Washington

Columbia Basin Railroad announced this week it has donated Segment 3 of its rail line to the Port of Moses Lake.  CBRW said in Tuesday’s announcement this will enhance rail connectivity and support regional economic growth, benefiting the prominent industrial, food processing, and agricultural areas in the region.   Segment 3 s...

Washington State University will host a free workshop Friday March 14th focused on identifying farm stress and ways to deal with it.  The event will include tips and avenues to deal with stressors that have been proven helpful in the farming community, as well as provide resources and highlight the importance of connections when addressing stress.   ...

As lawmakers in Olympia continue to debate ag labor, ag overtime and potential fixes for both issues, Save Family Farming says it’s vital ag country continues to speak up.  Dillon Honcoop with SFF said it’s an old adage but it’s true, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  And he said, especially w...

Thursday, March 6th, was the halfway point of the Washington legislative session.  How has the farming community fared this go around in Olympia?   “We've not seen a lot of the bad stuff that we had expected," noted Colfax Representative Joe Schmick.  "But so far so goo...

According to the latest forecast released by Washington State University, stripe rust is forecasted in the low epidemic range for the eastern Pacific Northwest.  Low epidemic range, meaning a 1%-20% yield loss, is anticipated for the 2025 growing season, based on the predication models using the weather data from November 2024 to February 2025.  WSU’s m...

According to a new study from the University of Washington, women in rural areas struggle more with menopause than their urban counterparts.  Rural women, the study found, reported more symptoms like joint pain and mood swings in one of the first studies to look at menopausal rural-urban discrepancies.   ...

Bill Perry, the new President and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit, is a familiar name to the Northwest farming community.  Perry has been with AgWest for over 20 years, starting in rural Montana, and now working in Spokane, WA.  Looking at the Northwest farm economy, he noted that while several commodities are struggling, there are a few bright spots, such as cattle and dairy.  Despite the host ... Read

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said it will conduct prescribed burns on several WDFW-managed lands this month.  WDFW is planning to treat up to 250 acres with prescribed fire on the Sagebrush Flat Unit of the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area – about 10 miles northwest of Ephrata in Douglas County.  The Sagebrush Flat Unit is domina...

We’re in the final stretches of winter; the first day of spring in March 20th.  But, we still have a few weeks to go, and research shows 40% of Americans report their mood declines during the winter.  Gloomy feelings this time of year can lead to fatigue and depression, but experts have strategies to boost your mood year-round.   Rhonda Randall, ...

Matt Warbritton with NRCS said the Washington snowpack is not encouraging for this time of year.  He noted that many basins, most of which are in the Cascades are in deficit just a month before the typical apex of snow season.  He added one of the regions that’s of greatest concern is central Washington.  He noted the Upper and ...