8-23 NWR Falling Numbers

"Nobody could have really planned for what happened this year. We're not even sure what happened. We don't know if it was weather, we don't know what time the weather was bad or if it's varieties and weather or if it is nutrition varieties and weather."

Randy Allstad, general manager of the Pacific Northwest region for Columbia Grain: "It is probably the beautifulest crop I have ever seen, some of the highest yields I have ever seen and now that we have a falling number it is pretty disheartening when you have 130 bushel wheat and you have a falling number about 200 and you are looking at a discount of one dollar."

From the Lewiston Morning Tribune "A weather fluke in June that hit the crops with record-low temperatures just as the wheat kernels were developing has caused a problem called "falling numbers." Falling numbers refers to the degradation of starch in wheat kernels, which makes the soft white and club wheat that is grown in the region and sold at premium prices to Japan and other high-end buyers unfit for baking flour."

Elsewhere, from myNorthwest.com, two defendants are set to become the first to plead guilty in Nevada to federal charges stemming from an armed confrontation with U.S. land management agents near Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's ranch in 2014.

Gerald "Jerry" DeLemus (de-LAY'-mus) of New Hampshire is expected to enter his plea Tuesday.

Blaine Cooper of Arizona is due in court Thursday.