Focus: Agriculture + Viticulture in the Columbia Basin

Remaining resilient Growers face continued challenges but remain hopeful

MAKING A COMEBACK

Export values up from pre-pandemic levels

GROWING PAINS

Mother Nature forces farmers to adapt, overcome

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY

Grape growers expect ’22 vintage to be superb

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Highs & lows

Growers remain hopeful for better harvests

BY FOCUS STAFF

When it comes to describing the story of Washington agriculture in 2022, a few words in particular seem to fit: Unusual. Challenging. Hopeful.

Weather played a major role in that mix, with some crops struggling and others faring well amid the cool, wet spring, brief but hot summer, and long, warm fall. Rising labor costs, a labor shortage and supply chain issues also persisted.

And government actions or inactions reverberated.

Some growers pointed to a new state law that’s phasing in overtime pay for agricultural workers. It’s been hailed as a win for workers’ rights, but it also impacts farmers’ bottom lines and, in some cases, could mean less pay for workers whose bosses can’t swing overtime and cap hours.

State agriculture experts also say greater attention to trade is needed to keep Washington commodities competitive in foreign markets.

The state did see growth in its agriculture exports in 2022 – by about 4%.

Frozen french fries and dairy were success stories in particular, while wheat and cherries saw drops.

Despite the challenges of 2022, growers and agriculture experts remain hopeful about

this year and beyond. In Washington, agriculture is a leading industry, with more than 35,000 farms spread out across the state and 300-plus crops.

Pam Lewison, the Tri-Citiesbased agriculture research director for the Washington Policy Center and a fourth-generation farmer, said agriculture affects everyone in the state, whether they realize it or not.

“It’s about where your food comes from,” Lewison said.

“If you are supporting local agriculture, you can be assured that your food is coming from a farm where workers have been treated and paid well, the environment has been thought about, and where your carbon footprint is much smaller,” she said. “If you’re buying asparagus from Peru, that carbon footprint is massive because that asparagus is on a refrigerated plane between South America and here. If you’re buying asparagus from a Washington grower, you have just cut your carbon footprint in half, and you have ensured that the person who hand cut and bundled your asparagus is still employed. You’re doing a service both to the farmworker community by ensuring they have somewhere to go to work, and you’re also taking care of the environment.”

“Everything is interconnected, and agriculture is one of the great examples of that,” Lewison

added. “If you’re supporting local food production, you’re supporting all the other people involved in that process.”

Wine grapes

While the 2022 grape growing season got off to a slow start, the “unique” year led to a strong harvest and stellar vintage, one expert said.

“It’s going to be an exceptional year for the quality of the wines,” said Chris Stone, deputy director of the Washington State Wine Commission. “I think it will be an incredible vintage.”

In all, Washington vineyards harvested 240,000 tons of grapes in 2022, a 34% increase over 2021. That included 136,870 tons of red and 103,130 tons of white grapes. Cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay led the pack in tons harvested.

Wheat

A calamitous 2021 wheat harvest saw the lowest total production since the 1960s, but Washington wheat made a comeback in 2022 with a return-to-average crop. And weather conditions look favorable to deliver the same in 2023.

“It’s still very early, of course. We are in the growth stage at this point, but we are feeling optimistic,” said Casey Chumrau, chief executive officer of the Washington Grain Commission, the trade arm for Washington’s wheat and barley farmers.

The total in 2022 was 144 million bushels, compared to 87.1 million bushels in 2021 due to extreme drought conditions and dry soils.

Cherries

Growers are hopeful for a brighter 2023 for Northwest cherries after weather challenges the prior year. And “so far, the indications are looking pretty good,” said Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, in early April.

In 2022, production dropped by roughly a third over the previous harvest. That hurt, although “they did get better pricing on the fruit they did have. The conditions didn’t affect fruit quality, just the quantity,” DeVaney said, adding that the hope is for a more normal-sized crop that allows the market to maintain good pricing.

Apples

Apple growers are hopeful for a more normal 2023 after smaller crops in the prior two years. Last year, growers brought in 102.7 million 40-pound box equivalents, a yield far below what was previously considered to be a short crop.

Weather was the culprit.

But, so far spring 2023 is panning out more predictably.

“We’re between one and two weeks later than normal, but that’s good, because occasionally

we get those really cold nights, so that looks really good that we’re not at bloom yet,” said Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission, adding that the stress of the past couple of seasons likely will cause trees to come back healthy and put out a larger crop.

Potatoes

Washington’s potato yields are down about 9% over a two-year period.

The state’s last “normal weather” year was 2020, resulting in an average yield of 32.25 tons of potatoes per acre, said Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington Potato Commission. In 2021, the yield dipped to 29.75 tons per acre, and in 2022, 29.25 tons per acre.

Total U.S. potato production was down 4% in 2022 compared to the previous year.

One thing is certain: the worldwide demand for potato products remains strong, and the potato industry is working on strategies to improve yields.

Hops

Last year was a challenging one for hops, but growers are hopeful for 2023.

“We’re about one week behind in heat units with another cool spring, but that’s something we can gain back and we’re still optimistic we can make that time up in the future,” said Maggie Elliot, science and communica-

tions director for Hop Growers of America, in early May.

Washington has a strong hold on the hop market for both the Pacific Northwest and the nation, producing about 70% of what’s grown in the region. In the state, aroma varieties have exploded in recent years, with Citra remaining the top crop once again, and Cascade, CTZ or Mosaic rotating around on popularity.

Asparagus

Washington leads the nation in asparagus production, but at the same time, growers grapple with challenges including stiff competition from overseas megaproducers and rising labor and production costs.

Alan Schreiber, executive director of the Washington Asparagus Commission and an asparagus farmer, wants to see more people buy from local growers.

“If every household in the state of Washington bought one more bundle of Washingtongrown asparagus, that would save the western asparagus industry. It would create the demand we need to stay in business,” he said.

Last year, Washington produced 15 million pounds of asparagus, Schreiber said, adding that in 2023, “we’re hoping for a bigger crop over last year’s.” ●

Challenges persist, but Washington agriculture remains resilient

Washington state’s agriculture industry is known for its diverse crop portfolio and innovative marketing strategies. At the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), we work to preserve and maintain the industry’s viability and vitality.

In recent years, producers have weathered the storms of the heat dome, wildfire smoke impacts, extreme cold and drought. Earlier in the year, soil moisture and snowpack indicated that the worst of the drought may be behind us, although current precipitation levels tell us otherwise.

Recognizing the challenges associated with changing weather patterns, as well as the variable nature of agricultural markets, the state Legislature approved in 2023 a proposal for a statewide promotional program. The program will help advertise Washington products – grown, raised, made and produced – at every level from local stores to international markets. This will contribute to the competitiveness of Washington’s agricultural products and the overall success of the state’s commodities.

A mixed bag

While producers across the state generally enjoyed strong prices in 2022, overtime costs, along with other elevated input costs, continue to eat away at potential profits. Washington is vulnerable to trade disruptions and export requirements. Experts believe the Washington state agricultural economy could experience up to a 24% decrease in average net cash income in 2023.

Many factors may contribute to this decline, including world and national events like inflation, high interest rates, the RussiaUkraine war and supply chain issues. However, the major driver of the decline is overall elevated input costs.

Trade outlook

Washington’s agriculture industry is heavily reliant on trade. Each year, up to 90% of our wheat

crop is exported, along with more than 70% of our potatoes (mostly as frozen french fries) and around 30% of our apples and cherries.

