Dealing with Damage That Comes on Four Legs
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WThe official publicationHEAT of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers LIFE APRIL 2017 Dealing with damage that comes on four legs ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Getting to know Hilary Franz AMMO reports: Crop Insurance, ag policy, yield factors The 2017 Preferred Variety Address Service Requested Service Address Brochure is here 109 East First Avenue, Ritzville, WA 99169 WA Ritzville, Avenue, First East 109 Washington Association of Wheat Growers Wheat of Association Washington WHEAT LIFE President’s Perspective Volume 60 • Number 04 The rewards of being a WAWG member www.wheatlife.org By Ben Adams The official publication of Do you remember that catchphrase, “Where’s the beef?” WASHINGTON Last month in this space I talked about some of the in- ASSOCIATION OF tangible, personal benefits growers receive from getting WHEAT GROWERS involved in our industry in general and our association in 109 East First Avenue particular. This month, I thought I’d talk about some of the Ritzville, WA 99169-2394 more tangible, professional benefits you get from becom- (509) 659-0610 • (877) 740-2666 ing a member of the Washington Association of Wheat WAWG MEMBERSHIP Growers (WAWG)—the meat of the matter, so to speak. (509) 659-0610 • (877) 740-2666 As a farmer, it’s important to stay current on what’s happening in Olympia and $125 per year Washington, D.C. It’s also important to know what’s happening with agriculture EDITOR in general, both here in the state and across the country. Every Thursday, WAWG Trista Crossley • [email protected] emails out the Greensheet ALERT newsletter, in which you’ll find links to impor- (435) 260-8888 tant news stories, updates on issues WAWG is addressing and a list of upcoming AD SALES MANAGER events. We also use Greensheet to alert growers to actions we think it’s important Kevin Gaffney • [email protected] for you to take, such as calling your state representative to voice your concerns on (509) 235-2715 a particular bill or taking part in a farm bill survey. Greensheet is one of the best GRAPHIC DESIGN ways our association has to get your attention on something we think is impor- Devin Taylor • Trista Crossley tant. It’s also a way for you, as a member, to keep track of what we are doing. AD BILLING As a WAWG member, you also get free admission to our Agricultural Marketing Michelle Hennings • [email protected] and Management (AMMO) workshops, including the ever-popular Wheat College (509) 659-0610 • (877) 740-2666 (April 27 in the Tri-Cities, so don’t forget to register). AMMO just wrapped up its CIRCULATION 2017 schedule. This year, topics included falling numbers, a look at ag policy under Address changes, extra copies, subscriptions the Trump Administration and tips on marketing your wheat. Past topics have run Chauna Carlson • [email protected] the gamut from making succession plans to help on navigating farm bill programs (509) 659-0610 • (877) 740-2666 to making an organization’s board better. There’s always something for everybody. Subscriptions are $50 per year Finally, becoming a WAWG member means you get a voice in fighting for and WAWG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR defending our industry. Maybe that’s not quite as tangible as a newsletter, but it’s Michelle Hennings much more satisfying than sitting back and letting others—the public, elected of- WAWG EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ficials—decide the future of your livelihood. PRESIDENT You can find our membership form on page 6. You can also find a membership Ben Adams • Coulee City form at our website, wawg.org, under the “About Us” tab. And speaking of web- VICE PRESIDENT sites, you don’t have to be a member to take advantage of any of ours. WAWG’s Marci Green • Fairfield website focuses more on our mission of advocating and lobbying for our indus- SECRETARY/TREASURER try, as well as information on the organization itself. This magazine’s website, Jeffrey Shawver • Connell wheatlife.org, gives us a chance to push the publication beyond our borders and PRESIDENT EMERITUS Kevin Klein • Edwall into the public’s hands. Both websites are pretty helpful, if you ask me, and I’d en- APPOINTED MEMBERS courage you to take a look at them. We also have Facebook pages for WAWG and Andy Juris • Bickleton Wheat Life, as well as a Twitter feed (@WAWheatGrowers). Howard McDonald • Coulee City One last note: I know it can be confusing, but just because you receive Wheat Life Ryan Poe • Hartline doesn’t mean you are a WAWG member. Everybody who grows wheat and pays Wheat Life (ISSN 0043-4701) is published by the into the Washington wheat assessment gets a copy of this magazine. If you aren’t Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG): 109 E. First Avenue • Ritzville, WA 99169-2394 sure if you are a member or not, give our office a call at (509) 659-0610. It will only Eleven issues per year with a combined