ag workers

Washington state Representative Tom Dent said he’s disappointed that the chair of the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee will not hold a public hearing on House Bill 1597.  The Moses Lake Republican said his proposal would have allowed Ag employers to select 12 weeks a year to employ workers for up to 50-hours per week before overtime applies.  Dent said des...

Farmworkers from across Washington gathered in Olympia on Tuesday February 4th, to speak about the harm the state’s new overtime law has caused.  Linda Vargas was one of those who participated in last week’s rally.  She said, while ag overt...

The Washington State Tree Fruit Association has thrown its support behind two pieces of legislation looking to address ag overtime.  Jon DeVaney has the latest.   If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@to...

Last month, we told you about an effort in Oregon to use kit homes to address the housing crisis in rural communities, and even farm worker housing.  Washington may be moving in a similar direction.  State senator Jeff Wilson recently introduced two bills to streamline the permitting process for kit homes.   “The kit h...

Oregon farmers say new farmworker housing rules could lead to workforce shortages.  Farmworker advocates said the rules don’t address all of their concerns, while farmers say they can’t afford the changes.   Oregon is updating farmworker housing rules that some advocates have said are alarmingly outdated.  The requirements come af...

With agricultural labor challenges across the entire sector, some farmers and ranchers are turning to a unique type of visa to alleviate the burden.  Samantha Ayoub is an associate economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation;   “TN visas are part of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agr...

Immigration is a hot buttoned issue not only locally, but nationally as well.  What impact are those conversation and policy discussions having on tree fruit producers across the Northwest?  We put that question before Mark Powers with the Northwest Horticultural Council.     I...

On Wednesday, USDA’s Rural Housing Administrator Joaquin Altoro announced that more than $4 million in grants and loans will be used to repair and rehabilitate farmworker housing in Central Washington.     “The funding we’re announcing today will provide safe, modern homes for those who work hard to feed our nation, while also creating jobs for tradespeople who will build and restore these homes,”

The state of Oregon was recently awarded $956,333 for a project to rehabilitate a McMinnville multifamily affordable housing complex that serves farmworkers and their families.  The announcement of the USDA funds was made Tuesday by Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden and Representative Andrea Salinas.  Community Hom...

Oregonians stayed cooler and had cleaner air this summer, because of a program created by the Legislature.  Warming temperatures and wildfires make it more important for Oregonians to have air conditioning and air filters.  Oregon's Medicaid Director Emma Sandoe said some parts of the state are affected more than others.   “In rural ...