By a 72-28 vote Thursday, Brooke Rollins was confirmed as the 33rd Secretary of Agriculture. House Ag Committee Member, Central Washington Representative Dan Newhouse said he was excited when the vote became official.
“I'm delighted that a farm girl from Texas who knows something about agriculture is going to be at the helm of the USDA at a time when agriculture is facing a lot of challenges,&q
Earlier this week, Oregon state Representative Anna Scharf published a legal opinion determining the state’s OSHA ag labor housing rules broke state law, by reaching beyond the agency’s legal authority. The Amity Republican said the problem started six years ago, when OSHA started an updated rule process. She noted the agency ref...
Legislation ensuring fuels used for agricultural purposes are exempt from the Climate Commitment Act has been introduced in the Washington House. Moses Lake Representative Tom Dent, sponsor of House Bill 1912, said the legislation will fix the mistakes made when CCA passed four years ago.
“That is t...
The state of Idaho is looking at expanding who is eligible for depredation compensation. The Idaho Farm Bureau’s Dex Lake said House Bill 82 aims to include livestock losses deemed “possible” wolf or grizzly bear depredations.
“Currently, I...
In today's Wine Minute, Oregon State University's Alexander talks about the wine grape pests he's researching, and the challenges he's come across.
If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@to...
Every legislative session, there are bills and proposals in Olympia that don't appear at the onset to impact the farming community. However, these pieces of legislation can have unintended consequences that have a big impact on ag operations, regardless of the size. One of ...
The 2024-2025 National FFA Officer Team recently returned from the National FFA Officers International Experience Program in Japan. The Officers had a chance to experience Japanese culture and agriculture in partnership with the sister organization Future Farmers of Japan. This an...
The National Milk Producers Federation applauds the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act to help increase kids’ access to milk’s vital nutrients.
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reaffirmed in its Scientific Report that most kids and adolescents are not meeting daily dairy intake recommendations,” said NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud. “Good nutrition is the cornerst...
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The Food Price Index increased 0.4% in January. The food at home index rose ½% over the month as four of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased. The indexes for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 1.9% over the month, as the ...
The author of Washington House Bill 1630, requiring the state to monitor methane emissions from beef and dairy operations, said she wants to make sure the state has the most up-to-date data. Olympia Representative Lisa Parshley said she talked with a variety of animal vets before sponsoring this legislation. She not...
By a 70-0 vote Tuesday, the Idaho House approved House Bill 104, which provides a unified and singular definition for agricultural buildings in the section of state code dealing with building permits. Dex Lake with the Idaho Farm Bureau said state law does not require building permits for ag buildings and only requires compliance with road setback specifications and utility easements. He added t
Jennie Strong provides an update from the Washington Apple Commission in today's Focus on Fruit.
If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com
If the high cost of eggs has you considering starting your own backyard chicken flock, fire officials urge you to understand the safety risks. Bend, OR Fire and Rescue Deputy Fire Marshal Dan Derlacki said his agency responded to a pair of chicken coop fires in the past week, both caused by electrical problems associated with heating lamps.
“...
The National Pork Producers Council, and now the National Chicken Council are urging the Department of Health and Human Services to reject recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. That report emphasizes plant-based proteins over lean meats like chicken and pork. Among t...
While there may not have been a ton of news and information to come from the February crop production, supply and demand forecasts, there were a few nuggets of data mixed in. USDA chief economist Seth Meyer said one of the biggest take aways has to do with this month's beef production and price forecast.
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Recently, South Dakota Republican Senator John Thune and New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker introduced the American Beef Labeling Act. Support for the legislation is starting to role in.
National Farmers Union announced this week its support of the bipartisan legislation, which, if passed would codify mandatory country-of-origin labeling, or MCOOL, for beef sold in the U.S. Accor...
Is Social Security going broke? That’s one of several myths out there about Social Security. The AARP’s Sean Voskuhl said nothing could be further from the truth.
“Social Security will not run out of money, as long as workers and employers continue to pay payroll taxes," he said. "It’s a pay-as-you-go system, but it doe...
Thursday is the final day of the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. The World Ag Expo, established in 1968, had more than 100,000 visitors come from 49 states and 81 countries to attend last year’s show. New for 2025, there was a lot of movement on the grounds this year with expanded live demonstrations. That movement includes ...
AARP has voiced its strong support for the AM Radio in Every Vehicle Act, urging Congress to swiftly pass the bipartisan legislation to protect the most vulnerable during emergencies.
Bill Sweeney, AARP’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, sent a letter to lawmakers emphasizing AM radio’s critical role in emergency communications and its significance for older Americans. “Older adult
Unlike its neighbors across the west, Oregon’s snowpack is in very good shape for this time of year. Matt Warbritton with NRCS said there are several states across the west, such as Washington, experiencing a snow drought. The Beaver State he noted is on the opposite end of that spectrum.
“And especially ...