“Farmers around here realize they need to support FFA,” says Aaron Forsmann, a senior at Grangeville High School and president of the Grangeville FFA Chapter. “There are not a lot of young people who want to farm.” Aaron is involved in the Columbia Grain Legacy Program, new to Grangeville this year after a successful debut in neighboring Lewis County in 2022.

It may be the mother of all “sue-and-settle” cases, with a heaping helping of secrecy added. Last week, the federal government and environmental plaintiffs who sued over management of the four lower Snake River dams announced they had reached “a package of actions and commitments.” They also announced that the package was secret, and even the intervenor plaintiffs were not informed of what is included. They just told everyone to sit tight until Dec. 15, and they would tell the judge, and everyone else, what the deal is. Taxpayers — who would foot the bill that could reach tens of billions of dollars — should be insulted, as should electricity ratepayers. They will pay as well.

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Board Members, staff, and wheat farmers from around the country gathered in Cincinnati, Ohio for a Joint Fall Board Meeting with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). The week was filled with discussion about this year's wheat harvest and the planting of next year's crop. There were several committee meetings, including a timely meeting of the Wheat Transportation Working Group.

In the history of warfare, belligerents have often targeted food supplies to force opponents into submission. However, in America’s wars over the last century, threats to domestic food security have been minimal. In many ways, the United States enjoyed insulation from combat conditions overseas that could have otherwise disrupted the country’s ability to feed itself...Grain plays an enormous role in feeding the world. Approximately 47 percent of all human caloric intake today comes from grains, and the United States is a significant contributor to global grain supplies.

More than 40 ports across the United States will receive $653 million in funding for improvement projects, including facilities in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota that will help with the movement of grain, the US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced. Under the Port Infrastructure Development Program, the funding will help grow capacity and increase efficiency at coastal seaports, Great Lakes ports and inland river ports.

Due to unprecedented low levels on Gatun Lake, the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) is further limiting the number of daily vessel transits, reaching a low of 18 vessels per day by February 2024.The water level on Gatun Lake, which is the water source for the canal, is currently 79.7 feet, 7% below the prior five-year average for October, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Grain Transportation Report. The maximum sustainable capacity on the canal is 38-40 transits. The PCA took several water saving and conservation measures including reducing transit capacity to 32 vessels since July 30. Additional reductions were announced Sept. 29.

The Australian 2022/23 marketing year concluded at the end of September, and the final pieces of the season’s record grain export program were revealed, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics September export data report. Concentrating on the three key commodities of wheat, barley, and rapeseed (canola), Australia’s total exports for the 12 months came in at a record 44.8 million mt, with barley the only one not setting a new seasonal export record despite a late-season increase to China after it cut import tariffs in early August.