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2 CapitalPress.com May 19, 2017 People & Places Family builds market for triticale James Wahl and his family switch from wheat to cater to brewers, distillers Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................Editor & Publisher Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager Capital Press LIND, Wash. — James Wahl and his family have gone a step beyond just growing a crop. They com- bine efforts to add value and market it, too. He has switched from wheat to triticale to get away from growing strictly a com- modity. MJW Grain Inc., based in Ritzville, Wash., is a family business. Daughter Maya, 21, a student at Washington State University, is CEO. Son Dane, 19, an aviation student at Big Bend Com- munity College, is produc- tion manager. James’ wife, Rena, is chief financial offi- cer. James is vice president of marketing. “We’re trying to reces- sion-proof this farm,” James said. Entire contents copyright © 2017 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. To Reach Us Circulation ......................... 800-882-6789 Email ........ Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line ........................... 503-364-4431 Fax ................................... 503-370-4383 Advertising Fax ................ 503-364-2692 News Staff Building a brand Adding a crop To further diversify, James recently planted 490 acres of a spring varietal rye. “From talking to distillers Calendar Tuesday, May 23 Marion County Livestock As- sociation annual meeting. 6 p.m. Almost Home Restaurant, 3310 Market St. NE, Salem, Ore. The agenda includes livestock reports and the election of officers. RSVP to 503-378-0100 or Barbara Ny- quist, 503-678-5507. Saturday-Sunday May 27-28 Courtesy MJW Grain Inc. From left, James, Rena, Dane and Maya Wahl switched from growing wheat to triticale for their family operation, MJW Grain Inc., in Ritzville, Wash. and brewers, there’s a lot of rye used in the industry,” he said. Rye is known as a nox- ious weed prone to volun- teer plants in some counties, including Adams County, where the Wahls live. Many farmers tend to avoid it, said James, adding that new vari- eties are easier to control. “We should be able to control it pretty easily,” he said. “I have clients that keep (asking), ‘When are you going to raise rye?’” The Wahls malt their grain at Palouse Pint, the LINC Foods cooperative’s malting operation in Spo- kane. LINC Foods co-found- er Joel Williamson said the Wahls get to interact directly with the customers who use their grain. “It’s a little more risky and probably a little bit more work than the old model, but it’s also more rewarding, both financially and know- ing where your product is going and how you’re a part of that system,” Williamson said. “I really do hope it becomes a model for other farmers to find a way out of the tight spot they may be in.” James started offering free 1-gallon samples of triticale malt to breweries and distilleries in Wash- Sponsored by: To submit an event go to the Community Events calendar on the home page of our website at www. capitalpress.com and click on “Sub- mit an Event.” Calendar items can also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301 or emailed to newsroom@ capitalpress.com. Alpaca Shearing Day and Sale. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas of Oregon, 21345 SW Aebischer Road, Sher- wood, Ore. Join EasyGo Farm at Alpacas of Oregon and take a break from the Memorial Day Win- ery Tours to watch the alpacas get their annual haircuts. Get up close, hand feed them and handle their luxurious fleece. Shearing Day is Saturday. On Sunday, learn to felt an alpaca gift. Phone 503-348-6954 to reserve a spot; $25-$75 covers your materials and instruction. Hand-spinners, knitters and other fiber artists will find fleece and yarn. Visitors can chat with four long-time livestock breeders who’ve raised llamas, horses, sheep and goats. www.easygofarm.net/AOOMem- Day. Established 1928 Board of directors Mike Forrester Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Susan Rana Mike Omeg Corporate Officer John Perry Chief Operating Officer By MATTHEW WEAVER James started raising trit- icale, a hybrid of durham wheat and rye, for Tri-State Seed four years ago. The Wahls now grow 2,900 acres of it. “We decided the grain itself had legs,” James said. “So we went to building this brand.” “As far as marketing goes, it’s a pretty great way to show that farming is a family affair,” Maya said. “Having the kids involved has shown our customers that we really care on a more personal level about what we do.” Maya is a former state FFA officer. She and her fa- ther often talked about rais- ing a value-added commod- ity and controlling sale of their grain, James said. “She knows marketing, she’s very good at being the front person on something,” he said. “And I wanted to help a female entrepreneur. When it comes to ag, wom- en