farm labor

According to NASS, 2021 Washington Total Farm Production Expenditures dropped 6% year over year.  Farm Production Expenditures in Washington are estimated at $9.07 billion for 2021, down from $9.69 billion in 2020.  The four largest expenditures at the state level accounted for 56% of total expenditures last year; that included labor at 25%, Farm Services at 13%, Feed coming in a 12% and fertilize

Labor remains a top concern for the tree fruit industry.  The American Fruit Growers held its annual State of the Industry survey, and on the farm labor was a big topic in the survey, and one-third of the respondents say it’s not an issue for them, at least not yet.  For the remai...

In today's PNW Ag Network Wine Minute, Sam Tannahill talks about help available for growers adjusting to the removal of the overtime exemption for the farming community.   If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaag...

Last week, Republican leaders from the Agriculture and Budget Committees introduced the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Production Act.  Dan Newhouse, chair of the Western Caucus, said the legislation would protect and promote American agriculture by reversing the Biden Administration’s regulatory barriers to domestic production, while providing immediate relief to farmers and families a

In today's PNW Ag Network Wine Minute, Sam Tannahill talks about the removal of the Ag Overtime exemption in Oregon, and what that could do on the state's wine industry. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia... Read More ...

Of the six members of the U.S. Apple Association’s emerging leader program, the NextGen Apple Fellowship, two come from the Pacific Northwest. Tim Cote is a projects analyst and Director of Orchard Safety for AgriMACS in Yakima, noted while he was initially nervous about being named to the 2022 NextGen Apple Fellowship class, he’s looking forward to tackling some of the biggest issues impacting t

Efforts continue to improve ocean cargo shipping as one way to resolve current supply chain disruptions. Yet, as commodity export trade manager Walter Lanza expressed, the outlook for 2022 does not look especially bright for a variety of reasons ...

What impact will the removal of Ag overtime exemption in Washington have on the local tree fruit industry? Jon DeVaney with the Washington state Tree Fruit Association offers his perspective. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia... Read More ...

When the Idaho Potato Commission found out they would need a new leader, they turned to one of their own. Jamey Higham, a 5th generation grower from the Shelly area became the new President and CEO of the commission on January 1st. He noted he has been an admirer of the commission for a long time ...

Ag Labor remains one of the chief concerns for the farming community, not only due to increasing costs, but limited availability in 2022. Dan Newhouse, chair of Western Caucus said unfortunately, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which has already cleared the House is stalled in the Senate ...