The Great Wheat Debate: Can Eastern Washington Change Its Ways?

Professor J. A. Balmer of the Horticulture department argues that Eastern Washington farmers should replace the traditional summer-fallow system with a rotation of legumes like peas and beans. He contends that peas enrich the soil with nitrogen, whereas leaving land idle depletes it. He suggests that by integrating more livestock—cattle, sheep, and hogs—to consume these crops, farmers could create a more sustainable and profitable agricultural cycle. However, Mr. Blandford of Walla Walla County pushes back, noting the logistical impossibility of such a shift for the 500,000 acres currently dedicated to wheat. He argues that the current 'easy-going' summer-fallow method, when paired with thorough harrowing to conserve moisture, is the only practical way to farm in a region with only 17.5 inches of annual rainfall. He concludes that until the population grows and land holdings shrink, the labor-intensive rotation system remains a distant ideal.