheat farmers hold a dubious distinction. “I hate to tell you this, but Washington still wins,” he told the Capital Press by phone Aug. 4. “You all still have…

From the Capital Press A dearth of soil moisture due to drought might not allow researchers to plant wheat this fall at Washington State University’s dryland research station, and farmers in other parts of the region might face the same problem. Read the rest of the article here.

From the Spokesman-Review Short stalks, thin rows, cracked soil and small bushels; the wheat Kevin Klein is harvesting in a field near Sprague just looks plain different this year. At least that’s what he sees, and considering he’s a fourth generation farmer who’s been working some type of a field…

From the Risk Management Agency The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its Risk Management Agency (RMA) will authorize Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to extend deadlines for premium and administrative fee payments, defer and waive the resulting interest accrual and allow other flexibilities to help farmers and ranchers through widespread…

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has sent a letter to President Biden asking for additional federal assistance for the Evergreen State’s producers. The letter says, in part: “Unfortunately, in addition to the ongoing drought and low soil moisture problems, an extreme heat wave hit the state at the end of June….