WThe official publicationHEAT of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers LIFE DECEMBER 2018 RECAPPING THE 2018 TRI-STATE GRAIN GROWERS CONVENTION ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: An update on the battle against falling numbers USW’s oldest, newest employee Address Service Requested Service Address Commissioner bids WGC adieu Wheat quality lab turns 70 109 East First Avenue, Ritzville, WA 99169 WA Ritzville, Avenue, First East 109 Washington Association of Wheat Growers Wheat of Association Washington The history of Egypt, Wash. WHEAT LIFE President’s Perspective Volume 61 • Number 11 Exploring the other aspects of farming www.wheatlife.org By Jeffrey Shawver The official publication of As I prepare to take over as president of the Washington WASHINGTON Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG), I wanted to intro- ASSOCIATION OF duce myself to those farmers whom I haven’t been fortu- WHEAT GROWERS nate enough yet to meet. 109 East First Avenue I live and farm in Connell, Wash., with my wife, Andrea, Ritzville, WA 99169-2394 (509) 659-0610 • (877) 740-2666 and our four children: Giselle, Aubriel, Noelle and Weston. Although I was raised on the west side of the state, my fam- WAWG MEMBERSHIP ily has farming ties on the east side—both of my parents are from here originally, (509) 659-0610 • (877) 740-2666 and my wife’s family, the Grassls, has deep roots in Franklin County. I became a $125 per year wheat farmer about 10 years ago when my father-in-law extended an invitation to EDITOR his four sons-in-law to teach them the farming ropes so he could retire some day. Trista Crossley • [email protected] After working as an hourly employee for my father-in-law for a few years, I began (435) 260-8888 leasing nearby land and building up my own operation. AD SALES MANAGER From the beginning, I enjoyed being a farmer and raising a crop, but I had this Kevin Gaffney • [email protected] feeling that I was missing something. I knew there had to be more to farming than (509) 235-2715 just plowing dirt, seeding and spraying; there had to be a backbone that supported GRAPHIC DESIGN the business and conservation side of farming, as well as all the politics surround- Devin Taylor • Trista Crossley ing agriculture. That’s how I got involved in WAWG. AD BILLING I began attending some of the monthly WAWG board meetings and got to know Michelle Hennings • [email protected] the people that were advocating for our profession. To gain some experience, I first (509) 659-0610 • (877) 740-2666 went through the chairs in the Franklin County wheat growers group and then CIRCULATION moved into the WAWG leadership chairs. I knew I had to get involved to under- Address changes, extra copies, subscriptions stand the political side of farming. In my mind, politics are almost as important in Chauna Carlson • [email protected] agriculture as taking care of the ground is. (509) 659-0610 • (877) 740-2666 Subscriptions are $50 per year One thing I’ve learned is if you aren’t involved, you just don’t know enough. WAWG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR There are a lot of younger farmers who are taking over their family’s farm that Michelle Hennings don’t want to look beyond the operation. Instead, they rely on others to tell them WAWG EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE what’s going on instead of educating themselves. That might have worked in PRESIDENT the past, but today’s agriculture looks far different than what our grandparents Jeffrey Shawver • Connell and even parents faced, in politics, in technology and even in the farm programs VICE PRESIDENT available to us. For example, I used a Farm Service Agency program for beginning Ryan Poe • Hartline farmers that loaned me money to help me start leasing ground. You can’t take SECRETARY/TREASURER advantage of those types of programs if you don’t know about them. Howard McDonald • Coulee City As I write this, we are working on getting the new farm bill approved. Did PRESIDENT EMERITUS you know that the programs that underpin our export markets are in jeopardy Marci Green • Fairfield because until there is a farm bill, they have no funding? Did you know that APPOINTED MEMBERS Andy Juris • Bickleton Congress is talking about combining programs that help fund the purchase and Anthony Smith • Richland implementation of conservation equipment and practices? If some lawmakers get their way and include a mandatory base acre reassignment in the farm bill, do you Wheat Life (ISSN 0043-4701) is published by the know how that will affect your operation? Once again, if you aren’t involved, you Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG): don’t know. And if you don’t know, you can only react. I want to see what’s com- 109 E. First Avenue • Ritzville, WA 99169-2394 ing down the pipe so I can work to change it or at least be better prepared when Eleven issues per year with a combined August/ September issue. Standard (A) postage paid at it hits. That’s why I’m involved in WAWG. If you feel the same way, jump in. Start Ritzville, Wash., and additional entry offices. by getting involved in your county growers group and think about attending the Contents of this publication may not be re- monthly board meetings. We’d love to see you there. printed without permission. Advertising in Wheat Life does not indicate en- Merry Christmas and a happy new year! dorsement of an organization, product or political candidate by WAWG. Cover photo: Thanks to the hard work of staff and leaders of the Washington, Oregon and Idaho grain organizations, this year’s convention was a success. See more convention photos on page 24. All photos are Shutterstock images or taken by Wheat Life staff unless otherwise noted. 