USDA Designates Eight Washington Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
WACD Reading List
Report: WA lost more than 3,700 farms in 5 years; lawmaker blames regulations | Washington | thecentersquare.com
How bad is air quality in WA? What to know as Bear Gulch Fire smoke spreads - The Columbian
OLYMPIA — The Bear Gulch Fire has been burning for nearly a month in the southeast part of the Olympic Peninsula, sending smoke drifting into the Puget Sound region.
Year-round farmers market Scale House Market offers shoppers fresh, local products and vendors new business opportunities
For business owner and chef Samantha Gimlin, the journey to bringing high quality Italian food products to the region began with communal dinners with her neighbors.
Judge opens door to wider federal management of wolves | Capital Press
A federal judge ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take another look at whether Montana and Idaho can be trusted to manage wolves. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy […]
USDA (.gov): USDA Opens Public Comment Period on Department Reorganization Plan
USDA to relocate thousands of staff outside Washington, consolidate dozens of offices - Government Executive
The Agriculture Department is slashing regional offices and centralizing staff into five new hubs across the country.
Forests for Communities — NORTHWEST COMMUNITY FORESTS
Report finds lack of federal support could ‘stall or even kill’ agtech innovation
Tuesday 'one of those days' to be concerned about fires in the Inland Northwest, officials warn
As forecasted temperatures near triple digits and the peak months of fire season approach, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning that will be in effect from 1 p.m. on Tuesday through 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
Walla Walla sweet onion farmers power through uncertainty | Capital Press
WALLA WALLA, Wash. — Washington’s handful of Walla Walla sweet onion farmers are right in the thick of harvest. “I would say we have an average to slightly-above average crop,” […]
Pomas Fire Will Burn All Summer With Smoke Impacts, Officals Say
The Pomas Fire in northern Chelan County is now expected to burn all summer, according to incident managers
New state survey map shows 545,000 acres with dead or damaged trees
The area of afflicted trees shows an increase of nearly 30,000 acres from 2023.
Wildfires - OPB
OPB’s guide to wildfires in the PNW
National wildfire officials boost U.S. risk level | Capital Press
The national wildfire preparedness level increased to 3 early June 21, on a scale from 1 to 5. Higher numbers indicate a boost in fire activity, more conditions associated with […]
Clark County leaders debate future growth and how to balance saving farmland with building housing - OPB
The Clark County comprehensive plan defines a vision for the next 20 years of development. The process has created debate over what’s more important in Southwest Washington: open space or new homes.
To bee or not to bee? 600 species of bees call Washington home - The Columbian
With about 600 different species of bees in Washington, you would think it would be easy to spot one. But that black and yellow insect you see quickly darting from flower to flower could just as easily be a fly, wasp or hornet. Even some moths have evolved to mimic bees.
Bird Causes Brush Fire in Adams County
Adams County Fire District #5 says crews responded Tuesday evening to the brush fire on State Route 26 intersecting with Hays road.
February erosion event was one of largest in 30 years, soil scientists say | Capital Press
Flooding caused by frozen soil on the Palouse in February was one of the largest events in 30 years, Pacific Northwest soil scientists say. Historically high stream flows across the […]
Conflagration declared for Rowena Fire in Columbia River Gorge | Capital Press
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act on June 11 for the Rowena Fire west of The Dalles, Ore., in the Columbia River Gorge. The fire, which started […]
The Washington Post: Reforestation can’t undo global warming, but it could help, study says
Tree restoration may have “higher climate change mitigation potential” than previously thought thanks to trees’ atmospheric effects, the researchers write.
The Right to Repair Is Law in Washington State | Electronic Frontier Foundation
Thanks in part to your support, the right to repair is now law in Washington.Gov. Bob Ferguson signed two bills guaranteeing Washingtonians' right to access tools, parts, and information so they can fix personal electronics, appliances, and wheelchairs. This is the epitome of common-sense...
Less irrigation water for some Yakima Valley farmers, wildfire season approaches - Northwest Public Broadcasting
Washington state has already declared some areas in drought. There’s not enough snowpack in many areas, and much of it is melting out faster than expected.
NPR: Jaguar conservation effort arms ranchers with cameras — and pays them for photos
The U.S. needs more jaguars. One organization has a unique approach to making that happen, as Vox environmental correspondent Benji Jones explains.
Farmer’s faith: Planting Northwest wheat, despite challenges - Northwest Public Broadcasting
Andy Juris seeds his spring soft white wheat fields with a hulking John Deere tractor outside of Bickleton, Washington. (Credit: Anna King / NWPB) Listen (Runtime 3:50) Read Inky black […]
State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) Virtual Public Meeting | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
Drones help with everything from real estate photography to protecting crops and tracking pygmy rabbits across the Inland Northwest | Local News | Spokane | The Pacific Northwest Inlander | News, Politics, Music, Calendar, Events in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and the Inland Northwest
It's a bird!
A breakdown of Washington’s new $78B two-year state budget | Cascade PBS
The deal, awaiting Gov. Ferguson’s signature, includes $4.3B in new taxes on businesses, financial assets and technology, and boosts K-12 funding.
Judge Orders USDA to Release Withheld IRA, BIL Funding
A federal judge has ordered ordered leaders of USDA to resume processing grants already awarded under the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and to refrain from further “freezing, halting or pausing” already appropriated funds.
State declares drought in Central WA for third year in row | Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business
Drought impacts in the Yakima Basin have far-reaching effects for the rest of the state. The region’s agricultural economy generates $4.5 billion each year, producing 71% of the nation’s hops, 63% of apples, 62% of cherries, and significant portions of other crops like pears, raspberries, blueberries, and asparagus, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.