Covid-19 significantly impacted Washington exporters due to market closures and extreme supply chain disruptions. Markets have reopened and port congestion has substantially decreased, although some supply chain challenges persist. Overall, trade is returning to pre-pandemic patterns.

In 2022, Washington’s food and agriculture exports were valued at $8 billion, an increase of nearly 4% over the previous year.

In 2022, apples fell off the top five exports chart. In 2021, apples came in at No. 4, and in 2022, they were at No. 6.

The top five exports for 2022 were fish and seafood at $1.3 billion, frozen french fries at $969 million, wheat at $894 million, dairy products at $769 million and hay at $647 million.

Washington’s top five export countries remain unchanged from 2021-22, with Canada being No. 1.

Canada has maintained its

Derek Sandison Washington State Department of Agriculture GUEST COLUMN

ranking as Washington’s top export market for many years. Canada is also the top destination for several individual Washington products including seafood, cherries, onions and fresh blueberries.

Top priorities for Washington’s agricultural export industry include:

• Securing trade agreements. While Washington enjoys a strong reputation for high-quality, high-value products we are at a competitive disadvantage in many countries in terms of price due to tariffs, and we face restrictions in others due to a lack of market access provisions. Our competitors are steadily taking our market share as they enter into modern, free trade agreements with our trading partners.

• Increasing funding for trade programs in the 2023 Farm Bill. Increased funding for trade promotion is a top priority for Washington’s agriculture industry.

• Addressing supply chain issues. The Covid-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated severe faults in the supply chain. Shoring-up infrastructure of our transportation systems and ports while improving communication between all parties are critical first steps that will help provide stability for Washington agricultural exports now and in the future.

Labor costs

Washington’s cost to farm was 26.8% higher than the national average in 2021, with labor costs being the No. 1 expense. With the state having the highest minimum wage in the country, and farmers now navigating overtime pay for workers, it’s no wonder that labor accounts for a quarter of all farm expenditures in Washington. These high

input costs can make it difficult for farmers to turn a profit and remain competitive in the global marketplace.

In 2021, Washington producers spent $2.15 billion on hired labor. Additionally, there are proposed changes to worker safety requirements that could increase costs to employers, as well as changes to the H-2A program that will significantly increase wages and ultimately the cost of farming. H-2A is a visa program that allows farmers to recruit and hire from other countries for agriculture work on a seasonal basis.

Farmers cannot always raise crop prices to relieve this pressure, leaving many in a tough situation.

Trucking rates

Another input cost driving the decrease in net income this year is trucking rates. Trucking rates are still 45% above their five-year average, despite the downturn at the end of last year.

Fertilizer

The war in Ukraine also has significantly impacted the price and production of fertilizer, specifically potash.

While prices for fertilizer have softened relative to 2022 prices, they remain high.

In the U.S., we expect potash availability to be relatively undisturbed because we primarily source from Canada. However, fertilizer availability in other parts of the world that rely heavily on Russia – a world supplier of potash – likely will decrease due to the ongoing war.

Apples

The Washington apple industry is a prime example of the challenges the state’s agriculture sector faces. Despite a bumper crop year, the industry is facing headwinds due to increased

freight rates, a lack of container availability at ports and a loss of export markets.

In the first six months of the 2023 marketing season, U.S. fresh apple export volume was down by 12% compared to the previous year, a significant blow to an industry that relies heavily on exports. It also highlights the vulnerability of Washington’s agriculture industry to trade disruptions and export requirements.

That being said, I’m optimistic that Washington’s farmers can weather the storm and continue to produce a bounty of unique and high-quality crops for years to come.

Supply chain

With so many commodities across Washington reliant on trade, some of the biggest impacts on the state’s farm economy will come from outside the borders, including difficulty with the supply chain. Tractor and combine parts have been hard to come by, and inflation significantly affected the price of fuels and chemicals.

Food security

We remain on the battlefield of food insecurity, working to help hunger relief organizations feed hungry Washingtonians, and producers to get their products to those who need it most. Our agency was tasked with creating a state alternative to the federal food box program in response to heightened food insecurity resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. Food insecurity continues to be a priority issue, with the number of people seeking food assistance in Washington doubling during the pandemic and now with rising food costs due to inflation.

We received $18 million from the 2023 legislative session for state fiscal year 2024 and $17 million for state fiscal year 2025 to

extend the We Feed Washington pilot food program for two final years.

While this is far less than we requested, we will work to stretch those dollars as far as we can. As the myriad government Covid-19 relief benefits wane, like the recent reduction in monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) allotments, the reality of the economic conditions, plus high food costs, means those most at risk of hunger remain vulnerable.

Invasive species

Our pest program staff fight on the front lines of our fields by looking for and eradicating invasive species like the northern giant hornet and Japanese beetle. In 2022, our teams did not find any hornets or nests. The Japanese beetle, however, is an infestation that our teams have been working to eradicate since the discovery of three beetles in 2020.

Last year researchers uncovered X-disease phytoplasma in cherry and peach planting stock. Nurseries, researchers and our agency are all working together to conduct more testing to ensure that nurseries are up to date on the latest recommendations to prevent pathogen introductions.

WSDA received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to test our mother trees for the disease and is currently partnering on a grant with the Oregon Department of Agriculture to gather more information on vectors of X disease.

As we continue to fight to feed hungry Washingtonians, battle invasive species and keep trade strong for Washington agriculture, WSDA remains committed to its mission of supporting agriculture and serving the public. ●

Derek Sandison is the director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

High quality

‘Unique’ wine grape growing season makes for ‘exceptional’ vintage

BY SARA SCHILLING

The 2022 grape growing season got off to a slow start.

But the “unique” year – which included a cold and wet spring, a later-than-usual bud break and bloom, brief but hot summer temperatures and a fall that brought ideal weather – means “it’s going to be an exceptional year for the quality of the wines,” said Chris Stone, deputy director of the Washington State Wine Commission. “I think it will be an incredible vintage.”

In all, Washington vineyards harvested 240,000 tons of grapes in 2022, which was a 34% increase over 2021. That included 136,870 tons of red and 103,130 tons of white grapes.

Cabernet sauvignon once

again was the top variety, with 67,015 tons harvested.

Next up was chardonnay, with 39,450 tons harvested.

A closer look

In all, red varieties grew by 23% over 2021, and white varieties shot up by 50%, according to the 2022 grape production report put together by the state wine commission.

On the red side, cabernet sauvignon grew by 32% over the year before. That variety represented 28% of total production in the state in 2022.

Among the white varieties, pinot gris saw the most growth, with a 70% increase over 2021. Sauvignon blanc also saw a significant jump, up 54% over the previous year.

Because of that sizeable growth in white grapes, red varieties saw their hold on total production slip from 62% in 2021 to 57% in 2022, according to the grape report.

Farmers brought in an average of $1,370 per ton in 2022, a drop of $90 from the year before, the grape report said. Cabernet franc garnered $2,074, which was the highest average price per ton.

Stone said that once the growing season got going, conditions were good.

The cold and wet spring meant that bud break and bloom were two to three weeks behind when they historically happen, and summer weather didn’t come until late June.

