Public News Service

A 2018 law in Washington state phased out fish pen farming of non-native species. (cascoly2/Adobe Stock)

Seattle conference inspires push for sustainable fishing in WA

A meeting on sustainable fishing in Seattle could inspire greater protections for Washington state's waters in Olympia. The State Innovation Exchange …

More than two-thirds of the Local Food System Infrastructure projecta funded were small farms or food businesses. (Jaskaran Kooner/Adobe Stock)

$1.5 million in grants support WA local food infrastructure

Washington state has allocated nearly $1.5 million in grants to support local food systems and supply chains. The Washington State Department of …

Workers harvest a field before the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. (Jeff Huth/Adobe Stock)

Annual farmworkers march supports WA tulip harvesters

An annual march for farmworkers' rights is being held Sunday in northwest Washington. This year, marchers are focusing on the conditions for local …

Debra Prinzing wrote two books about the benefits of finding locally grown flower bouquets. (Missy Palacol Photography)

Growers Tout Exotic Local Flowers

By Michaela Haas for Reasons to be Cheerful.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washington News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Net…

A three-pound sockeye salmon filet is now one of the options in the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations for the Lummi Nation. (O'Kelly Photography/Adobe Stock)

Locally Caught Salmon Provide Step Toward Food Independence for WA Tribe

Under a new project, locally sourced food is part of a food assistance program for members of the Lummi Tribe in northwest Washington. The Food …

Sunburned apples hurt their quality and can lead to a 40% yield loss. (Guzel/Adobe Stock)

Extreme Heat Prompts NW Farmers to Consider Climate-Change Mitigation

By Michael Crowe for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washingon News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public N…

Visitors to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April might also notice workers with picket signs, protesting working conditions in the tulip fields. (Community to Community Development)

Tulips Aren't Blooming for Farmworkers in WA's Skagit Valley

The tulips in Skagit Valley may be blooming, but the farmworkers tending to them say there are serious issues with working conditions. About 70 …

Puget Sound Agrarian Commons started in 2020 after a gift of land from Caroline Gardener on Whidbey Island. (Northwest Meadowscapes)

Land Trust Agreement Provides Step Toward Food Justice in WA

CORRECTION: A description of this land has been changed to "land trust agreement," rather than "leased farmland." (1:19 p.m. PST, Feb 22, 2022) A 99-…

Puget Sound Agrarian Commons' property on Whidbey Island is about an hour north of Seattle. (Northwest Meadowscapes)

WA Project Aims to Reshape Access to Farmland

WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. - A farming project on a Puget Sound island is looking to reshape agriculture and access to land. The nonprofit Agrarian …

Washington state produces 70% of the country's apples. (Michele Benoy Westmorland, Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

In Heat Wave's Wake, WA Advocates Call for Farmworker Protections

SEATTLE - Washington state farmworkers were among the most vulnerable during the Northwest's deadly heat wave. As the state feels more effects from …

Farmworkers can work 80-hour weeks, but aren't eligible for overtime pay. (David/Adobe Stock)

Farmworkers Could Get Overtime Pay Under WA Bill

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Washington state farmworkers could be poised to receive overtime pay under a measure in the Legislature. Senate Bill 5172 would …

Some Seattle restaurants secure their salmon supplies months in advance, to ensure they can serve this iconic Northwest fish. (Aldo/Adobe Stock)

NW Infrastructure Plan Could Bolster WA Restaurants

SEATTLE -- If the Pacific Northwest has a taste, it's for the region's salmon, but as the iconic fish species dwindles, it also effects a food chain …

The Olympia-based group Garden-Raised Bounty or

WA Projects Receive AARP Grants to Make Communities More Livable

SPOKANE, Wash. -- AARP has awarded Community Challenge grants to four projects in Washington state. The grants go to projects that make communities …

The Tilth Alliance, its Seattle community garden seen above, is bringing together farmers and farmworkers in Yakima this weekend. (CAJC: in the PNW/Flickr)

Farmers Meet Up in WA as Harvest Season Winds Down

YAKIMA, Wash. – Washingtonians who work the land to provide their neighbors with food are coming together, as the production season slows down…

The Farmworker March for Dignity will start at a Customs and Border Patrol station in Ferndale, Wash. (Edgar Franks/Community to Community Development)

Farmworkers March for Dignity in Northern WA

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Farmworkers and their supporters are marching in northern Washington this weekend. Environmental and racial justice groups …

El recientemente vencido Fondo para la Conservaci�n de la Tierra y el Agua (�Land and Water Conservation Fund�) ayud� a proteger los manantiales del R�o Yakima. (Bureau of Land Management/Flickr)

Senador de WA encabeza esfuerzo para renovar el Programa de Conservación

SEATTLE – El fin de semana pasado, los Miembros del Congreso dejaron expirar el Fondo de Conservación de Tierra y Agua (“Land and …

La Legislatura de Washington fonde� un programa piloto para convertir la Cumbre Chimacum (�Chimacum Ridge�) en bosque comunitario. (Cortes�a de Phil Vogelzang)

Bosque comunitario da ejemplo del potencial de la Cuota de Carbón en WA

CHIMACUM, Wash. – La Cumbre de Chimacum (“Chimacum Ridge”), que se encuentra en la Península Olímpica, está …

WSU researchers have developed a micro-particle they say can be fed to bees to help them withstand exposure to pesticides. (Photo courtesy of Brandon Hopkins and Waled Suliman.)

