THOUGHT PIECES

Kate Prengaman The Washington Apple Commission met Oct. 15 in Ellensburg for the first time with new president Michael Schadler on board and discussed the ongoing harvest, the promotional budget for the 2024–25 crop year and how the success of those programs is measured.

Executive summary Economic growth has exceeded most expectations over the past several quarters as consumers maintain spending levels. Despite choppy data, the growth trend is slowly moderating due to financial headwinds, political uncertainty, fading fiscal tailwinds, increases in the unemployment rate and the accumulated impact of high consumer inflation over the last four years. Rising… Quarterly Economic Update: October 2024

by AgWest Farm Credit Profitability in agriculture is largely down despite rising food prices. On average, farmers, processors, packers and retail outlets are receiving less revenue as a percentage of total spent on food by U.S. consumers, whereas food services and advertising are receiving more. Also, food prices have not kept pace with rising input costs… Why aren’t farmer incomes keeping up with food prices?

Woody Lane Many cattle producers are now planting brassicas as forages and cover crops. These are great annual forages, but they can include a couple of “gotchas” that cattlemen should be aware of. Lots of farmers and ranchers are planting the new hybrid varieties of forage brassicas and other plants in the cabbage family. These… Dr. Brassica and Mr. Hyde

U.S. apple industry is at a critical crossroads of difficult choices. —by Todd Fryhover, Washington Apple Commission As apple harvest began this year, over 17 million bushels of 2023 Washington apples remain to be sold. To say the 2023 Washington apple crop was challenging is a monumental understatement. Conversations of late with growers highlight the difficulties… Fryhover: Supply, demand, decisions

Organic apples are “catching fire with consumers.” Though the total 2024 Washington apple crop is forecast to be about 10% lighter than the record volume produced in 2023, the organic apple harvest is expected to be very similar to the previous year. The Washington State Tree Fruit Association (WSTFA) recently released its 2024 estimate, pegging… Washington 2024 organic apple crop gains momentum

Daniel Munch USDA’s September 2024 farm income forecast projects this to be yet another challenging year for American farmers, who are expected to lose nearly a quarter of their income in two years. Net farm income, a key measure of profitability, is forecast at $140 billion for 2024, marking a $6.5 billion decline (4.4%) from… Agriculture in the Red: Net Farm Income Drops Again in 2024 Forecast

by AgWest Farm Credit Executive summary High interest rates, generally low inventories, falling farm income, shifting water availability and regulations are among the main drivers impacting land values in the West. Land values in most of AgWest’s region remain strong as demand outpaces available inventory; however, these drivers have led to decreased buyer interest and/or… Land values – August 2024

Food-at-home prices increased by 11.4 percent in 2022, more than three times the rate in 2021 (3.5 percent) and much faster than the 2.0-percent historical annual average from 2002 to 2021. Of the food categories depicted in the chart, all except beef and veal grew faster in 2022 than in 2021. In 2022, price increases… Retail food price inflation in 2022 surpassed 2021 rates in most categories

Behind closed doors, furious negotiations are taking place to keep the peace between canal irrigators in the Magic Valley and groundwater irrigators in Eastern Idaho as the drought that has gripped the West rears its head in the Gem State. At stake is a 2015 settlement agreement, a crowning achievement of House Speaker Scott Bedke,… Amid drought, Idaho water wars threaten to restart as negotiators seek compromise