Perry Is Bullish On The Future Of NW Agriculture

For several Northwest commodities, the past 12, 18, 24 months, or in some cases more, have been very challenging. Could 2026 be the year some of those commodities turn things around?

Bill Perry, President and CEO and AgWest Farm Credit said the wine sector could be poised for improvement.

"We did have a smaller crop in 2025, and wine inventory levels are beginning to stabilize and improve," Perry said. "So, that could be an area where we see some improvement. Another one, you know, tree nuts, I know it's, you know, for example, hazelnuts is something that we produce in the Northwest. We've got some more supply constraints across the globe there, and so I think there's some positive movement there.”

Photo: Glenn Vaagen

I'm Bullish On Northwest Ag, Perry Notes

Perry said one thing he continually underscores, to both farmers and the non-Ag community alike, is feels that the future is bright for the Northwest Ag economy.

“Even though we're experiencing some tough challenges in many crops today and over the past year or two, cycles are going to cycle," Perry said. "That's happened for a long time and that will continue to happen. We think about that at AgWest and we always remind ourselves of our duty to remain committed to supporting agriculture and rural communities through these ups and downs, and that's going to continue.”

Perry added people have a very reliable habit of eating food every day, and the Pacific Northwest is in a great position to meet those needs. He stated if you couple that with the innovative and resilient nature of the farmers and ranchers in the area, he’s “bullish on the Northwest Ag economy over the long term.”