As part of the Pacific Northwest Herbicide Resistance Initiative (PNWHRI), we are coordinating with our colleagues from Oregon State University and Washington State University to conduct an extensive survey of herbicide resistance in the region. The end goal is to create an up-to-date interactive online HerbicideResistance Map for herbicide resistance tracking and updates in ID, OR, and WA. We believe this will be valuable to our stakeholders and also provide baseline data for future herbicide resistance tracking.

Conservation and fishing groups have given 60-day notice of their intent to sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, seeking removal of the Snake River dams. Columbia Riverkeeper, Idaho Rivers United, Idaho Conservation League, and the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association claim the dams cause "hot water conditions that kill and injure Snake River sockeye salmon in violation of the Endangered Species Act," according to the letter.

A review of scientific literature finds data is lacking to confirm delayed mortality caused by the lower Snake River dams on fish listed under the Endangered Species Act, according to the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. Delayed mortality is the death of fish in estuaries or the ocean because of the stress they experienced passing through the dams. Agricultural stakeholders want lawmakers to understand that “we don’t have enough information to make a decision” about dam breaching, said Heather Stebbings, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.

Pacific Northwest wheat farmers began harvesting right on time or had only a slight delay, this year, industry leaders say. Idaho's wheat harvest began about a week later than normal, said Britany Hurst Marchant, executive director of the Idaho Wheat Commission. "We had a long winter, extended snow cover, and that put us about three to five weeks behind our normal schedule," Hurst Marchant said. "Fortunately, we're about a week behind getting harvest underway."

PHM Brands’ Panhandle Milling and NIPPN CORPORATION have announced plans to develop a state-of-the-art flour mill and custom mix facility immediately adjacent to the Campbell Snacks bakery in Richmond, Utah. The technology-first and highly efficient 7,500-15,000 CWT flour mill will be constructed in phases by a PHM Brands and NIPPN CORPORATION’ affiliate, Utah Flour Milling, LLC, in coordination with Bratney Companies, with operations expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2024. Campbell Snacks is the snacks division of Campbell Soup Company.

The tortilla has found its way onto supermarket shelves around the globe. In the United States, in particular, this product has long been a constant among baked foods and is an indispensable part of popular Mexican cuisine. Originally, the tortilla was the staple food of the ancient Aztecs in Mexico. They had made flat cakes from corn (maize) for centuries, calling them “tlaxcalli,” a native word that the Spanish settlers adapted into their own language as “tortilla.”

As the geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine comes back into focus following the attacks on port infrastructure in the Ukrainian Black Sea ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and the terminals along the Danube River, wheat market volatility remains an ever-present risk. Despite the recent swings, export basis trends can help provide clues to potential buying opportunities for U.S. wheat classes.