But “the surprise – in a very,

Courtesy Richard Duval Images

Shaw Estates on Red Mountain outside Benton City.

very good way – was the incredible fall we had. It allowed the grapes to really ripen at a pace and level we rarely get, where the flavor maturity was there before sugar maturity or ripeness,” Stone said. “Oftentimes, sugar development can outpace flavor development, but this year it was reversed and that’s a really good place to be. We were fortunate to have a really beautiful fall.”

In fact, the Columbia Valley saw “ideal growing conditions (in October), with temperatures 5 or more degrees above average, resulting in near-perfect finishing weather given the coolness of the season,” according to a 2022 vintage overview put together by the state wine commission.

“Growers and winemakers did 10-12 weeks of work in half that time or less. The final crop was heavier, particularly for white varieties, due to larger berries and clusters. Growers who managed to thin appropriately delivered exceptional flavors at lower Brix and higher natural acidity. It is expected to be a very high-quality vintage for white wines and a standout vintage for higher end reds,” it said.

Sustainable WA

Along with the exceptional vintage expected, Stone pointed to another highlight of 2022: the launch of Sustainable WA, a sustainability program built by and for the state wine industry.

The program includes a thirdparty audit and certification process for vineyards managed by Washington Winegrowers. The state wine commission handles branding and marketing, and the Washington Wine Industry Foundation and Washington Wine Institute also are partners.

The program was developed “to be very specific about sustainability issues that are rel-

evant in Washington. It’s a really comprehensive program, setting a new standard for statewide sustainability programs. It was built on some old models that were already in place, but it raised the bar on all the requirements, and we got a third-party certification partner involved,” Stone said.

The idea is to get as many acres of Washington vineyards certified as possible.

The current total is about 11,000 acres, Stone said. “For year one, that’s a pretty remarkable achievement, and it’s going to grow from there,” he said, adding that a longer-term goal is to develop a sustainable winery program to go hand in hand with the vineyard program.

Looking ahead

Stone said he expects 2023 to be another good year for Washington wines.

The growing season got off to a slow start once again, but “all signs are looking very positive.”

“I think the Pacific Northwest in general is just an incredibly exciting place in the wine world right now. There’s so much growth potential still, and the quality of the wines coming out

of here has never been higher. It feels like the world is finally discovering what we’ve known for a long time: This is one of the most exciting wine regions in the world. There are incredible opportunities ahead of us.”

He said to watch out for the Washington Wine Month in August – branded as “WAugust” – which is billed as a 31-day cel-

240,000 tons of grapes were harvested in 2022, a 34% increase over 2021.

ebration of the state’s wines. Wineries, restaurants, retailers and others will be running special promotions, and “it’s a great time to get out there and see wine country,” he said.

“Drink local. It’s a sustainable choice and the quality has never been higher,” Stone said.

“Washington can provide wine for every palate, every person and every occasion, and I promise you it will over-deliver at every price point,” he said. ●

Courtesy Richard Duval Images Col Solare Winery on Red Mountain during 2022 harvest.

To the other side Value of state’s ag exports continues to climb

BY SARA SCHILLING

Washington saw the value of its agriculture exports grow by nearly 4% in 2022.

The $8 billion figure includes fish and seafood, frozen french fries, wheat, dairy, hay, apples and other products originating in the state, and it comes despite an unusual growing season that saw some smaller yields, plus some continued supply chain issues and other challenges.

“The numbers are up, which is great. And they’re not just up over the last two years, which were anomalies, they are up even from pre-Covid,” said Rianne Perry, manager of international marketing for the state Department of Agriculture. “These numbers are values – dollar values – and prices were up for a lot of products, so that is some of the reason why. But it also is just reflective of the fact that, with Covid, with all those issues we saw for the past couple of years, demand has always remained.”

Perry said she’s impressed by the agriculture industry’s resilience.

“There were so many challenges that affected (those in the industry), and coming out the other side now, we are seeing the resiliency and that our customers are still there. They still want our products. Those relationships that were built in the past are fruitful and continuing to yield fruit,” Perry said.

Exports by the numbers

The total value of all exports passing through Washington on their way to points overseas came in at $23.4 billion, according to data compiled by the state agriculture department.

The $8 billion figure comes when you factor out products that weren’t grown in the state but were shipped from here. The top Washington-originating commodities included fish and seafood at $1.3 billion, followed by frozen french fries at $969 million and wheat at $894 million.

Dairy, hay, apples, hop cones and extracts, beef, sweet and fresh cherries, and pulses (dry peas, beans, chickpeas, lentils) followed.

Frozen french fries were a success story, with the export value growing by nearly 16%.

Dairy also saw a big jump – of nearly 24%.

“Exports of dairy products are really surging for the U.S. and Washington,” Perry said, noting that Asian markets in particular are a source of growing demand for dairy.

Meanwhile, cherries saw a drop of about 18% in export value. Perry said that’s not because of issues with quality or lack of demand, but because of a small 2022 crop. Unseasonably cool temperatures and late snow contributed to a drop in production last season over 2021.

Biggest customers

Canada remained the biggest customer for Washington exports.

Our northern neighbor bought $1.4 billion in fish and seafood,

Courtesy Washington Association of Wheat Growers

Workers load wheat onto a barge on the Snake River.

Washington’s top exports in 2022

1. Fish and seafood: $1.3 billion

2. Frozen french fries: $969 million

3. Wheat: $894 million

4. Dairy: $769 million

5. Hay: $647 million

6. Apples: $643 million

7. Hop cones and extracts: $377 million

8. Beef: $323 million

9. Cherries: $218 million

10. Pulses (dry peas, beans, chickpeas, lentils): $124 million

Total exports: $23 billion

Washington

grown: $8 billion

Source: Washington State Department of Agriculture

apples and cherries, an increase of more than 5% over the previous year. Next up was Japan, which bought $1.3 billion in hay, french fries and fish and seafood, up more than 10% over the previous year.

China was the third-biggest buyer, purchasing $834 million in hay, beef and fish and seafood. That represented a drop of more than 16% over 2021.

“As you can imagine, the trade war with China has impacted our exports over the years. We still have tariffs on a lot of our products to China. It had been a top market for cherries, but when tariffs went into effect in 2018, that changed. It’s still a very important market for us. It’s become much more complicated and more uncertain, but they are certainly still a large customer,” Perry said.

South Korea, Mexico, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Netherlands and Vietnam rounded out

the top 10.

Perry said a greater focus by the U.S. government on trade and pursuing free trade agreements – especially in markets such as Southeast Asia – would be beneficial.

While the state has high-quality agricultural products, it’s at a disadvantage in many countries because of tariffs or restrictions, opening the door to competitors.

It would be great “to see more attention given to (trade),” she said.

Perry also noted that an increase in funding for trade promotion in the federal 2023 Farm Bill is a priority for the state agricultural export industry.

“Marketing is a very big deal. The economic impact of exports is incredibly substantial. I don’t think people realize the dollars that are coming back to Washington state, for example,” she said. ●

In demand

Wheat production rebounds amid new challenges

BY LAURA KOSTAD

After a calamitous 2021 harvest that saw the lowest total production since the 1960s, Washington wheat made a comeback the following year with a return-toaverage crop. Weather conditions look poised to deliver the same for 2023.

“It’s still very early, of course. We are in the growth stage at this point, but we are feeling optimistic,” said Casey Chumrau, chief executive officer of the Washington Grain Commission, the trade arm for Washington’s wheat and barley farmers.

She said in May that crop conditions are trending toward a successful harvest.

