Pacific Northwest Ag Network

VANE, a leading provider of specialty agricultural insurance, is expanding its agricultural risk management portfolio to offer insurance coverage for agricultural financing and lending institutions.   “We focus on providing products to the agribusiness community that provides products and services to farmers," said Don Preusser, founder and president of VANE.  "So, if ...

Flax producers can now benefit from revenue protection, a crop insurance option available through the USDA.  RMA expanded the Small Grains Crop Provisions to now offer revenue protection for flax for the 2025 crop year, an option already offered for barley, rye, wheat, and oats.  ...

Jamieson Greer is President-elect Trump’s nominee for U.S. Trade Representative.  Greer was an aide in the office during Trump’s first term and will help steer the incoming president’s trade agenda.  A graduate of the University of Virginia’s Law School, Greer was chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, the U.S. Trade Rep during Trump’s first term in o...

China’s normalized trade status with the U.S. is now threatened by both President-elect Trump and a key member of Congress.  Trump is threatening not just steep tariffs on Chinese goods but revoking China’s routine trade status or its Permanent Normal Trade Relations with the U.S. that allowed its 2...

When it comes to raising healthy dairy calves, protecting them from bovine respiratory disease is essential for their growth and long-term profitability.  Dr. Linda Tikofsky, a professional services veterinarian with Boehringer-Ingelheim, said it's very important to create a plan to protect calves from BRD.   “...

As farmers put pen to paper, preparing for the 2025 season, they’re going to look at cutting some costs.  Doug Yoder with Country Financial said it’s important to resist the temptation to cut back on crop insurance.   “In this negative net farm income environment that we're in, where inputs are still high, but the prices have plummeted quite a bit, there's no denying in my mind that farmers got to

How has USDA Ag trade changed over the course of a century? USDA Senior economist Sharon Sydow offers that view of changes at Ag trade from the 1920s.    “The agricultural economy was under some stress post World War I price volatility, debt foreclosures, high land value,” she stated.    To the pres...

As the hurricane season came to an end, AccuWeather experts estimate that the five hurricanes and one unnamed tropical storm that made landfall in the U.S. caused an estimated $500 billion in total damage and economic loss.   “The 2024 hurricane season was explosive and will be remembered for shattering records and causing approximately half a trillion dollars in total damage,” said Chief Meteorol

American Farm Bureau Federation Director of Government Affairs RJ Layher said he is confident lawmakers will approve some form of farm disaster aid before the 118th Congress adjourns in December.  Layher added lawmakers recognize the need for both economic and natural disaster help in farm country, and the need for sooner rather than later.   “...

This week Corteva unveiled a drought-resistant wheat seed that company officials said could be revolutionary in advancing more climate-resilient hybrids for a crop that’s been difficult to innovate.  The new proprietary hybrid wheat seed has the potential to increase yields by 10% while using the same amount of land and resources.  The non-GMO t...