Pacific Northwest Ag Network

Can you imagine what would happen if a population of insects we didn’t already have a good way to control broke out? The effects could be crippling for farmers.

I felt like I "time traveled" back to the 1800s today! to see the famous Frazier Farmstead Museum in Milton Freewater Oregon.

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The Washington State Department of Agriculture has expanded the Japanese beetle quarantine in the south-central portion of the state.  The original quarantine was established in 2022 and included 49 square miles in the Grandview area.  But, be...

The Hazelnut Marketing Board recently wrapped up its annual Subjective Yield Survey, and it looks like 2024 will be an improved year.  With roughly 20% of acres accounted for, the HMB anticipates harvest this year to be nearly 98,000 tons.  If...

Wildfires have forced evacuations across Oregon this summer.  And now, the state is making new software available that alerts residents to changes in evacuation levels.  Ed Flick, director of the Oregon Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, says the software makes it easy to develop an evacuation map.   "The Genas...

Improve the health of America’s forests while reducing the risks of wildfire to communities.  That has been the effort and focus on the U.S. Forest Service’s Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, which has focused on 21 specially selected fire sheds.  But Agriculture Sec...

The University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences announced Tuesday Rachael Bickerton has been tapped as the College’s director of government and external relations, replacing Brent Olmstead, who retired last November.  Bickerton...

With Congress now back from its August recess, leaders in both parties are saying they will resume talks to get a Farm Bill passed before the end of the year, even if it happens during a lame duck session. Senate Agriculture chairwoman Debbie Stabenow told Successful Farming she would do “everything in my power to pass a farm bill” this year.   F...

It’s hard to find a lot of optimism in the grain markets these days.  Stephen Nicholson, global sector strategist for grains and oilseeds at Rabobank, said it’s unfortunate that the gloom may stay in the markets for a while.   “I think we’...

Last week, Oregon’s Board of Forestry voted on rules regarding the new Wildfire Hazard Map.  The group spent time discussing the implications of the map and what it means for property owners, especially in areas designated as high hazard.   “The o...

USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Alexis Taylor, arrived in Ho Chi Minh City this week to launch a USDA-sponsored agribusiness trade mission.  Taylor’s delegation includes officials from 60 U.S. agribusinesses and farm organizations and nine state departments of agriculture seeking to develop and expand business opportunities with importers in Vietnam and other Southe

NASS has launched a collection of interactive maps to allow data users to access key Census of Agriculture information. The newly redesigned Ag Census Web Maps application offers the public access to maps and accompanying data to help visualize, download and analyze Census of Agriculture data down to the county level...

It's fall and one thing that season brings is. Yes, football and some terrific tailgate parties. Some folks never make it in to see the game at all.   "Sometimes the parking lot party is the party. It can be better than the event, yeah,” said Meredith Carruthers, food safety export with the USDA’s meat and poultry hotline.  She added thos...

The National Farmers Union and the USDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address staffing levels and improve customer service at Farm Service Agency county-level offices. NFU and USDA say they will work together to gather feedback on the experiences of family farmers and ranchers when interacting with FSA staff and the programs they deliver...

Quarantine area grows in southeast WA

Congratulations to Washington State University entomologist Elizabeth Beers, who was named an Entomological Society Fellow this summer.  For nearly four decades, Beers has worked to stop insect pests that spread damage and disease in Pacific Northwest apple, cherry, and pear orchards while training the next generation of scientists.    ...

Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission said he started this harvest season with a lot of optimism, but now he’s a bit more cautious.  Voigt said it’s not clear what impact, if any, the prolonged heat of July and August had on this year’s late season varieties, so there is some reason for concern.  But, despite those issues...

The Oregon Department of Agriculture has given the go-ahead to increase brand inspection fees, starting October 1st.  Changes this fall include:  Brand inspection per head fee is increasing to $1.15 to $1.35 per head...a 20 cent increase.  C ... Read More ...

Oil prices continue the downward slide, falling to the lowest levels since 2021.  Patrick DeHaan with Gasbuddy.com said prices, now below $70 per barrel for West Texas Crude, have been welcomed relief for drivers and consumers.   “By all metrics, oil prices being down has been good for gasoline and diesel prices, which both stand at the lowest levels in some time.”   DeHaan not...

According to data from the USDA, American beef exports continued building momentum in July.  Beef exports that month were up 7% from a year ago and the second largest of 2024.  U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom said they are very encouraged by what they are seeing.   “With abou...