“We had a very long cold snowy winter and a late spring. It started out a little behind schedule, but the warm weather the last few weeks has really helped with plant development. We also have

received a lot of intermittent rains, which really helped.”

The 2022 total crop amounted to 144 million bushels. Contrast that to 2021, when extreme drought conditions led to dry soils and stunted plants, which resulted in a total crop of 87.1 million bushels.

“We haven’t been under 100 million bushels since 1991,” Chumrau said.

It was a hard blow to farmers after a booming 2020 bumper crop that brought in 166.2 million bushels under ideal conditions.

In 2022, regions of the Midwest experienced their share of weather-related challenges that led to poor crop production, allowing Washington to move up the rankings.

Despite being far from the Midwest breadbasket, Washington was third in the nation last year for wheat production behind

North Dakota and Kansas. Montana typically outproduces Washington but had a low production year in 2022.

Wheat was Washington’s fourth highest-grossing crop in 2021 at $756.8 million, behind apples, milk and cattle, even in light of the disaster crop. In 2022, Washington wheat exports ranked No. 3 in the state and totaled $894 million.

A Washington State University IMPACT Center study on wheat found that the industry supports 9,466 jobs in the state, including the growers.

Tops for exports

Though Washington might not lead the nation – which is the world’s fifth largest wheat producer, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture – it does offer something the landlocked Midwest doesn’t: access to ports.

Courtesy Washington Association of Wheat Growers

A combine harvests wheat in Walla Walla County.

Almost 100% of wheat consumed in the U.S. is grown here, with a small fraction trickling into U.S. grain elevators from farmers operating on the other side of the Canadian border.

Meanwhile, 90% of the wheat grown in Washington is shipped overseas to Asian markets, Chumrau said.

The Philippines, Japan and south Korea top the export list for Washington’s coveted soft white wheat, what everyday consumers know as pastry flour. It’s low in protein and gluten but in high demand for light and evenly-colored dumplings, noodles like ramen, crackers, cookies, pizza dough and some breads.

Wheat does not grow well in those countries, so they are import-dependent.

The trade relationship with the Philippines and South Korea began 50 to 70 years ago when they were food aid markets receiving

wheat donations from the U.S., Chumrau said.

After replacing rice flours and others with wheat flour, it stuck, and since then, the Philippines has emerged as the second largest export market for all U.S. wheat across all types and classes. South Korea ranks fifth.

Chumrau said soft white wheat is almost exclusively grown in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

“As a region, we have focused on end quality for more than four decades. We are very focused on how the wheat performs for the farmer in the field, but also at the mill and in the baking process. We’ve been very successful at breeding high quality varieties that work for both the farmer and the end user,” she said.

Challenges

Global wheat prices have come down from a year ago in part due to Ukraine’s continued ability to

144 million bushels of wheat were harvested in 2022, up 65% over 2021.

export some of its wheat through the Black Sea agreement between the United Nations, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine, despite the ongoing war against Russia.

Ukraine and Russia together account for roughly 30% of all global exports, Chumrau said.

What hasn’t come down is the cost of inputs, such as fuel, fertilizer, computer chips and other parts for equipment, the equipment itself and more.

Michelle Hennings, executive director at the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG), the industry’s advocacy organization, said the reference

price for wheat, $5.50 per bushel, is lower than the current input cost. The reference price is what farmers are guaranteed by the federal government, so they aren’t forced to default during poor harvests.

Due to the ongoing federal debt ceiling controversy, Hennings doesn’t expect the prices to change anytime soon, though she said WAWG is advocating for more crop insurance options in current Farm Bill negotiations.

She said Midwestern states get federal margin protection to guard against unexpected decreases in operating margins. In light of increasingly unpredictable climatic and economic conditions, WAWG believes Washington growers should be eligible, too.

Adding to current high operating costs is the cap-and-invest program introduced by state lawmakers in 2021 as part of the

state’s Climate Commitment Act.

An exemption for farmers and barge transport was promised, but no mechanism was created to accommodate it so growers have been paying an additional 60 cents to 70 cents at the pump with no guarantee they’ll be reimbursed.

“One of our farmers told me (the new tax) alone cost him $10,000 extra. That squeezes the farmer’s bottom line,” Hennings said.

Both Hennings and Chamrau pointed to the critical necessity of the Columbia and Snake river systems for transporting grain. According to the WAWG, wheat from 11 states travels through this river system for export, or about 60% of all U.S. wheat exports.

“Washington state is very unique because we are probably the most trade-dependent in the entire country,” Hennings said.

For perspective, one average

river barge can transport 122,500 bushels of grain, versus one grain trailer, which offers a 910-bushel capacity, versus an entire 100-car train which offers a capacity of 350,000 bushels.

As Hennings said of barge transport, “It is the most costeffective, cost-efficient and environmentally-friendly mode of transportation that we have.”

Labor

The state’s new overtime rules are incongruent with the unique nature of agriculture. WAWG has likewise been advocating for a seasonal flexibility exemption.

Though the wheat industry is more mechanized and less labor intensive than other crops, Hennings said, “Washington pays the highest hourly wage to farmworkers in the country. In addition, many farms … provide their domestic workers with additional

Courtesy of Washington Grain Commission

A pile of grain awaits shipment at Tri-Cities Grain’s elevator in Pasco.

benefits such as housing, meals and vehicles. Unfortunately, with the new overtime requirement, many farms may not be able to afford to continue providing those extra benefits.”

She said farmers are forced to make tough choices that include strategically using workers up to 48 hours to reduce overtime during harvest. This is something she’s heard workers don’t like, as they stand to lose out on wages they were previously making working more intensive hours during harvest.

All of these things threaten the ongoing existence of Washington wheat farms.

“Once they’re lost, they don’t come back,” Hennings said. “The farmer is a good steward of the land and they want to keep their land where it needs to be for the future.”

Waiting out storms

Cherry farmers brace for uncertainties

BY LAURA KOSTAD

After a 2022 season challenged growers with unseasonably cool temperatures and late snow that damaged blossoms and discouraged honeybees from leaving their hives, cherry farmers are looking forward to more cooperative weather.

“So far, the indications are looking pretty good,” said Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, in early April. “There’s no forecast predicting problems at this point, as long as the wet weather pattern doesn’t last too long.”

The 2022 season saw a drop in production of roughly a third over the previous year – more than 12 million 20-pound boxes of cherries compared to the prior year’s 18.5 million.

“That hurt a lot of cherry growers. They did get better pricing on the fruit they did have. The conditions didn’t affect fruit quality, just the quantity,” DeVaney said.

In 2023, they hope for a

normal crop size that allows the market to maintain good pricing.

“We want to make sure that consumers pressured by other cost increases are still going to be able to spend money on top quality Northwest cherries. We’re hoping for a soft landing for the economy,” he said.

He said consumers tend to view cherries as an “affordable luxury,” and their seasonality contributes to their demand.

However, increasing economic pressures on consumer wallets and farmers’ budgets alike pose additional challenges to the industry.

Narrow margins

In 2023, the American Farm Bureau forecasted that farmers will see a 20% decrease in returns.

“Growers saw higher prices on their cherries, but also higher prices for farm labor, fuel, equipment, ag chemicals. Just about every input they were using to move their crop was significantly more expensive,” DeVaney said.

With all the turmoil in the world, the higher cost of doing

business isn’t going away.

