Pacific Northwest Ag Network

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins testified before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee this week and defended downsizing the USDA and potential cuts to international food programs.  The secretary added that the Agriculture Department doesn’t plan to close any of its 4,500 Farm Service Agency offices that serve America’s farmers.   “It is not i...

RegenAphex is a biological technology platform designed to deliver readily available carbon and a number of microorganisms to improve soil health, increase crop nutrient uptake, and support plant health.   “The RegenAphex platform, what it is, at its core, is a very rich source of organic carbon in a liquid form that's used to feed microbes, both the microbes that we formulate within the solutions

Five U.S. states have now officially banned lab-grown meat.   Last week, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and distribution of the product.  Earlier this week, Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed a two-year ban into law, followed by strict labeling laws after the law expires.   “The ...

A new study commissioned by Clean Fuels Alliance America shows the U.S. biomass-based diesel industry generated $42.4 billion in economic activity in 2024, supported 107,400 jobs and paid $6 billion in annual wages.  According to the report, nearly half of the total economic impact—$19.9 billion and 41,500 jobs—...

The U.S. has denied Japan’s push for full exemption from both “reciprocal” and country-specific tariffs, according to Kyodo.  In recent talks, U.S. officials informed Japan’s chief negotiator Ryosei Akazawa that only a reduction, not elimination, of the 14% Japan-specific tariff on certain goods (currently suspended through early July) is under consideration.  Japan had sought the remov... Read Mo

There were 84 ransomware attacks against the food and agriculture sector during the first three months of 2025, more than twice the number of intrusions during the same period last year.  More than 75% of the intrusions were recorded in January and February, with ransomware already accounting for 53% of all cyberattacks against the industry during the quarter, according to a report from the Food a

House leaders are delaying a planned Agriculture Committee markup that was tentatively set for this week as big issues remain for the GOP’s massive domestic policy bill, according to two Republicans granted anonymity to relay the decision ahead of an official announcement.   P...

Agricultural economists are growing even more pessimistic as the latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows the majority are concerned President Trump’s tough stance on trade could push agriculture deeper into a recession while also giving Brazil more of a competitive edge.   As one econ...

Vaccines are one of the best tools for protecting cattle from costly diseases.  However, they only work if properly handled and stored. Dr. Lee Jones, a professional service veterinarian with Boehringer-Ingelheim, says it’s vital to store and handle vaccines with care.   “...

More than 15,000 USDA employees have taken one of the Trump administration's two financial incentive offers to leave the agency.  According to Reuters, the sum represents about 15% of the USDA's total workforce.   President Trump's administration has offered federal employees several months of pay and benefits if they opt to leave their jobs as part of his effort to shrink the federal workforce.