are underrepresented. They’re very involved, but they’re not given the due they deserve.” Maya believes the brew- ers, distillers and other farmers she talks to are more willing to listen be- cause she is a young woman. “That’s not something they see all the time,” she said. Capital Press Wednesday-Friday May 31-June 2 2017 Oregon Cattlemen Mid- year Meeting, Wildhorse Casino, 46510 Wildhorse Blvd., Pendleton, Ore. The annual 2 1/2-day midyear event is where Oregon cattlemen and women gather to get updates on the latest news in Oregon ag- riculture, hear from top industry speakers and reconnect with fellow ranchers. http://orcattle.com/. Thursday, June 1 Four-Part Farm/Ranch Succes- sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30 p.m. Canby High School, 721 SW Fourth Ave., Canby, Ore. A free four-part workshop on succession planning with one-hour personal counseling sessions for your family after each workshop. Light dinner 6 to 6:30, workshop 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Course 4 on June 1 is Pass- ing on Management Roles. RSVP required. Organized by Clackamas Small Business Development Cen- ter and Rogue Farm Corps. Cost: Free. http://bit.ly/2opTHqO. Friday, June 9 Farm Practices to Support Beneficial Insects. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. SOREC Teaching Farm, 569 Han- ley Road, Central Point, Ore. This is Day 1 of a two-day class to raise awareness of on-farm beneficial in- sects and birds and how to identify them. Learn about the role they play in farming hand-in-hand with nature and how to create “farmscaping” to attract and promote active benefi- ington and Idaho. Interest turned into trial runs, and now clients are purchasing it in amounts ranging from 50-pound bags to 1 ton to produce spirits. James hopes to sell 25 percent of the crop in this fashion this year, more if a major company expresses interest. The family is also hoping to sell its triticale to a “pow- er bar” company as an ingre- dient. Taking control Maya also hopes their company inspires other farm families to take control of where their product ends up. “We are really used to selling our grain to an ele- vator, a large company, and not ever seeing it again,” she said. “We have the chance to see it from the moment we plant it in the ground to the moment it becomes a con- sumer product, like a beer, bread, whiskey or whatever. We have all kinds of ideas.” For Maya, the company is also another way to spend time with her family. “We all get each other, so there’s no questioning what we’ve envisioned for this business, because we’ve all been on the same page from square one,” she said. “And I like them, so it’s nice.” cials. Day 2 is June 30. Cost: $15 one/$25 two from the same farm. Website: http://bit.ly/JacksonSmall- FarmDream. Wednesday, June 14 Six-week Forestry Short Course. 9 a.m.-noon. Federal Building meeting room, Seventh Street and College Avenue, St. Maries, Idaho. This course will be six successive Wednesdays. The $38 fee includes resource material. Register by phone at 208-245-2422 before June 7. Thursday-Friday June 15-16 2017 Interpera Congress. Wenatchee Confluence Technolo- gy Center, 285 Technology Center Way, Wenatchee, Wash. The con- ference features presentations from world experts on emerging pear varieties, high-density planting, root stock, harvest and packing house mechanization, integrated pest management successes, export trade flows and successful practic- es for building consumer demand. http://ncwctc.com. Friday-Sunday June 16-18 Glenwood Ketchum Kalf Rodeo and Bull Bash. Glenwood Rodeo Grounds, Trout Lake Highway, Glenwood, Wash. The Bull Bash starts at 7 p.m. June 16, followed by the rodeo, which starts at 12:30 p.m. June 17-18. Website: http://business.gorge.net/ E Idaho John O’Connell ................. 208-421-4347 Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas .......... 208-860-3898 Western Innovator Boise Sean Ellis .......................... 208-914-8264 James Wahl Central Washington Dan Wheat ........................ 509-699-9099 Title: Vice president of marketing, MJW Grain Inc. E Washington Matthew Weaver .............. 509-688-9923 Age: 52 Birthplace: Lind, Wash. Oregon Eric Mortenson ................ 503-412-8846 Mateusz Perkowski .......... 800-882-6789 Current location: Lind, Wash. Education: Art degree Seattle Art Institute Graphic artist Alan Kenaga ..................... 800-882-6789 Rena Wahl To Place Classified Ads Title: Chief financial officer, MJW Grain Inc. Ad fax .............................. 503-364-2692 or ...................................... 503-370-4383 Telephone (toll free) .......... 866-435-2965 Online ......www.capitalpress.com/classifieds Age: 49 Hometown: Moved too often to name one Current Location: Lind, Wash. Subscriptions Education: Tri-Cities School of Massage Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $3.75/month (direct with- Maya Wahl drawal from bank or credit card account) Title: CEO, MJW Grain Inc. 1 year U.S. ...................................