DeVaney said farmers will experience additional strain on already slim margins as the overtime pay requirement phases to 48 hours from 55 in 2022. After 48 hours, workers must be paid time-and-a-half.

“Cherries are one of the most labor-intensive crops in the state. It was easier to work around with the smaller crop (in 2022), but going to 48 hours in 2023 and potentially having larger crops, a lot of growers have concerns about getting all the work done that needs to happen before triggering the increase,” DeVaney said.

That means potentially leaving prime fruit on trees to be picked another day.

In Washington, the minimum wage for foreign H-2A program workers hired by farmers who can’t recruit enough domestic workers is $17.97 per hour.

“That’s the lowest people are required to be paid, but in some cases the rate can be higher due to piece rate rules,” DeVaney explained. “A lot of cherry workers

Courtesy Washington State Tree Fruit Commission

who are experienced can do quite well, upwards of $30-plus per hour … We’ve had higher wage inflation in agriculture over the last 10 years over other sectors and still we’re losing workers.”

Compounding the issue is the low unemployment rate.

“When the labor market is tight, we see movement out of agriculture into other industries offering permanent, full-time employment indoors, and we can see that in the H-2A numbers.” DeVaney added that the number of temporary foreign H-2A workers has been increasing year over year for over a decade.

The Washington Farm Bureau reported in late March 2023 that the state’s agriculture sector was short about 25,000 workers. Very few domestic workers are applying for agricultural jobs, with only 11 domestic workers placed in the more than 33,000 jobs listed in 2022 through the state Employment Security Department (ESD), the bureau said.

From 2007-19, the number of H-2A temporary agricultural workers coming into the state for agricultural work grew by more than 1,000%, the ESD reported.

International headwinds

Fortunately for Northwest cherry growers, the majority of exports stay within North America, though a significant amount goes to Asia as well.

Trade is still on for now with China, an important cherry export market. In 2022, almost 400,000 20-pound boxes were shipped there, accounting for 14% of total exports.

“There’s uncertainty around the trade negotiation environment in Asia, and also the secu-

rity aspect, but the bigger issue is the cost to transport products … it continues to remain high since most cherries are transported by air cargo to ensure freshness,” DeVaney said.

Posturing between the U.S. and China over Taiwan, Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine and other unstable conditions around the world also are having an effect.

“When there’s international uncertainty, a lot of money tends to flow into the U.S. to strengthen the dollar since it’s the most secure currency available,” DeVaney said. “That in turn, though, causes the dollar to appreciate against all foreign currencies, making anything we’re exporting from the U.S. more expensive in foreign markets. If you’re a U.S. producer trying to export goods, it means an involuntary price increase to customers.”

Uncertain future

In response to all of these challenges, growers are focusing on what they can do to prepare for a highly turbulent and unpredictable future.

Growers are increasingly using data management tools to track temperatures, degree days and other insights. What used to be like clockwork – seasons varying little year after year – has become day by day planning with farmers stocking up on inputs to guard against potential worst-case scenarios.

The Washington Tree Fruit Association encourages growers to test for the incurable little cherry disease by making use of Washington State University grant assistance to catch the dis-

solution to stop disease spread.

The industry expects again to see rules relating to heat and smoke exposure stemming from sweltering summer weather and smoky conditions during wildfire season. The state Department of Labor and Industries stipulates cooling breaks and masking to reduce smoke inhalation while working in orchards under these conditions.

“‘Normal weather’ is a term that growers say with scare quotes around it because every year lately has had something unexpected and challenging, whether it’s the heat dome or the cool patterns last year,” DeVaney said. “Weather patterns are really unsettled, and it was even a topic covered at the annual meeting last year: how to be resilient amidst climate changes and weather.”

In the meantime, farmers must wait out the storms. ●

Washington is the No. 1 producer of sweet cherries in the U.S.

Abundant apples

State’s signature crop expected to make a comeback

BY LAURA KOSTAD

It could be a more normal year for Washington apples after smaller harvests in 2021 and 2022.

Last year, growers brought in 102.7 million 40-pound box equivalents, according to the Washington State Tree Fruit Association (WSTFA) Statistical Review.

“Before this, 122 million was considered a short crop,” said Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission (WAC).

The low yield was attributed to the 10- to 14-day harvest delay, poor pollination weather and an extreme heat wave that hung over the state in June 2021.

Spring 2023 rolled out more predictably.

“The outlook so far is good,” Fryhover said in mid-April. “We’re between one and two weeks later than normal, but that’s good because occasionally we get those really cold nights, so that looks really good that we’re not at bloom yet. We should have a more normal crop.”

He said the stress of the past

couple seasons likely will cause trees to come back healthy and produce a larger crop.

“We could see 130 million (40-pound box equivalents) or more. No one would argue that there’s not at least that much potential there,” he said.

It’s not necessarily bad to have a smaller crop with the inflated cost of production inputs and costs to export both domestically and abroad, he added.

Fewer apples to go around drives a higher per unit price, which can help growers offset elevated costs.

In light of those rising costs, the rate of new trees going in the ground has likewise slowed over pre-pandemic years, with growers opting to experiment with new grafts instead.

This season won’t be without its challenges though.

Market shifts

For the past three years, the apple commission has pivoted marketing efforts to the North American “home court”– Canada,

U.S. and Mexico – to combat high shipping costs and an expensive unreliable overseas export market.

Fifty-two percent of all Washington fresh apple exports go to Canada and Mexico, according to WSTFA.

Behind Canada and Mexico, the next top export markets for Washington apples are Vietnam, Taiwan and Indonesia.

China and India used to be bigger markets, but retaliatory tariffs remain in place, making trade expensive. Fryhover said there has been no indication that the Biden administration plans to address that.

In China, the tariff is 55%, while India’s is 70%.

At the same time these countries have been enforcing high tariffs on U.S. imports, they have been developing robust apple industries of their own.

“If you step back and took a picture of the world and looked at Washington, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Canada and Mexico, there are 20 to 30 million bushels grown in Mexico. In the 27

Courtesy Washington Apple Commission

(countries in the European Union), they produce three times as many apples as Washington. In eastern Europe, they produce two times as many, and China produces 48% of the apples grown in the entire world,” Fryhover said.

It’s a logistical jigsaw puzzle assembled atop shifting sand to figure out where all of those apples will go.

“The competitive nature of the international community is getting really intense right now, especially when we have this breakdown of the global trade atmosphere,” Fryhover said, pointing to the RussiaUkraine war, rising tensions between the U.S. and China and

other economic fallout.

In addition, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union has been without a labor contract for several months, affecting some 22,000 West Coast port workers and leading to shipping slowdowns.

“If that labor contract is not in place (at harvest), I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Fryhover said in mid-April.

Those factors considered, “taking care of our home court becomes even more important as we move ahead into this next crop year,” he added.

This year, the percentage of the harvest that will be exported is expected to be around 20%. Fryhover said it’s normally between 28% and 32%, but the crop estimate

and need in the domestic market reduces the export share.

The big question remains: what to plant?

With new varieties coming out all the time selected for modern tastes, and the lag time between sapling and first harvest, it’s challenging for growers to decide.

Newer varieties tend to cost more per acre, so it can be a costly gamble to convert ground to what’s trending versus old standbys.

Though Washington’s state fruit, the Red Delicious, continues to be the “flagship export variety,” unique and sought after internationally, Cosmic Crisp, Honeycrisp and other proprietary varieties like Smitten, Lady Opal and Ambrosia are attracting consumers’ attention at home.

