WAWG signs letter to governor, legislature on salmon recovery | WAWG
Our farmers have implemented conservation on their lands for decades and generations with help and in partnership with local conservation districtsv...
USDA Announces $35 Million Funding Opportunity to Support Underserved and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers | USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced approximately $35 million in available funding to community-based and nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and tribal entities that help historically underserved and veteran farmers and ranchers own and operate successful farms.
Whatcom innovation can help small farms and reduce pollution | Bellingham Herald
in 2019 he began engineering the TerraTug, a four-wheel-drive contraption that is remote-control operated, can haul more than four times the volume of a wheelbarrow and runs on electricity
Rule bill to support farmers after natural disasters passes House – Washington State House Democrats
The Washington House of Representatives advanced legislation by Rep. Alicia Rule (D-Blaine) today to assist farmers and ranchers recovering from natural disasters.
New grant available to Washington state small meat processors | Livestock | capitalpress.com
...the application period is now open for the program, called the WSDA Local Meat Processing Capacity Grants.
The deadline to apply for a small project grant, with funding available up to $150,000, is Feb. 28, while the deadline for large project grants, eligible for funding between $150,000 to $750,000, is March 7.
Walmart invests in indoor vertical farming startup Plenty | AP News
Walmart said Tuesday it has taken a stake in agriculture startup Plenty, becoming the first large U.S. retailer to significantly invest in indoor vertical farming as a way to deliver fresher produce to its stores.
Profiting from Your Pivot | Washington State Department of Agriculture
Profiting from Your Pivot is a new business service with one-on-one coaching for small or regional farms in Washington. COVID caused your business model to pivot, now it's time to focus on profit.
This family farm is a model for agrivoltaic farming | The Optimist Daily
Byron Kominek’s family farm near Boulder, Colorado was struggling to turn a profit when he began exploring solar generation as a strategy to diversify the farm’s income.
Aquaponic farms bubble up in Clark County - The Columbian
These farms operate by creating a symbiotic relationship between fish and plants. It begins with a fish tank. Helpful bacteria in the tank turn ammonia from the fish waste into nitrites and then nitrates. The water is pumped from the tank into the area where the plants grow. Plant roots suck up the nitrates. The clean water then flows back into the fish tank to begin the cycle again.
USDA Introduces New Insurance Policy for Farmers Who Sell Locally – PNW AG Network
The USDA has rolled out a new insurance option specifically for agricultural producers with small farms who sell locally. The new Micro Farm policy, announced last week, simplifies record keeping and covers post-production costs like washing and value-added products.
“Coming Home To Farm” Focuses On Succession Planning For Both Generations – PNW AG Network
The Washington state Farm Bureau is working with a new program call ”Coming Home to Farm”, to promote an open and honest dialog about the changing of the guard.
PNW Pasture Conditions Struggling In Heat – PNW AG Network
USDA Meteorologist, Brad Rippey, said much like the small grains, pasture and rangeland across the region have been hit hard by the drought and hot temperatures.
Western lawmakers ask USDA for more aid to farmers, ranchers stricken by heat, drought and fires | The Spokesman-Review
WASHINGTON – Democrats and Republicans who represent Western states in Congress called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday to provide more aid to farmers and ranchers battling historic heat, drought and wildfires across the region.
In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, lawmakers from nine states asked the USDA chief to “explore all potential flexibilities for additional relief,” noting that some Northwest berry growers have reported losing up to 80% of their crops to the heat wave that saw temperatures in the region reach as high as 120 degrees in June.
“Although the extent of damages relating to the extreme heat has yet to be fully determined, agricultural producers expect these impacts to be severe,” the lawmakers wrote. “As producers continue to assess losses over the next 18 months, it is likely that the total impact of the heat wave will be much higher than current estimates.”
Western Ranchers Are Cuttin’ Herds Like Mad To Prep For A Winter With Short Hay | Northwest Public Broadcasting
From Oregon to the Dakotas, hay stocks for hungry cattle are low and ranchers say summer pastures are already dry from the widespread drought. It leaves them little choice but to cut herds now.
“People are just scared that we’re not going to have any fall green up [rains that grow grass] either — so it’s not looking good,” Clark says.