WACD Reading List

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.

Washington's grass seed industry is developing new varieties to serve farmers and consumers, with the help of Washington State University's rejuvenated grass breeding program. "It's grasses for the future, both for the consumer and the farmer," said Orlin Reinbold, one of the owners of Clearwater Seed in Spokane. "We have consumers that want low-maintenance lawns. And it's got to be able to yield, and the farmer has to make money growing it."

Federal environmental regulators are pressing ahead with plans to cancel a fungicide used in Northwest orchards despite the USDA’s concerns about unintended consequences.

As climate change drives an increase in spring rains across the Midwest, it can mean more anxiety for farmers eager to carry out the ritual of spring planting.

(The Center Square) – Farmers in the central and eastern portions of Washington state are hoping recent developments related to the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program will mean the eventual completion

With the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture expected to begin discussions on the federal Farm Bill later this month, farmers and leaders from Clark County and farther afield gathered at the Second Mi

Washington’s agriculture industry has been hit hard by climate change. Growers are working to develop crops that can thrive in shifting landscapes.

A mound of potatoes unloaded from 10 semitrucks by the Hutterite community just west of Airway Heights on Friday has sparked a free-food frenzy, with droves of people bringing trailers and buckets to get their free taters.

Profit is growing further out of reach for U.S. wheat farmers and many do not expect to break even in 2024 as ample global supply keeps prices around their lowest in nearly four years at the same time costs including equipment and transport remain high.