“The Washington Apple Commission is focused on promoting Cosmic Crisp in export markets. Right now, our main focus is in „

Washington’s top apple export customers are Mexico, Canada and Vietnam.

Canada but we also are supporting volumes into other countries such as Taiwan and Vietnam. We recognize that with increasing production, Cosmic Crisp will need export markets in the coming seasons,” said Rebecca Lyons, international marketing director at WAC.

Labor crisis

Labor continues to be a challenge for apple growers and also is exacerbated by the downward economic trends.

About 30,000 foreign workers were sourced through the federal H-2A program last year to pick the apple crop alone. A low unemployment rate means even less interest than usual from domestic workers.

Visa processing has likewise been slowed down due to international turbulence.

The new challenge facing farmers that phased in last year are new rules affecting overtime. In 2022, those working over 55 hours a week were required to be paid time and a half. This year, it drops to 48 hours and applies to H-2A workers as well as domestic workers.

“We’re ratcheting down to 40 hours,” Fryhover said, explaining that it’s a tough rule to apply to an industry that naturally has big ebbs and flows.

“In the tree fruit industry, we do everything at once … Once we get the apples harvested, we can get some normalcy of hours for workers, but we have to get apples off the trees as fast as we can,” he said.

He said growers will have to make some tough calls this season about what to harvest as they ride that narrow line of profitability.

All in all, Fryhover said in 2023 “we can only do better, no matter how you look at it … We’ll just have to see what happens.” ●

Market leader

Low yields

BY ROBIN WOJTANIK

don’t

Last year has been described as a challenging one for the hop industry, coming off a previous record crop, unseasonably cold and wet spring and increased costs for production.

But the industry is hopeful 2023 brings a better hop crop.

“We’re about one week behind in heat units with another cool spring, but that’s something we can gain back and we’re still optimistic we can make that time up in the future,” said Maggie Elliot, science and communications director for Hop Growers of America, in early May.

The 2022 U.S. hop harvest topped just over 100 million pounds, valued at $617 million. This is about 12% lower than the previous year’s harvest.

Washington keeps a strong hold on the hop market for both the Pacific Northwest and the nation, producing about 70% of what’s grown in the region. As an industry, hop growers provide 40% of the worldwide hop supply, with the lion’s share grown in the Yakima Valley.

The amount of hops planted remains fairly stable year over year, with a slight decline in acreage, amounting to about 50,000 acres in the Pacific Northwest, with nearly 43,000 acres planted in

Courtesy Hop Growers of America

damper hop growers’ optimism

Washington. Less than 1,400 acres of farmland are dedicated to hops elsewhere in the nation.

The most popular hops for beer are typically Alpha or Aroma, providing bitterness with Alpha, or, as the name implies, aroma with the latter.

Aroma varieties have exploded in Washington in recent years with Citra remaining the top crop once again, and Cascade, CTZ or Mosaic rotating around on popularity.

Citra hops add citrus notes in the brewing process, with flavors like peach, passion fruit, lemon and melon.

Diversifying

In 2022, there were more acres planted of Citra, an aromatic hop, than all varieties of Alpha combined. In the Northwest, more than 80% of hops grown last summer included Aroma or dual-purpose varieties, with Alpha accounting for the remainder. A decade ago it was split about 50-50, but a shift could be forthcoming.

“Germany had a historic drought, and its yields were cut nearly in half,” Elliot said. “Since Germany grows a lot of Alpha, I think a lot of the large brewing companies started to realize they had concentrated much of their supply chain in the Alpha hops in Germany, and the country only has about 20% of fields irrigated.”

With much of the crop at the mercy of weather and no infrastructure in place to address a drought, growers may see a change in varietal demand.

“I think there was a bit of a realization that the hop market was at risk,” Elliot said. “Generally speaking, the U.S. will likely start to grow more Alpha to offset that concentration in Germany. Some growers are pulling out Aroma this year and putting in Alpha acres.”

Rising costs

As with plenty of other things in America, costs to growers have substantially increased over the last year. The most recent analysis by Washington State University estimated it costs $13,588 per acre to produce mature, standard trellis hops under drip irrigation. But that total was updated prior to rises in labor, supply, fuel and other necessary costs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently estimated the cost of hops production at $15,368 per acre.

“Labor is one of the foremost challenges our industry faces,” Elliot said. “I wouldn’t say it negatively impacted yields at this point, but we are entering a time where it will be increasingly difficult for our growers to meet the needs of their operation when harvest comes with the new overtime standards. Hops are a very labor-intensive crop with

every single string done by hand.” This work occurs in the spring and harvest often begins in late August and continues through October.

“Inflation and overtime pressures have caused agricultural labor costs to increase here in Washington,” said Scott Dilley, public affairs director for Wafla (Washington Farm Labor Association). “These costs, along with many other increased input costs, have made it harder for farmers to be profitable.”

Hops are considered an expensive crop to grow due to initial startup costs.

Hop Growers of America says, “growers have faced substantial increases, driven by expansion of harvesting and production capacity to handle a doubling of acreage over the past 10 years, updating equipment, increased labor costs and inflation. Administrative and operating costs associated with food safety, best practices compliance and other customer require-

ments have also increased.”

Labor shortages

Hop Growers of America said about half the labor in its industry relies on the federal H-2A domestic worker program and the remainder is made up of migrant or local workers.

“The labor shortage in agriculture persists, and farmers have had to turn to the H-2A program to find enough workers,” Dilley said.

Wafla said in 2011 more than 5,000 H-2A jobs were certified by the Employment Security Department. In 2022, that number had increased to more than 33,000.

Before jobs are certified for the H-2A guest worker program, federal laws require growers to advertise those positions to workers already here in the U.S. In 2022, ESD’s WorkSource referred only 11 workers for these 33,000 jobs.

“These figures demonstrate the extent of the labor shortage in

agriculture and a dramatic increase in usage of the H-2A program,” Dilley said.

“We hope to create more modernization in our technologies to be able to reduce the workforce, whether that be different types of weeding systems or novel tools or technologies that we introduce to cut down on the dependability on the human workforce,” Elliot said.

Weathering the weather

Described as an “atypical” spring with measurable snow as late as April, record cold and wet months as part of a La Niña climate pattern were blamed for critically delaying development of the 2022 hop crop. Growers could only sit by and watch, hoping for hops to mature.

“Hops are a plant that needs daylight to really thrive,” Elliot said. “They can grow up to 12 inches in a single day when they’re reaching for the top wire. When they do not get sunlight at that particular point

in time, it can really hinder their growth and delay maturity.”

Elliot illustrated how the crop acts similarly to grapevines and suspends ripening when the temperature rises above 95 degrees.

“It turns from photosynthesis to photorespiration. It just kind of hangs on and goes into survival mode. Every minute of the day it was over 95 degrees, the hop cones weren’t ripening, and our harvest was delayed about seven to 14 days.”

This contributed to overall production being off about 15% in Washington state.

Growers typically see about 1,889 pounds per acre of hops grown, but 2022 brought outputs averaging 1,694 pounds. Yields were the lowest in Washington across the Pacific Northwest and down significantly from a decade ago when the average was 2,025 pounds per acre.

Top export markets

About half the crop is exported each year, sent mainly to BelgiumLuxembourg, home of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewing group, as well as Germany and the United Kingdom.

“It’s such a unique industry because it is such a large proportion of the world market,” Elliot said.

