Central Washington

Snowpack and reservoir levels are already creating concerns for irrigators in the Yakima Basin.  But it looks like, according to one expert, that Mother Nature will help in other ways this year.  When it comes to the temperatures growers can expect this season, Drew Lerner, Senior Agricultural Meteorologist at World Weather, Inc., said central Wash...

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...

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...

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 ...

Safety and education will be front and center at a pair of events this month in Central Washington.  Ag Safety Days, put on by the Washington State Governor's Industrial Safety & Health Advisory Board, are among the largest agricultural health and safety training events in the state.  Each year h...

On Wednesday, USDA’s Rural Development announced that it will invest $94 million in Yakama Power's Clean Energy Project.  The funds come via the Powering Affordable Clean Energy program, PACE, where rural electric cooperatives and communities can use funding to lower electricity costs for businesses and families, while reducing climate pollution.    Yakama Power said th...

Now that the New Year has come and gone, the Washington State Department of Agriculture is reminding residents now is the time to sign up for Japanese Beetle treatments.  In the coming days, the WSDA will send out Japanese beetle treatment consent letters.  The Dep...

Earlier this month, a federal judge in Spokane ordered a trio of central Washington dairies to provide water filters for nearby residents as well as test area wells for nitrate contamination.  Judge Thomas Rice issued the preliminary injunction December 17th at the request of the EPA against Cow Palace, DeRuyter and Liberty dairies in Yakima County.  Accordi...

For those looking to get into the ag industry, or those looking to expand their education, Yakima Valley College will hold a host of classes focused on the wine industry in the winter quarter.  Trent Ball, chair of Yakima Valley College’s Agriculture Department and Vineyard and Winery Technology Program, said as a department they tried to make these classes a reality for those already working in i

On Thursday, the USDA announced a $78.3 million investment through the Powering Affordable Clean Energy program , which includes $4 million bound for Washington.  Cunningham Solar is slated to use those funds to develop nearly three megawatts of solar energy in the central part of the state.  USDA's ...