WACD Reading List

The Federal Trade Commission and two states accuse Deere of costing farmers time and money by unfairly limiting software access and forcing the use of only authorized dealers.

Harmful chemicals in sewage sludge spread on pasture as fertilizer pose a risk to people who regularly consume milk, beef and other products from those farms, in some cases raising cancer risk “several orders of magnitude” above what the Environmental Protection Agency considers acceptable, federal

The next generation of farmers from across the region will be in the Tri-Cities next month to learn how to better communicate.

Small orchardists say they are unable to sustain losses for years on end amid economic conditions they feel will only continue to worsen.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture hopes more property owners this year will give the department access to spray for Japanese beetles, a pest gaining ground in Eastern Washington. The department will seek consent from more than 17,600 property owners in Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties, about double the number of property owners contacted last year.

WENATCHEE — Washington lawmakers and researchers strategize to address mental health challenges among farmers. Farmers are 3.5 more likely to die by suicide than the general population, according to the

The University of Idaho is gearing up for the 57th annual Idaho Potato Conference, which will take place January 22nd –23rd in Pocatello.

Now that the New Year has come and gone, the WSDA is reminding residents now is the time to sign up for Japanese Beetle treatments.

Every farmer can reduce tillage — from the number of passes to the aggressiveness or the depth of the tillage tool. Learn more about reduced tillage practices such as vertical-till, strip-till, zone-till and no-till.

Washington farmland owners with pastures and relatively low-value cropland stand to make more money leasing property to wind and solar developers, a state Department of Commerce study reports. Solar-power companies typically pay $200 to $350 per acre annually, though payments can be as high as $1,000 an acre. Wind developers typically pay thousands of dollars per megawatt, according to the study.

The Oregon Farm Bureau is the title sponsor for the 2025 Northwest Ag Show.

Chickpeas, lentils, beans and peas are a fast-growing food market, with new uses going well beyond bean salads and hummus—think brownies, vegan meats, and salad dressing. Researchers like Chitra Sivakumar ...

New technology called “virtual fencing” is catching on in Idaho and the West.

Starting a farm can be a challenging undertaking. As more Oregon farmers age out of the industry, this tax-funded farm incubator helps beginning farmers overcome some of those challenges.

Bird flu was detected in a small backyard flock in Lewis County, Wash., the third case of avian influenza in domestic birds in the state in the past two weeks. Migratory waterfowl are spreading the virus, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture. "Every backyard flock is at risk right now," State Veterinarian Amber Itle said in a statement.

Failure to pass a new farm bill by the end of the year could result in a complete reset of the process if one or both the House and Senate flip majorities as a result of the election, National Association of Wheat Growers Chandler Goule says. "I can see that easily pushing the farm bill into late 2025 or 2026, because it will literally hit the reset button," Goule said. "That's why it's so important we get it done by December ... A lot has to be done very quickly, as soon as the election is over."

Four workers at a poultry farm in Franklin County, Wash., tested positive for bird flu, the Washington Department of Health announced Oct. 20. The infected workers had mild symptoms and were treated with medications. Other workers are being tested, according to the department.

Washington farmers and truckers have barely touched a $28.5 million pot of money the state set aside to partially refund them for the cap-and-trade taxes they paid on fuel in 2023. They have claimed $1.86 million, or just 6.5% of the money, the Department of Licensing reported. The department started taking applications Aug. 26. It and farm groups expected the money to go quickly.

The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service provides funding to help farmers install pollinator habitats on working farms.

The Biden administration has blocked repairs to a second tidegate in Skagit County, Wash., reasoning maintaining the structure will forestall the conversion of farmland into fish habitat. The Army Corps of Engineers notified the National Marine Fisheries Service on Sept. 4 plugging leaks would prolong the tidegate's life and adversely affect Puget Sound salmon and killer whales.

Washington farmers who believe they paid unfair fuel surcharges under the state’s cap-and-trade program can soon apply for a rebate from the state.

State and federal leaders have put millions into improving crops and soils so they absorb more carbon dioxide, but across the U.S. that would only cut 3% of agricultural emissions, researchers found.

Legions of westerners forsake chain grocery stores each week in favor of the outdoor cornucopias that sprout on city streets and parking lots. As public demand for local food stays

Washington is developing a program to beef up promoting what is grown, raised, caught, and brewed in the state.

You don't have to live in the tropics to grow peanuts. They're generally grown in southern climes, where summers are long enough to allow for the up to 150 days necessary for the plants to reach maturity.

After the H5N1 avian flu virus jumped from birds to dairy cattle in Texas last December, it was spread across the country by infected cows, contaminated machinery, and people who inadvertently carried the virus on their clothes and footwear from farm to farm, said USDA scientists on Thursday.

Central Washington farmers with junior water rights in the Yakima River basin had their water supplies cut again, as the Bureau of Reclamation told irrigators to expect 47% of their full allotments.

Thanks to heavy use of nitrogen fertilizer, tiny organisms that flourish in farm fields emit nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas that can warm the planet more than carbon dioxide and stay in the atmosphere for over a century.

Part 2 of MyBellinghamNow’s new series, “Adjudi-what?!” tackles farmers, municipalities and water associations impacted by water rights adjudication in Whatcom County.

CAFO permits aim to protect Oregon waters from agricultural pollution. The rules for CAFOs are changing, and that could bring new accountability — and new costs — to some of the state's larger farms.