coronavirus

The turbulent see-saw that is oil prices continues to move back and forth.  Over the past week, West Texas Crude prices have moved lower, by slight amounts.  Pattrick DeHaan with GasBuddy said the reason those prices have moved lower may have many people scratching their head.   “Good and ...

Most Oregonians who receive food assistance through the SNAP program will again see a larger allotment this month; but it’s the last time emergency food benefits will go out.  Around 416,000 Oregon households will share an additional 71-thousand dollars in payments in February.  March will be...

Scientists with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are developing new tests to identify and track the COVID virus in wild and domestic animals.  Funded by the American Rescue Plan, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is implementing $300 million to conduct monitoring and surveillance of susceptible animals for the COVID virus.  Through the initiat...

There are several reasons behind the USDA forecasting a 21% drop in net cash income for farmers this year, but one of the more obvious reasons is the roughly 34% drop in government payments.  USDA chief economist Seth Meyer said 2023 will mark a couple of years in a row of direct government payments declining.  Meyer s...

Ahead of the Oregon Wine Symposium, which gets underway, we wanted to find out how the state's wine industry is doing.  We put that question before Bree Stock.   If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@to...

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association released its “Today’s Beef Consumer” report, and it shows beef demand continues to remain strong.  Despite various challenges faced by the industry, consumers have repeatedly stated that they will continue buying beef in both the retail and foodservice settings.  Compiling research from last ye...

The push to get a farm bill across the finish line this year could run headlong into the partisan fight over budget cuts versus raising the government’s borrowing limit.  On Thursday, new House Ag Chair, Republican Glenn Thompson stressed that lawmakers have a deadline in front of them, since the current Farm Bill expires on September 30th of this year.  While that de...

Oil prices continue the march higher we’ve seen through the first three weeks of 2023.  West Texas Crude was up slightly in Monday’s trade, around $81 per barrel.  Patrick DeHaan with Gasbuddy said there are several issues pushing oil prices higher, and tops on that list, China.   “Reopening its economy, the...

In today's Focus On Fruit, we asked Mark Powers with the Northwest Horticultural Council to give an assessment of 2022, both the good and the bad.     If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@to...

After a quite 2022 policy wise, many in the farming community are prepared for a busy 12 months ahead.  Mary Kay Thatcher, Senior Manager Federal Government Industry Relations For Syngenta, says much of the past year in Washington D.C. was sp...