$49.99 Age: 21 2 years U.S. .................................$89.99 Birthplace: Lind, Wash. 1 year Canada .................................$275 Current location: Pullman, Wash. 1 year other countries ......... call for quote Education: Studying agricultural education at Washington State University Title: Production manager, MJW Grain Inc. Current location: Lind, Wash. Education: Studying aviation at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Wash. Website: www.mjwgraininc.com 20 Northwest Locations Trees and Taxes workshop. 5-7:30 p.m. Coos County Exten- sion Office, 631 Alder St., Myrtle Point, Ore. This class is for any- one with forest management ex- penses, recent forest income or planning for future income from their forestland. Tammy Cushing, Extension specialist in forest eco- nomics, management and policy, will explain topics many landown- ers are unaware of and the special provisions in the Internal Revenue Code that pertain to forestland and income generated from the land. This session will help improve the records you keep on your forest- land as well as minimize the taxes that you pay for income generated by your forest. Pre-registration is required by June 16. For ques- tions, call Shawna at 541-572- 5263. Website: http://extension. oregonstate.edu/coos/. Tuesday-Wednesday June 20-21 Center for Produce Safety Re- search Symposium. Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, 7800 E. Tufts Ave., Denver, Colo. Agricultural wa- ter will kick off the program agen- da. This session will focus on four CPS-funded research programs that will help stakeholders better understand the factors involved in sourcing, sampling, testing and treating specific types of agricultur- al water. 9 months 4-H, FFA students & teachers .....$25 Mailing address: Capital Press P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048 Birthplace: Lind, Wash. Tuesday, June 20 1 year 4-H, FFA students and teachers ....$30 To get information published Age: 19 glenwoodrodeo. 1 year Internet only .......................$49.99 Visa and Mastercard accepted Dane Wahl GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE www.oxarc.com N. California Tim Hearden .................... 530-605-3072 1-800-765-9055 Thursday, June 22 Oregon Angus Field Day. 4-10 p.m. Quail Valley Ranch, Prineville, Ore. Cattle on display, contests with prizes, a meal and a time to visit. For more information, con- tact Becky Tekansik, Quail Valley Ranch, 541-699-8562, or Dick Hubman, president of the Oregon Angus Association, 541-601-5495. Thursday-Friday June 29-30 3rd International Conference on Livestock & Nutrition. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Avani Atrium, 880 Phetch- aburi Road, Bangkok, Thailand. The Bangkok Livestock Nutrition Conference welcomes attendees, presenters and exhibitors from all over the world. The theme is “Leading Innovation in Livestock for Sustainable Farming.” Cost: $699. Website: http://livestocknutrition. conferenceseries.com/. News: Contact the main office or news staff member closest to you, send the in- formation to newsroom@capitalpress.com or mail it to “Newsroom,” c/o Capital Press. Include a contact telephone number. Letters to the Editor: Send your comments on agriculture-related public issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital Press. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday. Capital Press ag media www.capitalpress.com www.FarmSeller.com marketplace.capitalpress.com www.facebook.com/capitalpress www.facebook.com/farmseller twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo Index California .............................. 14 Dairy ...................................... 9 Idaho .....................................11 Livestock ............................... 9 Markets ............................... 13 Opinion .................................. 6 Oregon ................................ 12 Washington ......................... 10 Friday, June 30 Farm Practices to Support Ben- eficial Insects. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Day 2 of this two-day class will offer a tour of Wandering Fields farm in the Applegate area. Participants will practice identifying beneficials and observe how a blend of hedgerows, cover crops, flowering seed crops and native plants creates a system of biological pest management. Participation on Day 1 on June 9 is a requirement to attend the tour. In- structor: Dana Kristal and local ex- perts. Cost: $15 one/$25 two from the same farm. Website: http://bit. ly/JacksonSmallFarmDream. Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. If you see a misstatement, omission or factual error in a headline, story or photo caption, please call the Capital Press news department at 503-364-4431, or send email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. We want to publish corrections to set the record straight.
