Winter Wheat Condition, Wine Growers Annual Meeting, & Extended Filing Date

Winter Wheat Condition, Wine Growers Annual Meeting, & Extended Filing Date

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Although some of the state’s wheat growers have been concerned whether their crop could withstand winter damage due to a lack of snow cover, Glen Squires, with the Washington Grain Commission, says that for the most part the winter wheat crop is in pretty good shape.

SQUIRES: There’s some areas that were dry, but for the most part the soil moisture is in pretty good shape. There’s areas that have had snow coverage for a long time so the crop is essentially protected, you know there’s some concern there might be some snow mold that could start developing if the snow lasts too long.

The Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Annual Meeting and Trade Show kicked off yesterday in Kennewick with a two part tasting room staff training. The focus for this year’s convention is superior quality by design. Attendees will have an opportunity to take in sessions on smoke taint, immigration reform, marketing, and the year in the life of a grape.

Generally, farmers and fisherman who choose not to make quarterly estimated tax payments are subject to a penalty if they fail to file their returns and pay the full amount due by March 1.  This year, because of the changes to the tax system from the American Taxpayer Relief Act, the IRS is delayed in starting tax return filing, and has extended the filing date for farmers and fishermen to April 15th.  Farmers and fisherman waiting till file until April 15th will not be subject to any penalty. However, form 2210-F has to be filed with the return and they have to request that penalty waiver.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.