Washington

Pear Bureau Northwest is out with its first estimate of the 2024-25 fresh pear crop.  The expectation is Washington and Oregon growers will harvest 10.6 million standard box equivalents, which is down 31% from the five-year average.   ...

Vegetable growers across Washington and Oregon can expect to be interviewed by NASS in the coming weeks.  The USDA will work to gather information for the 2024 Vegetable Chemical Use Survey this fall.  NASS will collect information on planted acreage, pest management practices, acres treated, and application rates, pesticide application, acres treated, and rates applied to five targeted vegetable

While a low-pressure system brought cooler wetter weather to the Northwest last week, it wasn’t enough to put a sizable dent in this year’s drought.  Latest figures from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows while none of Washington is currently under the D-3, or Extreme Drought designation, the portion of the state under a D-2, or Severe Drought, increased from 4% to 10%.     In ...

Improve the health of America’s forests while reducing the risks of wildfire to communities.  That has been the effort and focus on the U.S. Forest Service’s Collaborative Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, which has focused on 21 specially selected fire sheds.  But Agriculture Sec...

Highly Pathogenetic Avian Influenza has been on the minds of backyard poultry owners, as well as large scale operations since late 2022.  Dr. Amber Itle, Washington state Veterinarian said it’s very normal for these influenza viruses to circulate.  But what she ...

We may have just wrapped up the 2024 winter wheat harvest, but it’s already time to look ahead to 2025, as planting has begun across the country.  USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey looked at planting numbers from last week.   “Showing 2% of the intended acreage planted on that date," Rippey noted.  "Right now par with the ...

More than 400 cases of salmonella across the country have been linked to backyard poultry.  The CDC says over 100 people have been hospitalized during this outbreak.  Texas and Missouri have the most cases, followed by Minnesota, Washington, Michigan, and Oklahoma.   Almost 70%...

Are farmers in Oregon and Washington moving east because of policy that makes it more and more difficult to farm?  Some say yes.   Madi Clark has a front row view from her farm Eastern Oregon farm situated south of Ontario.  She said the...

Building capacity building infrastructure, building demand, all aspects of the USDA grant program centered on organic growers and the organic industry.   “We're excited to announce our 4th and final round of the Organic Market Development Grants. This is $...

With the end of the most intense portion of the irrigation season with in sight here in the Northwest, how is water storage fairing as we prepared to head into fall?  USDA meteorologist Brad Rippy said when it comes to the 11 Western states they watch, nine of those states either close to normal or above normal storage.   “...