pandemic

Oil prices continue to trade above the $100 per barrel mark, trading around $105 in early Tuesday action. Patrick DeHaan with GasBuddy said after prices dipped last week, markets are starting the month of May pushing price higher, thanks primarily to China easing COVID lockdowns in that country’s largest cities. But ...

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 ...

On Friday, the Oregon Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of Jonathan Sandau as Assistant Director. Most recently, Sandau served as a special assistant to the director focusing on the legislature, budget development, and strategic planning ...

The Oregon Water Resources Department announced it will reopen public lobbies and offices to visitors and customers of the Department on Monday, May 2nd. Because of the pandemic, the physical offices have been closed to visitors since March 2020 ...

American Farmland Trust recently announced that over 200 farmers would be receiving grants of up to $5,000 each through the Brighter Future Fund, and its regional subsidiaries. The grants will be used to help improve farm viability, enable farmers to access, transfer or permanently protect farmland or adopt regenerative agricultural practices ...

In today's Focus on Fruit, Jon DeVaney with the Washington state Tree Fruit Association takes a look at the Ag Labor situation for the season ahead. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia... Read More ...

The U.S. Quarterly Lamb Retail Sales Report for the fourth quarter of 2021 shows lamb performed better last year than it did in 2020. Lamb has seen tremendous retail sales growth during the past two years. Lamb and exotics were the only meat categories to grow volume last year compared to 2020 ...

In today's Wine Minute, Shubha Taywade discusses the international market, and if the wine industry has rebounded from the pandemic. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia... Read More ...

New data from USDA's Economic Research Service shows restaurant transactions fell 47% in 2020, compared to 2019. In March of 2020, the federal government declared a national emergency in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. In response, many state and local governments implemented social distancing measures, stay-at-home orders, and the mandatory closure of businesses in high-risk industries ..

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that the application period for the HR 133 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is now open. The ISDA will be awarding over $2 million in competitive grants, via funds from the USDA ...