Pacific Northwest Ag Network

Snowpacks across Idaho are looking very good as we head into the final weeks of the snow season.  When it comes to individual basins across the Gem state, most are at or above normal for this time of year, with the one expectation being the Coeur D’Alene-St. Joe in norther...

During last month’s annual Washington D.C. Summit, the National Potato Council elected Ted Tschriky to serve as President for the next 12 months.  The grower from the Pasco, WA-area said he feels the Northwest potato industry is doing fairly well, despite recent cutbacks in acreage over the past couple of years.   " tryi...

Washington State University is interviewing candidates for the Endowed Chair in Soil Health for Potato Cropping Systems position, and both will give industry seminars and answer questions this week in Othello.   Backed by a more-than-$3 million fund created by potato growers, processors, and suppliers, WSU created the Distinguished Endowed Chair in Soil Health for Potato Cropping Systems back in 2

Central Washington migrant or seasonal farmworkers, as well as their children, can access additional support when pursuing higher education.  The assistance is made available through Yakima Valley College’s College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP).   CAMP i...

Washington State University will host its 2nd annual Washington Meat Up Summit next month.  WSU said the daylong event is designed to allow researchers as well as school officials to engage with producers, processors, restaurateurs and retailers, resource providers, and policy and decision makers to aid in the growth and support of the niche meats sector.  Other p...

Oregon State University’s “Grow This Oregon Garden Challenge” returns for another year.  Professor Lauren Tobey said teachers get whole classrooms involved, but anyone living in the state can also request free seeds.   “For the household...

President Trump’s tariffs on America’s biggest trading partners continue to raise alarms in farm country.  Agriculture is already in a recession, stoked by low commodity prices, chronically high input costs, no Farm Bill, and now tariff retaliation by America’s top three trading partners.  Sedrick Rowe Jr., an orga...

USDA is ending two pandemic-era programs that provided more than $1 billion for schools and food banks to purchase food from local farmers and producers.  About $660 million of that went to schools and childcare centers to buy food for meals through the Local Foods for Schools program.  A separ...

The United States has reached out to Denmark and other European nations asking if they can export eggs as Americans face surging egg prices, the Nordic country’s egg association said on Friday.  The request from the USDA coincides with a raft of new U.S. tariffs...

Federal court rulings in California and Maryland have ordered multiple government agencies to reinstate probationary employees who they say were unlawfully terminated under directives from the Office of Personnel Management.   U.S. D...

What is the latest snapshot of the nation's organic Ag sector? USDA research economist Sharon Raszap Skorbiansky provided the look at this year's Ag Outlook Forum. She starts with latest annual sales figures for 2023, provided by the Organic Trade Association...

Tuesday is National Ag Day, and the day will be extra special in Idaho.   “The governor has proclaimed the 18th as Idaho agriculture day," noted the Idaho State Department of Agriculture's Sydney Kennedy.  "And really, the event is all about giving opportunity to the public to learn more about Idaho agriculture and the significance it has in our state.”   Kenne...

Legislation that recently cleared the Washington state House looks to address the shortage of veterinarians across the state.  Sponsor of the legislation, Representative Tom Dent, said House Bill 1705 will set up a task force with Washington State University, industry leaders, existing vets to study the current shortage, and recommend strategies to recruit, train, and retain large animal veterinar

According to NASS, honey production in the United States dipped 4% last year to 134 million pounds.  Nationwide, there were 2.6 million colonies producing honey in 2024, a 3% increase from 2023.  However, yield per colony averaged 51.7 pounds, down 6% y...

Prescribed burns will take place on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife-managed lands this month, as conditions become favorable.  WDFW is planning to treat nearly 500 acres with prescribed fire in the following areas by the end of the 2025 spring season:    Rustlers Gulch Unit, Sherman Creek Wildlife Area – Approximately 150 acres in Pend Oreille County, 20 miles north of Spokane Sherman

Idaho FFA President Will Brackett says there's a variety of reasons why he loves ranching and he hopes to return to the family farm after his year as a state officer.     If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@to...

According to NASS, the inventory of hops held by growers, dealers, and brewers on March 1st totaled 173 million pounds, down 6% from March 1, 2024 numbers, which had a stocks inventory of 184 million pounds.       Stocks held at dealer and grower locations to start the month totaled 150 million pounds.  Stocks held by br...

President Trump has threatened more retaliatory tariffs on the European Union, proposing via social media a new, 200% levy on all EU champagnes, wines and spirits sent to the U.S.  The idea, the President noted, is in response to the EU’s retaliatory tariff of 50% on U.S. spirits.  Tr...

Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, Executive Director for the Modern Ag Alliance, is leading efforts to advocate for U.S. farmers' continued access to the tools they rely on to grow our food while facing increasing obstacles.   "The list of challenges facing agriculture today is, frankly, growing by the day," she noted.  "J...

The Trump USDA is considering a vaccine as the next step in the battle against High Path Avian Influenza, but it's a nuanced conversation.   “We do have an approved vaccine for USDA Centers for Veterinary Biologics," noted North Carolina state veterinarian, Dr. Mike Mart...

The Oregon Department of Agriculture is looking to fill 72 commissioner seats on 22 of the state’s agricultural and commercial fisheries commodity commissions.  Commissioners are appointed by ODA Director Lisa Charpilloz Hanson.  Once selected...