Craft breweries saw big impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic, but the industry rebounded by 2022, making up about a quarter of retail sales.

Despite dominating the world market, American hops are still a relatively small commodity, comparably, which results in limited efforts to innovate new efficiencies.

“The industry has investigated opportunities to build a ‘twiner’ technology, but it is very difficult, and we’re such a small industry that technology has been rather elusive,” Elliot said. ●

National leader

Washington asparagus hangs in the balance

BY LAURA KOSTAD

Washington is the national leader in asparagus, the crop that kicks off the fresh produce season.

That title doesn’t come without challenges though.

The industry continues to be undermined by cheap imports from mega producers Mexico and Peru and increases to what are already the highest production costs in agriculture.

Though Mexican and Peruvian asparagus is less fresh than spears cut on Washington farms – often 15 or more days old and fumigated – the delicate crop still competes for market share on price and dominates during the off-season as equatorial fields continue to produce.

The stiff competition from the south has largely wiped out Californian producers who have faced untenable climatic shifts and harsh weather patterns along with rapidly increasing labor costs.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 500 million pounds of asparagus are con-

sumed in the U.S. each year, with 80% to 90% imported, primarily from Mexico and Peru.

This leaves a small piece of the pie for Washington and other U.S. producers, the next biggest being Michigan, which accounts for the remaining bulk of U.S. production.

Last year, Washington produced 15 million pounds of asparagus, according to Alan Schreiber, executive director of the Washington Asparagus Commission and an asparagus farmer in Eltopia.

“We’re hoping for a bigger crop over last year’s,” Schreiber said in late April, though 2023, like 2022, saw a late start to the season due to cool temperatures, he added.

However, he said that due to the late start, consumers should be able to find Washington asparagus at local grocery stores through the end of June.

“If every household in the state of Washington bought one more bundle of Washingtongrown asparagus, that would save the western asparagus industry. It would create the

demand we need to stay in business,” he said.

He said the Washington industry has taken three punches in the past few years: indexing of the minimum wage, the loss of the overtime extension for seasonal agricultural labor and the inability to adjust pricing accordingly, especially under the pressure of foreign competition.

About 60% of the retail price of U.S. asparagus accounts for the cost of labor.

But with the state minimum wage going up and the continued phasing in of the overtime requirement, that percentage may tick upward.

“Asparagus has to be harvested seven days a week, so during harvest, our labor costs are high, but we get paid the same amount for asparagus whether we’re paying overtime or not,” Schreiber said.

Washington asparagus is a unique crop not only because it is harvested by hand, but because it is individually cut. Spears emerge from the soil unpredictably and can grow as much as 10 inches in a single

day, meaning cutters have to walk fields in search of ripe spears.

Even before overtime kicks in, Schreiber said asparagus cutters make in the mid-$20s per hour on average and that a cutter in Washington makes more in one hour than cutters in Peru and Mexico make in a whole day.

Due to the high cost of labor, Schreiber said Washington asparagus growers can’t afford the federal H-2A visa program for sourcing temporary foreign workers, as it requires housing, transportation and other accommodations be provided by sponsoring employers.

“The cost to bring them here is a lot, and we only need them for maybe eight weeks, 65 days, and you can’t spread that cost out,” Schreiber said.

Instead, Washington’s 4,500 acres of asparagus rely on local labor that works seasonally. Schreiber said this means that the workers live in the area most of the year. He added that across the country, across all sectors, people are migrating less for ag work, opting instead for stability.

Despite having a lot of return cutters year to year, asparagus growers struggle to attract enough workers, especially in light of the low unemployment rate.

“Starting out this year, the price is pretty good and demand is high, so right now things are OK, but the cost of labor is killing us. For my two asparagus lines, I’m looking at trying to be as efficient as possible and coax the price up a little bit,” he said.

Evolving industry In response to industry pressures, Washington growers are innovating to stay in the game.

Schreiber said the sector has made gains by planting more densely, farming more aggressively with fertilizer and developing hybridized varieties with higher yields.

“Washington yields have been increasing 15% per year since 2014,” he said.

When Schreiber first started his fields in the early 1990s, 3,500 pounds per acre was considered high yield, but that’s steadily climbed to 10,000 pounds in recent years.

In 2017, the state saw 23 million pounds harvested, and 2020 saw 19.3 million pounds, the latter valued at $52 million.

In 1990, when Washington was the world’s top producer for asparagus, 100 million pounds came out of the region.

Washington focuses on fresh aspara gus, as it has an advantage. The quality and flavor of the crop is heavily dependent on the time between cutting and when it’s eaten.

According to the Washington As paragus Commission website, “Washington state goes an extra step above USDA

standards for its U.S. Number One asparagus to offer ‘Extra Fancy’ fresh asparagus, which means tighter, more uniformlypacked stalks and superior quality.”

Growers also have increased their production of organic asparagus, which now accounts for 8% of the annual crop.

Though yield has gone up, farmers must replace asparagus beds more frequently as productivity declines.

Schreiber said this ties back to the labor issue in that cutters want to work productive fields. They know they can move on if a given field doesn’t offer enough opportunity.

Though it’s expensive to replace fields, it ensures greater future success as productivity is prioritized.

For every grower, it’s a carefully calculated balancing act, and as Schreiber said, “Our industry is on the ropes.” ●

About 60 Washington asparagus farms are within a 100-mile radius of the Tri-Cities.

Spud supply

Potato growers can’t keep up with ‘red hot’ global demand

BY KRISTINA LORD

Washington potato farmers can’t keep pace with worldwide cravings for french fries, hash browns, tots, potato chips and other processed potato products. And not being able to supply the spuds has meant other countries have gobbled up the market share.

“We’re seeing a lot more European french fries and hash browns and Tater Tots in Asia than we ever have. And again, it’s because we’re just not able to keep up with demand,” said Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington Potato Commission.

Washington’s potato yields are down about 9% over a two-year period in an industry valued at $7.4 billion. The state has about

165,000 acres planted in potatoes. About 90% of the spuds grown in Washington are processing potatoes and “that’s kind of unusual compared to most potato states in the country,” Voigt said. “And the reason why we have such a high presence of processing here is because we just have consistent high yields and consistent high quality. And so all the potato processors are really drawn to our area.”

But weather has been affecting these consistent yields.

The state’s last “normal weather” year was 2020, resulting in an average yield of 32.25 tons of potatoes per acre, Voigt said.

The following year, the yield dipped to 29.75 tons per acre, and in 2022, 29.25 tons per acre.

Total U.S. potato production

was down 4% in 2022 compared to the previous year.

Though weather can be unpredictable, one thing is certain: the worldwide demand for potato products remains strong, and the potato industry is working on strategies to improve yields.

Voigt traveled earlier this year to Vietnam on a trade mission to promote Washington potatoes. Touring a food distribution center, he noted that all the frozen french fries originated from the European Union.

“We just didn’t have the product to sell to them. The demand is red hot, globally, for potatoes,” he said.

The issue will be exacerbated as California “dries up,” which will put more pressure on Columbia Basin growers because more crops

will move up from California to compete with the existing crop, Voigt said.

How can Washington farmers improve their potato yield? It’s a nuanced question, requiring a complicated answer.

But Voigt has key points to make on this topic: The state needs more irrigated land, access to additional overseas markets, to develop new processing potato varieties and to improve soil health.

