labor

If you are out hunting for a real Christmas tree this year experts say with tight supplies of available trees, the sooner you do your tree hunting the better.  But it does look like everybody who wants a real tree will be able to have one but finding one a few days before Christmas might be challenging.  Now whe...

In today's Focus On Fruit, B.J. Thurlby talks about the impact new overtime requirements are having on the local fruit industry. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com

According to new data from USDA’s Economic Research Service, Organic dairy farm production growth is slower than conventional operations. Productivity is measured as total factor productivity, the ratio of the total amount of goods produced relative to all the inputs—such as labor, fertilizer, and other costs—used to produce those goods. USDA researcher ...

According to the U.S. Meat Export Federation, while beef exports opened 2021 lower than figures reported a year earlier, the decrease was marginal. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom noted beef exports totaled 105,000 metric tons in January, down 2% from a year ago, while value slipped three percent to $653 million ...

On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee voted 25-3 to advance USMCA.  Washington’s Maria Cantwell a senior member on the committee, said the updated NAFTA can serve as a roadmap of where the U.S. needs to go when it comes to future trade agreements.  While US...

If Congress does not come up with a comprehensive immigration reform bill,  "We probably won't get a legislative, congressional farm labor issue done as well,” Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue recently said.   He added that aside from immigration legislation, they have other options.   "We ar...

Representative Dan Newhouse is touring his Central Washington district this week, discussing the Farm Bill with growers and farmers.  He said the biggest concerns from local farmers is research dollars, keeping markets open and accessible, as well as labor.  ...

Next to the cost of feeding their animals, the cost of labor on dairy farms will always take up a large share of the budget.  But what are producers to do with labor costs continually moving higher?  A MilkBusiness.com article says labor costs will rise in the new year.  As of January 1st...

WAFLA will hold a pair of labor and H2A discussions over the next two days.  The first will take place Tuesday at the Frenchman Hills Barn in Royal City, from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.  The second will take place Wednesday from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m...

Farm labor issues have plagued many throughout the industry and the future of getting workers onto fields and farms is murky.   Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue said he’s optimistic and understands how important this issue is to producers.   “...