WACD Reading List

Conservationists are teaming up with the U.S. Forest Service and logging companies to clear scorched land and make room for new reforestation projects.

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.

When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, lava incinerated anything living for miles around. As an experiment, scientists later dropped gophers onto parts of the scorched mountain for only 24 hours. The ...

The Biden administration has finalized its proposal for protecting greater sage grouse, which thrive in Eastern Oregon and in other Western states.

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.

Groups across the U.S. said nitrate from farm fertilizers, manure, is contaminating water and disproportionately hurting rural communities.

SPOKANE, Wash. - Washington workers will now pay higher premiums in 2025 for paid family and medical leave.

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.

Starting next year, Washington's paid family leave premium rate will be 0.92%, up from the current 0.74% rate.

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."

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a Department-wide effort increasing wildlife habitat and corridor connectivity on National Forests and agricultural lands.

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.

Rhe Washington State Department of Agriculture on Oct. 7 was sent a photo of what appeared to be a deceased northern giant hornet spotted in the wild in the Burley region of Kitsap County. The state agency is asking the public to keep their eyes open in that area and report any suspected sightings of the northern giant hornet.

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

A year after a forest wildfire, the U.S. Forest Service assesses the damage but research shows that's not enough time to map restoration.

This blog shares key findings on the nationwide effectiveness of NRCS conservation practices in delivering benefits to pollinators.

More than 205,000 fish passed through Ice Harbor Dam, but more than half originated in a hatchery. Tribes and environmental groups say breaching the four lower Snake River dams will rescue endangered salmon and steelhead from "quasi-extinction" levels, but agricultural stakeholders worry that dam breaching supporters aren't using sound science to guide decision-making.

A 330-page document outlines the Proposed Barred Owl Management Strategy developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Welcome to The Hill’s Sustainability newsletter{beacon} Sustainability Sustainability   The Big Story  Late-season wildfires wreak havoc across US West  With just 10 days of s…

A national firefighter labor shortage is making it harder to suppress massive wildfires across the West, with fewer federal teams that Oregon can ask for help.

The NICC says widespread wildfire activity across the country is creating a shortage of fire fighters and resources, which demanded the increased support.

The rural Washington town is at the top of fire risk nationally, but its grassroots strategy could be a blueprint for others throughout the West.

Last July, 21 scientists, loggers, conservationists, and tribal and government representatives were convened for one simple task: decide the future of Northwest forests.

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 wildlife officials are beginning to plan for how to conserve the state’s species and habitats for the next decade. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is updating its State …