dryland

The past year was a mixed bag for Northwest producers.  Several growers enjoyed near record profits thanks to high commodity prices and government subsidies.  But unfortunately, high input prices cut into those gains, making 2022 flat or even a negative year for some across the region.  When it comes to ...

USDA says sales of grains and soybeans climbed week-to-week during the week ending on December 8.  Wheat sales rose to 469,000 metric tons, a sharp rise from 190,000 during the previous week.  Exports were reported at 255,900 metric tons, down slightly from the previous week.    ...

Looking back on 2022, there were many challenges for wheat growers.  While weather threw growers a few curveballs throughout the year, one of, if not the biggest challenge was input costs.  USDA numbers show fuel and fertilizer prices increased by roughly 50% this year, with that rate being much higher in early 2022.  And Britany Hurst...

The country’s oat and rye producers can now benefit from revenue protection, a new crop insurance option available through the USDA.  After listening to growers, the Risk Management Agency expanded the Small Grains Crop Provisions to offer revenue protection for 2023 oat and rye crops.   “This ...

It’s a familiar message across the region and across the country.  Resistant weeds continue to move across farm country, threatening yields as well as profits.  Brittany Pearson, sales Agronomist with Wilbur-Ellis, says as producers prepare for the upcoming growing season, they need to take proactive measures to keep challenging weeds from taking hold this spring.  She noted despite how p... Read

The overall condition of the nation's winter wheat crop is still near 30-year lows.   “But the good news is a few production areas have received much needed moisture in recent weeks and that has started to turn the condition around a little bit," noted USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.  He said the i...

While it wasn’t the worst on record, this was not the best year for Washington hay growers either.  Andrew Eddie, Vice President with the Washington State Hay Growers Association, said many growers were down on tonnage because the first cut was pushed back thanks to the cold, wet spring.  He added that...

Looking back on the 2022 wheat crop across Idaho, Britany Hurst Marchant is very happy with the results.  The new Executive Director of the Idaho Wheat Commission said growers brought in 94 million bushels this year, slightly lower than the average 100 million bushels.  She not...

Idaho’s barley industry enjoyed a bounce back in 2022, and appears to have recovered from the 2021 drought.  Idaho Barley Commission’s Laura Wilder said this year, growers reported 59.9 million bushels, with the average price of $7.59 per bushel.   ...

The winter wheat crop continues to be a challenge nationally.   “An interesting start to the season, not necessarily in a good way,” noted USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey.  He added it's been that way for several months, where many production areas, including the Northwest, have been very dry.  Rippey said some locatio...