August/ take a minute, and you can use the opportunity to tell us how we are doing. September issue. Standard (A) postage paid at It’s mid-March right now, and we are still under snow cover up here in Douglas Ritzville, Wash., and additional entry offices. County, but it’s melting rapidly, and I hope to be out in the fields soon. One last Contents of this publication may not be re- printed without permission. thing—if you find yourself stuck in the mud, email a photo to [email protected]. Advertising in Wheat Life does not indicate en- Here’s wishing you all a successful start to your spring operations. dorsement of an organization, product or political candidate by WAWG. Cover photo: In the past few years, growers in Asotin County have seen increasing numbers of elk in their fields, causing damage to crops and fences alike. See story on page 26. All photos are Shutterstock images or taken by Wheat Life staff unless otherwise noted. 2 WHEAT LIFE APRIL 2017 Inside This Issue 2 WAWG President’s PerspectiveDialogue 4 6 Membership Form 8 WAWG at Work 16 Policy Matters 24 Building a Foundation A hungry horde 26 Elk are causing problems in Asotin County 34 Welcome to Wheat College Details on annual growers’ workshop 36 Getting to know Hilary Franz New commissioner answers questions AMMO report #1 40 Crop insurance options explained AMMO report #2201744 Quality Rankings Varieties are listed by statistical quality rankings by class. When making a decision between varieties with similar agronomic characteristics and grain yield potential, choose the variety with the Forecasting ag policy, yield factors higher quality ranking. This will help to increase the overall quality and Washington Grain Commission desirability of Pacific49 Northwest (PNW) wheat. 2702 West Sunset Blvd, Suite A Spokane, WA 99224 Most Desirable (MD)—These varieties generally have high test (509) 456-2481 weights, appropriate protein content (kernel properties), and excellent E-mail: [email protected] Washington WGC Chairman’s Columnmilling and end-use properties. 50 Website: www.wagrains.org Oregon Desirable (D)—The kernel, milling, and end-use qualities of these WGC Reviewvarieties range from good to very good. The quality attributes of these North Idaho varieties are desirable in international trade. Acceptable (A)—The kernel, milling, and end-use qualities of these varieties range from acceptable to good. Individual varieties may 52 Oregon Wheat Commission Quality countspossess minor flaws. The quality attributes of these varieties are acceptable in international trade. 1200 NW Naito Pkwy, #370 Portland, OR 97209-2879 Least Desirable (LD)—These varieties have displayed low quality (503) 467-2161 characteristics for this class of wheat. The intrinsic quality of PNW E-mail: [email protected] 2017 Preferred Variety Brochure is outwheat will be improved if these varieties are not planted. Website: www.owgl.org Unacceptable Except55 Customer-Specific Uses (UCS)—One or more critical flaws in quality are present in these varieities and will not make suitable products for this class of wheat. Production of these New lines of communicationvarieties should be targeted to specific end-uses and kept strictly Extension in the information agesegregated from general commercial channels. These rankings are based on58 the results of the Genotype and Idaho Wheat Commission 821 West State St Environment Study (G&E) quality testing conducted by the USDA Wheat Watch Boise, ID 83702-5832 Western Wheat Quality Laboratory, the Washington State Univeristy (208) 334-2353 Wheat Quality Program, the University of Idaho Wheat Quality E-mail: [email protected] Laboratory, and the Oregon State University Cereal Quality Laboratory, Website: www.idahowheat.org including relevant breeding nurseries.60 End-use quality determinations were based on results from grain, Reflecting on Olympia millingDays and product quality tests. The quality scores presented here reflect a minimum of three years’ data Ambassadors recount capitalin thevisit G&E study, using a reference variety for each class. The scores are 64 USDA Western Wheat Quality Lab reviewed yearly as new data becomes available, and are subject to Craig Morris, Lab Director The Bottom Linechange. Varieties not listed have not been tested or have less than Doug Engle, Lab Manager three years of data. For complete results, please visit the website: (509) 335-4062 www.wsu.edu/~wwql/php/index.php E-mail: [email protected] 66 Website: www.wsu.edu/~wwql For agronomic information, please consult: 1) the Washington State Crop Your WheatImprovement Life Association Certified Seed Buying Guide; 2) WSU Uniform Cereal Variety Testing Program (http://variety.wsu.edu); 3) North Idaho Extension Cereals Program (http://cals.uidaho.edu/cereals/nidaho); Preferred Wheat Varieties is provided courtesy of: The Washington Grain Commission, the Oregon Wheat Commission, and the Idaho 4) Oregon Elite Yield Trials (http://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu/wheat/68 Wheat Commission.