Applications are now open for Class 47 of the AgForestry Leadership Program.

It’s official! Another year of Connell High School’s Drive Your Tractor to School Day has come and gone, and once again it was a huge success. This annual event continues to be a highlight for students, staff, and community members who share a passion for agriculture and the traditions that come with it.

March has officially been proclaimed Washington Agriculture Month by Governor Bob Ferguson — a statewide recognition of the essential role that farming plays in our economy, communities, and daily lives.

Washington state’s Refrigerant and Air-Conditioning Management Platform (RAMP) has completed recent system updates, and all functions are now available. Growers and facility operators can now register facilities and submit required annual reports through the platform. This update is particularly relevant for potato storage facilities that fall under the state’s medium facility category.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced enrollment dates for 2026 Continuous and General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), offering Washington producers opportunities to put marginal or environmentally sensitive acres to work through conservation. Offers for CRP will be accepted by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Washington State University is once again preparing for the 2026 Commercial Potato Seed Lot Trial, an important industry program funded by Washington potato growers to provide independent evaluations of seed quality before planting decisions are made.

Washington State University (WSU) is conducting a survey titled Insect Pest Management Practices: National Survey of Potato Growers as part of a large multi-state research project aimed at better understanding U.S. potato growers’ experiences, decision-making, and perspectives related to insect pest management including concerns about regulatory uncertainty and potential restrictions on neonicotinoid use.