Mark your calendars and grab your pre-registration tickets—attendee registration is officially open for the 2026 WA/OR Potato Conference, taking place January 27–29, 2026, at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Washington.

In a new effort to support U.S. farmers facing rising operational expenses, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaboratively examine the increasing costs of agricultural inputs.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has released an Interim Final Rule (IFR) revising how Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR) are determined for the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. The update comes in response to industry lawsuits against the 2023 AEWR Rule and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) discontinuation of the Farm Labor Survey.

A new public-private initiative titled “Probing Our Country’s Soil Health” is underway in the United States, aiming to better understand how soil health can inform land management decisions. Organizers are now seeking growers to participate in this innovative effort.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 4, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and head to Columbia Park in Kennewick, Washington for RiverFest 2025, a FREE, fun, and educational family event!

Mark your calendars for the 52^nd Hermiston Farm Fair taking place December 3-4, 2025 at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center (EOTEC) located at 1705 East Airport Road in Hermiston, Oregon.

Developing high-performing potato varieties for the processing, fresh market, and chipping industries remains a central mission of the Tri-State Potato Consortium. Breeders at the USDA and Aberdeen Research and Extension Center continue to play a pivotal role in releasing new potato varieties and germplasm with improved disease and pest resistance, higher yields, and enhanced tuber quality.

ESD will not be enforcing the provisions of ESSB 5525 in the seasonal agricultural workspace at this time.