The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has launched the $10 million Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab as part of the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports initiative. The application period is open for this new funding opportunity, and awards will range from $50,000 to $250,000 for research, scale, and commercialization applications that support U.S. exporters through innovative packaging solutions. 

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Agricultural Environmental Services Division (AESD) is reminding applicators to renew their pesticide and/or structural pest inspector (SPI) license by January 1, 2025 to avoid penalties.

The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) Board and staff need additional information from landowners and/or representatives to complete the projected Odessa Ground Water Replacement Program (OGWRP)/ Landowners and/or representatives requesting remaining acreage allocation(s) are required to complete requests even if a survey was previously completed.

The Washington State Potato Foundation (WSPF) will be hosting a 1st Annual FFA Extemporaneous Speaking Contest where local high school students will be presenting 4-6 minute speeches about pressing potato industry issues.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced the availability of Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC), which will provide eligible specialty crop producers with marketing assistance payments that will help them engage in activities that aid in expanding domestic specialty crop markets or in developing new markets for their specialty crops. In response to economic and health-based factors, USDA will use section 5(e) of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act (7 U.S.C. 714c(e)) to make payments to eligible producers in order to increase consumption of specialty crops by aiding expansion of domestic markets or aiding in the development of new and additional markets.

The Leadership in the Field: From Battlefield to Potato Field experience will offer unique opportunities that utilize the resources of America’s most revered battlefield to help facilitate experiential teaching and support effective leadership development.

A coalition of regional leaders calls on the federal government to withdraw its decision to initiate new environmental reviews of the Columbia and Snake River dams. ​The coalition contends that a new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis would be both premature and unlawful, warning that it would be incomplete and could mislead the public about these dams' vital role in supporting the region’s economy and environment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has updated the AirNow mobile app to allow users to receive optional push notifications of their local Air Quality Index forecasts for the next day. State and local air agencies issue AQI forecasts as a public service to help people plan their outdoor activities. The agencies provide them to EPA, which shares them on the AirNow app and Airnow.gov website. Until now, AirNow users had to remember to check the app or website to see their forecasts; with the updates to the AirNow mobile app, people can opt to be notified when the daily forecast reaches an AQI category of their choosing.

On December 18, 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agriculture Statistics Service released statistics on 2024 potato stock for Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

USDA is seeking public input by December 23, 2024, on how to improve conservation practice standards to maximize climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits, as supported by peer-reviewed scientific literature.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to join us for an amazing event on January 28th - 30th, 2025 at the Three Rivers Convention Center.

Established in 2023, the Compost Reimbursement Program (CRP) is a grant program that reimburses Washington farmers who purchase compost from certain commercial facilities in the state (Click here to view a map of eligible facilities).