2 WHEAT LIFE DECEMBER 2018 Inside This Issue WAWG President’s Perspective 2 Membership Form 4 WAWG at Work 6 Policy Matters 18 Washington Wheat Foundation 22 A tale told in pictures Photos, photos and more photos 24 Trade, tariffs, farm bill Speakers, panels tackle issues 2018 Convention 2018 26 Progress report Battle against falling numbers continues 32 Plowing the Palouse Antique tractors, plows galore 36 WGC Chairman’s Column 39 USW’s Mark Fowler Oldest, newest employee on his perspective 40 Adieu WGC commissioner steps off board 43 Seventy seasons of service Delving into the history of the WWQL 45 Wheat Watch 48 The Evergreen state’s Egypt The Columbia, not the Nile, runs by it 50 The Bottom Line 54 Your Wheat Life 56 Happenings 58 Advertiser Index 59 Contributors Jeffrey Shawver, president, Washington Association of Wheat Growers David Bolingbroke, history Ph.D. candidate, Washington State Gary Bailey, chairman, Washington Grain Commission University Scott A. Yates, communications director, Washington Grain T. Randall Fortenbery, Ph.D., Thomas B. Mick Endowed Chair in Grain Commission Economics, Washington State University Diana Carlen, lobbyist, Washington Association of Wheat Growers Heidi Scott, writer Alex McGregor, stakeholder, Pacific Northwest wheat industry Larissa Zeiler, CPA, Leffel, Ottis & Warwick, P.S. Craig Morris, director, Western Wheat Quality Lab WHEAT LIFE DECEMBER 2018 3 WAWG MEMBERSHIP FORM Please check level of membership Thank you to our Student $75 Partnership $500 Grower $125 (up to 5 partners) Landlord $125 Convention $600 current members Family $200 (up to 2 members) Lifetime $2,500 We fight every day to ensure that life on the family farm continues to prosper and grow. Name WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. Farm or Business If you are not a member, please consider joining today. LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP Address YOUR FARM. City State Zip Greensheet Newsletter Wheat Life Magazine National Wheat Grower Newsletter HarvestAnnual Prints Convention WAWG Registration Free One per Vote Member YOUR WAY. Producer/Landowners (Voting Membership) Phone Fax Grower or Landlord $125 X X X X Congratulations on a great 2018 season! Family $200 X X X X Email (2 family members) One small way we can say thank you for your continued business and support; Partnership $500 supporting the community that supports us. X X X X X County Affiliation (if none, write state) (1-5 family members) Convention $600 Wilbur-Ellis proudly sponsored and donated over $200,000 in 2018 X X X X X Circle all that apply: (2 individuals) to organizations in our wheat growing communities in the Inland Empire. Producer Landlord Individual Industry Rep. Business Owner Student Other Lifetime $2,500 X X X X X ADAMS COUNTY FAIR JUNIOR LIVESTOCK SHOW OF SPOKANE PULLMAN LIONS CLUB (1 individual) Return this form with your check to: AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY LATAH COUNTY MARKET ANIMAL SALE QUINCY HIGH SCHOOL BOOSTER CLUB WAWG • 109 East First Ave. • Ritzville, WA 99169. Non-Voting Membership BOHNET MOTORCYCLE PARK VINTAGE WEEKEND LIBERTY FFA FOUNDATION ROCKFORD WA LIONS CLUB Or call 877-740-2666 and use your credit card to enroll by phone. Student $75 X X X BONINA COLT TO COW CONNECTION LIBERTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOOSTERS SAGE POINT PTO COLFAX ROTARY CLUB LIND-RITZVILLE FBLA SPC JEREMIAH SCHMUNK MEMORIAL GOLF COLTON KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS LIND-RITZVILLE FFA ALUMNI TOURNAMENT COLUMBIA BASIN FASTPITCH CLUB MILTON-FREEWATER LITTLE LEAGUE TEKOA FLOAT ASSOCIATION COLUMBIA BASIN JUNIOR LIVESTOCK MOSCOW BASEBALL ASSOCIATION - 15 U AL TROY LIONS CLUB COLUMBIA COUNTY FAIR 4-H & FFA MOSES LAKE BOOSTER CLUB WA TRAP SHOOTERS ASSOCIATION WAWG’s current top priorities are: DESALES HIGH SCHOOL MOSES LAKE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY WALLA WALLA 4-H AND FFA ✔ Helping shape the 2018 Farm Bill. ✔ Preserving the Snake River dams. EASTIN STREBIN MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT MOSES LAKE MEN’S SOFTBALL WALLA WALLA COUNTY CATTLEMEN’S EL KORAH SHRINE CIRCUS MOSES LAKE THUNDER 10U BASEBALL ASSOCIATION ✔ Preserving the farm safety net by ✔ Maintaining a safe and sound FAIRFIELD SERVICE CLUB NCWJLS 4H & FFA LIVESTOCK SALE WALLA WALLA HIGH SCHOOL FOUNDATION BRICKS NORTH FRANKLIN BABE RUTH WALLOWA COUNTY STOCK SALE protecting crop insurance.