Leif Bakken
Rural WA Communities get Clean Energy Boost
The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced seven grants totaling $4.76 million from the state’s Clean Energy Fund to enhance dairy digesters and advance clean energy in rural communities.
Washington Horses Infected with West Nile Virus
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) confirmed the presence of West Nile virus in two horses from Grant and Benton counties.
Sheep Industry Looks into Trade Problems
The American Sheep Industry Association released a video podcast this week sharing the status of a legal process initiated several months ago toward the possible filing of a United States trade law violation by lamb importers.
Leafy Spurge: Big Idaho Issue
Madison County rancher Galen Lusk has grown accustomed to finding isolated patches of leafy spurge within his dryland pastures in recent years.
Wildfire Risk and Forest Health Legislation Introduced
U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, and John Barrasso (R-WY), Ranking Member of the ENR Committee, introduced the Promoting Effective Forest Management Act of 2023. This bipartisan legislation would reduce catastrophic wildfire risk and improve forest health.
Farm Bill Simplified: New Farmers and Ranchers
The Senate Ag Committee released the final piece to their Farm Bill information called "Farm Bill 101: New Farmers and Ranchers."
Nominate a New or Beginning Farmer or Rancher Today!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a call for nominations to the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. First established in 1992, the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers advises the Secretary of Agriculture to enhance USDA’s goals for new farming and ranching operations.
Support for Veterinary Workforce Reintroduced
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) is among a bipartisan group of Senators who have reintroduced legislation to address the growing shortage of veterinarians in rural communities.
Grants to Reduce Pollution in the PNW
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a $4.6 billion competition to fund state, local, and Tribal programs to cut pollution, advance environmental justice and deploy clean energy solutions.
American Farmers Feed the World Act Introduced
U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers today thank Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Sen. Pete Rickets (R-NE) for the introduction of the American Farmers Feed the World Act of 2023 in the U.S. Senate.