Matthew Weaver

Spokane

Spokane Field Reporter at Capital Press

Spokane field reporter for the Capital Press. This is my professional account.

Articles

Stripe rust found in research fields on the Palouse

1 week ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 11:29 am Friday, May 9, 2025 Researchers have found the stripe rust fungus in research fields on the Palouse, and encourage farmers to apply fungicide if they’ve planted or plan to plant susceptible to moderately susceptible winter and spring wheat varieties. Stripe rust has not been found in commercial fields yet, USDA research plant geneticist Xianming Chen told the Capital Press.
Falling number researchers to address growers during field tours

1 week ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 7:30 am Friday, May 9, 2025 Washington wheat farmers will get the latest on the new falling number rapid test during this season’s variety tours. Project leader Amber Hauvermale and USDA research geneticist Alison Thompson will speak during field days along Highway 2 and in Lind and Walla Walla. A falling number test measures the amount of pre-harvest sprouting and alpha-amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch.
U.S. Wheat holds first Sub-Saharan Africa buyers conference

1 week ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 10:19 am Thursday, May 8, 2025 U.S. Wheat Associates recently held its first Sub-Saharan Africa buyers conference for 20 different countries. “Africa provides a tremendous opportunity for wheat and U.S. agricultural products as a whole,” said Vince Peterson, president of U.S. Wheat Associates.
White pine workshop helps restore iconic Idaho tree

1 week ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 11:35 am Wednesday, May 7, 2025 University of Idaho Extension will offer an all-day white pine restoration workshop June 13 in Sandpoint. “It used to be the major species in the Inland Northwest, especially in North Idaho,” said Chris Schnepf, UI Extension forestry area educator. “In fact, some places they still call it Idaho white pine.”Western white pine is the state tree of Idaho. Many timber companies moved to the region harvesting white pine, he said.
Agencies extend comment period on Columbia operations

2 weeks ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 1:51 pm Friday, May 2, 2025 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have further extended the public comment period for their re-do environmental review of Columbia River systems operations to Aug. 15. The agencies first announced in December their intent to supplement the 2020 Columbia River Systems Operations environmental impact statement. It’s the second extension; the original deadline was March 30, the next deadline was May 9.
Mississippi River stakeholders to tour Columbia-Snake

2 weeks ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 10:12 am Friday, May 2, 2025 Members of the Upper Mississippi River Waterway Association will tour the Columbia-Snake River system the week of June 23. The tour is the latest in an ongoing partnership with Pacific Northwest stakeholders, who toured the Mississippi River in June 2024. “It’s a collaboration of U.S. river systems,” said Michelle Hennings, executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers.
Longtime California wheat leader retires

2 weeks ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 9:33 am Thursday, May 1, 2025 Roy Motter, a Brawley, Calif., farmer, is departing from the California Wheat Commission board after 28 years. Motter, 76, retired from farming in 2023 after 40 years. He farmed on 2,500 acres in the Imperial Valley. His latest three-year term ended in April. “I don’t qualify any more, since I’m not growing wheat,” Motter told the Capital Press. Motter primarily grew durum wheat, as about 15% of his total production.
Longtime California wheat leader retires

2 weeks ago | thedesertreview.com | Matthew Weaver

Brawley wheat farmer Roy Motter recently retired from the California Wheat Commission. Roy Motter, a Brawley farmer, is departing from the California Wheat Commission board after 28 years. Motter, 76, retired from farming in 2023 after 40 years. He farmed on 2,500 acres in the Imperial Valley. His latest three-year term ended in April. “I don’t qualify anymore, since I’m not growing wheat,” Motter told the Capital Press. Motter primarily grew durum wheat, as about 15% of his total production.
Snow mold among hot topics on WSU variety tour

2 weeks ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 2:01 pm Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Snow mold in Douglas County is one of the hot topics on Washington State University’s wheat variety crop tours this summer. Tours begin May 29 and run through July 1, throughout Eastern Washington. “Douglas County is known to have the highest pressure for snow mold in our state, and our plots were hit incredibly hard up there this year,” said Karl Effertz, lead technician, who took over the program in March.
Brothers welcome first asparagus harvest as Washington acreage hits ‘all-time low’

2 weeks ago | capitalpress.com | Matthew Weaver

Published 2:45 pm Tuesday, April 29, 2025 ELTOPIA, Wash. — Jeremy and Zach Ward have been waiting three years to harvest their asparagus for the first time. As new asparagus farmers, the brothers are an anomaly. State industry leaders say more longtime asparagus farmers are getting out of the market. Washington’s industry peaked in 1990 at 30,000 acres, the year before the Andean Trade Preference Act began providing duty-free treatment to imports from Peru.