Benton County

Late last week, the USDA designated Yakima County as a Primary Natural Disaster Area for Drought.  The designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from drought through emergency loans.  Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certa

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has expanded the Japanese beetle quarantine in the south-central portion of the state.  The original quarantine was established in 2022 and included 49 square miles in the Grandview area.  But, be...

FSA has designated half a dozen Washington counties as primary natural disaster areas due to drought.  The designation allows for the FSA to send emergency credit through emergency loans to producers in Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Okanagan and Skagit counties.  According to the ...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Pest Program is now seeking treatment consent from residents of Yakima, Benton, and Franklin counties.

WSDA Pest Program Manager Sven Spichiger says the community is the solution to eradicating the beetle, and that working together is necessary. Reports suggest WSDA is making progress with approximately half of the proposed treatment areas allowing them to treat properties for the beetle.

Authorities say there is a very low risk to humans

Because of ongoing problems with the Japanese beetle, the Washington state Department of Agriculture has adopted a quarantine for the Grandview area.  Starting September 15th, the movement of certain items will be limited in the infested area, in an effort to prevent the spread of the invasive pest.  Those i...

Late last week, Washington State Department of Agriculture entomologists confirmed the first report of Japanese beetle larvae for the year.  This is the first report of a larvae or grub confirmed in the beetle infestation area near Grandview, WA.  A ...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture plans to start its efforts to eradicate the Japanese beetle infestation in south central Washington Monday, May 2nd. The Department says all together, it plans to treat around 2,000 acres in the Grandview area in both Yakima and Benton counties ...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is accepting public comments on the environmental review for its proposed plan to eradicate Japanese beetle in Grandview and surrounding areas of Yakima and Benton counties. The Japanese beetle is a highly destructive plant pest that can be very difficult and expensive to control. Feeding ...