(Washington State Department of Agriculture/Contributed)Pacific Northwest wheat industry leaders are asking the USDA to develop a policy to compensate growers for low protein, in the wake of price dockage for growers at grain export elevators. Farmers are seeing a reduction of 30 cents per bushel to 50 cents per bushel for soft white wheat below 9% protein levels. With 33% of Washington’s wheat crop harvested, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers is actively monitoring protein levels and coordinating with regional and national partners on solutions to offset potential protein discounts, said Michelle Hennings, WAWG executive director. “Therefore, national ad hoc disaster programs and USDA programs must recognize that quality losses from adverse growing conditions are just as damaging as bushel losses.” Early in the harvest seasonPacific Northwest wheat industry members discussed the need to include low protein within quality loss considerations following low-protein discounts due to extreme drought in 2021.