pandemic

Oil prices continue the trend of moving down, slowly, but surely.  In Monday’s action, West Texas Crude was trading just over $90 per barrel, continuing a trend first seen roughly nine weeks ago.  As oil prices continue to move lower, the Administration is hopeful gasoline prices will continue to go down as well.  As Energy Secretary Jen...

In 2020, U.S. farms sold almost $10.7 billion of food commodities directly to consumer outlets and supply chains.  That figure from the USDA includes restaurants, grocery stores, regional distributors and local institutions.  The figure is nearly $2.8 billion...

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture is detailing what is being done to enhance the nation's food system following the COVID-19 pandemic.  NASDA CEO Ted McKinney says early in the pandemic there were shortages of products from paper to food, but that the shortages were only temporary and are being overstated now in retrospect.  Ch...

Consumers are shifting the blame for inflation from the pandemic to supply chain issues, according to a recent poll by the Consumer Brands Association.  The poll also showed that most Americans say inflation is hitting their household budgets and that tackling supply chain problems will positively affect inflation. The p...

A new report released Tuesday from the United Nations shows the number of people affected by hunger globally rose to nearly 830 million in 2021.  The UN report said the world is moving in the opposite direction from the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms, by 2030. ...

In an effort to help relieve expenses associated with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington state Department of Agriculture will make more than $2.4 million in assistance available. The funds come to the WSDA via the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program ...

The Idaho state Department of Agriculture's Dawn Larzelier says one of the many benefits of local farmers market, their ability to connect consumers with local farmers. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia... Read More ...

What is the expectation of international markets, not only in 2022, but beyond? The Washington state Wine Commission's Shubha Taywade offers her insight. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia... Read More ... Read More ...

The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the temporary closures of restaurants nationwide, prompting a decline in Food Away From Home Spending. Spending decreased at each of the nine types of food-away-from-home outlets measured in the USDA Economic Research Service’s Food Expenditure Series from 2019 to 2020. Alt ...

As the pandemic intensified in early 2020, farmers markets felt the impact with many shutting down for the season and in some cases the following year as well. But in response, came REKO in the greater Boise area. This on-line platform connects consumers with local producers, and then arranges for pick up at a safe location ...