Montana

The USDA’s first trade mission of the year gets underway this weekend, and it will have a uniquely Northwest feel.  Members of the delegation will be in Panama Sunday the 19th though Thursday the 23rd.   “Trade missions are just one of the effective tools we have in our market development toolbox," said Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor.  Taylor, the for

On Tuesday, central Washington’s Dan Newhouse, Chair of the Western Caucus, and California’s Doug LaMalfa, Vice Chair, introduced the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2023.  In addition House Legislation, companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Wyoming's Cynthia Lummis.   Supporters o...

Chris Arnold with Darigold says, for a variety or reasons, now is a good time to be a Northwest dairy producer.   If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com 

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and attorneys general from 23 other states filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s Waters of the U.S. Rule.  The group says the EPA’s WOTUS rule “goes beyond the power Congress delegated in the Clean Water Act, raises serious constitutional concerns, and runs roughshod over the Administrative Procedures Act.”   “The administrati...

Over the past five years, canola acreage across the Northwest has grown at a fairly consistent rate.  One of the few exceptions was reported between 2021 and 2022, but Karen Sowers, Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Canola Association said that flat trend was not due to demand, but rather due to weather the region experienced last spring.  But she...

As farmers look ahead to 2023, many are concerned about what the financial picture hold in store.  While many producers enjoyed record commodity prices last year, there were several headwinds, from high input costs, to trade issues, and of course, weather problems, giving many reason to pause in the months ahead.  Heather...

The Pacific Northwest Canola Association will hold their annual workshop Wednesday, January 25th, at the University Inn in Moscow, ID.  Karen Sowers, Executive Director of the PNWCA, said this year’s event will be slightly different, with several strong speakers and presenters in the morning, with the afternoon focused on more Q&A sessions.  She noted while c...

Last week, the Northwest Agriculture Business Center announced Jake Fray as the new Southwest Washington regional director.  Fray takes over for Mike Peroni who is transitioning to Executive Director of the organization.     Fray grew up in the small community of Adna, where his family settled in 1862.  Not only did he work on the...

Much of the country remains very dry as we start the second week of the New Year.  With the exception of Washington, drought numbers held steady last week across the Northwest and across the country.   Currently 37% of the Evergreen State is where it should be soil moisture wise for this time of year.  In addition,...

Earlier this week, the Bureau of Land Management announced a public meeting to solicit feedback on utility-scale solar energy planning.  BLM is considering updates to its 2012 Western Solar Plan that included six southwestern states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.  On top ...