He said completing the federal Columbia Basin Project to expand irrigated land is necessary. The project serves about 671,000 acres in Eastern Washington, or about 65% of the 1 million acres originally authorized by Congress in portions of Grant, Lincoln, Adams and Franklin counties, with some northern facilities located in Douglas County, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

“It would be a real economic boom again for the Columbia Basin and really creates food stability and security for our country,” Voigt said.

Japan and Mexico

The state’s congressional delegation sent a letter in early May 2023 to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to press Japan to open its market to imports of fresh potatoes from the United States.

What would this mean for our growers in our state? Voigt said it’s an effort the state is focused on this year.

“If we open up that market, that’ll be a huge plus to Washington state potato growers because now they’ll have the option to maybe switch some of the processing acres over to fresh acres and sell into Japan,” he said.

He said Japan could be a $150 million market once it matures, similar to what the industry expected to happen in Mexico,

though 2022 didn’t realize those numbers.

Mexico opened up its interior to the fresh U.S. potato market in 2022, and Washington saw overall sales increase, but not as much as expected. The U.S. has been able to ship into Mexico for about 20 years, but only to the border regions, or about the first 16 miles into the interior, Voigt said.

“So last year was really our opportunity to go deep into Mexico, the entire country. And so overall, it was just shy of about a 10% increase,” Voigt said.

The number likely would have been higher if the state had more fresh potatoes to send to Mexico, he said. He said the state fell well short of realizing that $150 million Mexico market goal.

“If everybody had a better crop or higher yields last year then we would’ve seen a lot more potatoes going into Mexico. And so the reason why we didn’t, again this crop was short and that really kind of drove up the price, too. Fresh potatoes in the grocery store are probably twice as expensive as they were last year,” he said.

New varieties

Extended high temperatures in 2022 also took a toll on potatoes, negatively affecting overall yield.

The Russett Burbank potato, an

heirloom variety developed in the 1870s, is the most popular among potato processors, but it didn’t do well in last year’s heat – but some of newer potato varieties did, Voigt said.

“We had some fields that lost close to 50% of their yield and the new varieties were more like 3% to 10% loss in yields,” Voigt said.

The potato industry pays attention to state climate model forecasts, which show extended periods of heat. “We need to know what the potato growing environment is going to look like in 10, 20, 30 years from now,” Voigt said.

It can take up to 15 years to develop and bring new potato varieties to market, Voigt said. “We need to find varieties that are more resilient to extended periods of heat,” he said.

So though 2022’s varieties performed well during the extended heat period, Voigt said there is room for improvement. ●

About 90% of the spuds grown in Washington are processing potatoes.

Robotics in farming

A company with a facility in Richland

BY SARA SCHILLING

Bruce Swindler usually doesn’t like to be the first in line to buy a new vehicle.

He’d rather wait a bit and see how it handles for others before taking the plunge.

But Swindler opted to be at the front of the pack when it comes to using new technology to help with the labor-intensive task of weeding on his Warden farm. He and his partners in Skone & Connors, an onion and potato operation, went in on a LaserWeeder with another nearby grower.

And, so far, he’s happy with the decision.

“The key component is you need to get out there when the weeds are really small. The sooner you get it into your field (the better),” he said. “It looks like you’re not killing anything,

but you can see smoke and a flash of light, and you see a burn mark on the ground. The weed it hits is toast, it’s gone.”

The LaserWeeder was developed by the Seattle-based Carbon Robotics, and it uses artificial intelligence and laser technology to help farmers with weeding. It attaches to a tractor, and company officials say it can pinpoint and zap weeds within a millimeter of the crop without doing damage.

Eight units currently are in use in Eastern Washington, and “we’re probably going to triple that by this time next year,” said Paul Mikesell, Carbon Robotics founder and chief executive officer.

Along with supplying the LaserWeeder to farmers in the region, the company also has another local tie: it recently opened

is on front lines

a facility on Reata Road in Richland where it can refurbish lasers on the implements when needed. Three people work there now, and more are being hired, Mikesell said.

Carbon Robotics started in 2018 with a focus on bringing technology to farms to help improve efficiency and operational consistency, save farmers money and help with labor issues.

Manual weeding is a lot of work and takes a lot of time for hand crews, and “when you find people (to work on farms), the last thing you want to do is put them out in the field pulling weeds. You want to put folks to work doing more leveraged activities,” Mikesell said.

The LaserWeeder also means growers don’t have to rely on spraying for weed control, and

Courtesy Carbon Robotics

Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder uses lasers, GPS and AI technology.

The numbers tell the story of Washington agriculture

BY FOCUS STAFF

Washington farms and ranches produce more than 300 different crops with a combined value of about $10.2 billion – a figure that triples once food processing is factored in.

Agriculture is one of Washington’s most important private sectors, along with aerospace and technology.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistical Service tallied 35,200 agriculture operations in its 2022

No. 1 in the U.S.: Washington is the nation’s leading producer of apples, blueberries, hops, pears, spearmint oil and sweet cherries.

No. 2 in the U.S.: Washington is the second top producer in nation for apricots, asparagus, grapes, potatoes and raspberries.

No. 3 in the U.S.: Washington is the third top producer in nation for barley, dried peas, dry onions, lentils and peppermint oil.

Crop land values: Ag land was worth $2,940 per acre in 2022, or $8,400 for irrigated acres and $1,450 for dry ones. Pastureland was worth $820 an acre.

they can plant more densely because of the implement’s precision in eliminating weeds, he said.

So far, it’s largely been used on vegetable crops such as carrots, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach and radishes. “Generally, where the quality and nutrients matter a lot, it shines,” Mikesell said.

He said feedback from farmers has been positive, with “a lot of repeat orders.”

“The thing that I’m excited about is that our machines are

Washington survey. Collectively, they cultivate 14.5 million acres.

Big numbers give an overview, but they only go so far. Here is a look at Washington agriculture by the numbers, collected from the USDA and the Washington Department of Agriculture:

Earnings: Nearly 94% of Washington farms sell less than $250,000 worth of product per year.

Workforce: 160,000 people are employed in the ag and food industry.

Top 10 commodities in 2020: Apples ($2.1 billion), milk ($1.2 billion), wheat ($948.6 million), potatoes ($753.4 million), cattle ($692.9 million), cherries ($561.7 million), hay ($500.7 million), hops ($444.9 million), grapes ($302.2 million) and eggs ($220.2 million).

Top trading partners in 2022: Canada ($1.4 billion), Japan ($1.3 billion), China ($833.9 million), South Korea ($547.9 million) Mexico ($484.8 million), Philippines ($409.6 million), Taiwan ($296.2 million), Indonesia ($287 million), Netherlands ($207 million), Vietnam ($201.8 million).

out there helping farmers. And now we’ve discovered we can also bring some of the hightech production jobs to the area (with the Richland facility), and we’re really excited about that,” Mikesell said.

For Swindler, the Warden farmer, the LaserWeeder has been a hit so far.

He and his partners used it successfully on a 167-acre onion field. They usually spray herbicide and then follow up with a hand crew. But after surveying the field post-LaserWeeder, they

decided they wouldn’t need to spray, and they expected the hand crew to have less work to do, he said.

As with any new tool, there have been a few hiccups, but they were addressed quickly, he said.

“I think there’s definitely a place for this machine. They’ve got a lot of support, a lot of smart people on this thing. You can contact them any time of day and they can make changes,” he said.

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