State

This week, under direction from Gov. Inslee, the Washington State Department of Ecology released draft language for the new carbon reduction plan for the state. The plan does not directly regulate agriculture, but you can expect it to indirectly raise the the cost of fuel, electricity, food processing and fertilizer in addition to stifling Washington’s economy. The plan names 70 ... Read More »

From the Yakima Herald Washington state lawmakers say 2016 really will be the year they focus on reforming the way the state pays for education. At The Associated Press Legislative Preview on Thursday, House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan said the Legislature is under pressure from both the courts and state law to finally resolve the complicated budget issues at the ... Read More »

Today, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) released its draft Clean Air Rule to limit carbon pollution. Organizations that emit 100,000 metric tons or more of greenhouse gases in the state would be required to reduce their carbon emissions 5 percent every three years beginning in 2017. Besides gradually reducing their carbon pollution, organizations could meet their reduction goals ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Washington farmers lost at least $336 million to the drought last summer, a preliminary estimate likely to climb as more figures on yields and prices became available, according to a report by the state Department of Agriculture. The report estimated specific dollar losses for only a handful of crops — wheat, apples, blueberries and red raspberries. Read ... Read More »

From The Capital Press The new year is a symbol of new beginnings in farm country, a time to look ahead to what the future may bring and to engage in that age-old tradition of making resolutions. To see what Pacific Northwest farmers are resolving for 2016 read the rest of the story here. Read More »

Regardless of whether or not carbon pollution is the actual crisis some make it out to be, it is a topic that is not disappearing from headlines anytime soon. To the right is graph of greenhouse gas (ghg) pollution sources in Washington state. As the chart shows, 6 percent of our state’s ghg emissions are attributed to agriculture, but that is ... Read More »

From The Spokesman-Review Whitman County crushed the wheat productivity of any other county in 2015, producing nearly 30.5 million bushels, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Lincoln, the next closest county in Washington, wasn’t even close. Whitman County’s production beat Lincoln County in winter and spring wheat production by a combined 14.6 million bushels. Read the rest of the story here. Read More »

In early December, Governor Inslee told business leaders in Washington state that our state has done nothing about Carbon since 2008. This is untrue for many business industries, from manufacturing to transportation and agriculture. Farmers sequester carbon in the soil every day by: • Looking for and finding ways to leave more plant residue on the field without losing vital ... Read More »

From the Capital Press Eastern Washington University meteorologist Robert Quinn said he believes that contrary to most El Nino weather patterns, the Pacific Northwest will see excessive rain this winter. Speaking at the 75th annual convention of the Oregon Seed Growers League in Salem in December, Quinn noted that an El Nino weather system typically will split into two storm ... Read More »

From the Capital Press The drought is losing its grip on Washington, with the “extreme” conditions that reigned over most of the state last summer now completely gone, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported Thursday. A week earlier, one-third of Washington was in extreme drought, the second-worst drought classification. The area, all or parts of 20 counties east of the Cascades, ... Read More »