WSU Researchers Develop Pesticide Protection for Bees

PULLMAN, Wash. – Two Washington State University researchers have been recognized for their development of a food supplement that helps bee …

Rotational grazing of cattle could help soil better sequester carbon and help fight climate change. (U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr)

Digging Deep for a Climate Change Reversal

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- A pivotal tool for fighting climate change could be hiding deep below our feet. Researchers have found soil holds more than …

One of the farmers involved in the Photovoice project, Anna Caruso of Caruso Farms, says she takes care of the land to produce food for people, but also for her children. (Anna Caruso)

Project Gives WA Farmers a Voice on Future of Their Land

SNOHOMISH, Wash. – A new project captures the issues facing agriculture in Snohomish County through the farmer's lens - literally. Seven …

Warmer winters in the Northwest due to climate change could mean more damage from species such as pine beetle. (Don Becker/U.S. Geological Survey)

Study: Humans Might Need to "Assist Evolution" as Climate Change Worsens

SEATTLE – Many of the effects of climate change scientists did not expect to happen for decades into the future are happening now. According to …

The Oso landslide in 2014 killed 43 people in northwest Washington. (Jonathan Godt/USGS)

The Conflict Between Landslides and Logging

SEATTLE – The Oso landslide tragedy killed 43 people more than two-and-a-half years ago, but the cause of that landslide has never been cleared …

A new study says 63 percent of Washington's agricultural workers are immigrants. (Mahalie Stackpole/Flickr)

Study: Immigrants Vital to WA's Economy

SEATTLE - Immigrants are playing crucial roles in Washington State's economy, according to a new study. The Partnership for a New American Economy …

Organically-raised cattle produce meat with more omega-3 fatty acids, a compound linked to lowered risks of cardiovascular disease. (wiselywoven/morguefile)

Study: Organic Meat Puts More Nutrition on Your Plate

SEATTLE - Researchers who analyzed multiple studies from around the world have concluded organic production of dairy products and meat provides more …

The Solar Industry is watching a bill being considered by the Washington House that would extend tax incentives. (Jason Williams/Artisan Electric Inc.)

Solar Industry: Incentives Credited for Growing Affordability

OLYMPIA, Wash. - A tax incentives program the solar industry considers crucial is up for renewal in Olympia; it's expected to be in front of the …

Public mass transit jobs are among the fastest growing in Washington, according to a new report on clean economy job growth. Credit: SounderBruce/King Co. Metro Transit on Flickr

Report Shows Solid Growth for Washington's "Clean Economy"

SEATTLE - As Gov. Jay Inslee heads to Paris for the global climate conference known as COP 21, he'll have something to brag about in a new report…

This backyard includes edible landscaping, a passive solar retrofit and a 6,500-gallon rainwater catchment system. In 2000, it was a conventional lawn. Credit: Northwest Permaculture Convergence.

"Do it Yourself" Pays Off for Fans of Permaculture

SEATTLE - Today and through the weekend, people from across the Northwest are gathering in Eugene, Ore., for the Northwest Permaculture Convergence…

PHOTO: It can be a tough row to hoe for new and beginning farmers, but the state is working to assist them with outreach opportunities, like this poultry workshop in Whatcom County and an expanded Farm Internship Program. Photo courtesy Washington State Dept. of Agriculture.

WA Tries Growing a New Crop: Farmers

OLYMPIA, Wash. - The state of Washington is looking for a few good farmers, willing to also be good teachers. After a successful pilot program in …

PHOTO: Almost 300 groups nationwide, including several in the Northwest, want to be sure conservation components of the 2013 Farm Bill aren't left behind. Photo credit: Ryan Stockwell

Keeping Conservation in the New Farm Bill

VANCOUVER, Wash. - Northwest sportsmen and conservation groups are among nearly 300 across the nation pushing to keep funding for conservation …

PHOTO: Organic farmers are finding few effective weapons for wiping out this year's bumper crop of stink bugs. Photo credit: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/

Washington's Fall Harvest Could Really "Stink"

YAKIMA, Wash. - The stink bug invasion is on, from nuisance infestations in urban homes to potentially expensive problems for farmers. In Washington…

PHOTO: About 90 people in Bellingham marched twice in the same day in support of local, organic foods; and to voice concerns about GMO crops and seeds. Photo credit: Tristan Limpo Photography.

A Bumper Crop of Public Awareness: Anti-GMO Food Marches

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - On Memorial Day weekend, about 2 million people in more than 50 countries protested crops from genetically modified (GMO) seeds …

PHOTO: Farmers in Washington and across the nation are watching closely as lawmakers in Washington, D.C., work on the 2012 Farm Bill. Photo courtesy Center for Rural Affairs.

Will Farm Bill Be "Job One" for Lame Duck Congress?

SEATTLE - Many priorities are tugging at members of the “lame-duck" Congress, back in session this week. But farmers in Washington and across …

PHOTO: Jubilee Biodynamic Farm, near Carnation, Wash. Photo courtesy Erick Haakenson.

Working to Protect WA's Disappearing Farmland

CARNATION, Wash. – More than half the farmland in the Puget Sound area has been developed for other purposes since 1950 - and King County is …

Will Farm Bill 'Level the Field' for Organic Producers?

SEATTLE – As the Farm Bill heads to the Senate floor for debate, at least one amendment is expected on behalf of organic farmers. Making sure …

Northeast WA Gets Big Grant for Forest Restoration

COLVILLE, Wash. - Northeastern Washington is getting $968,000 in federal funds for forest restoration work, as part of a larger effort announced on …

Local Food Frenzy! It's Farmer's Market Week in WA

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. - It's like having a giant retail store that has to be put up and taken down in the same day. That's how Will O'Donnell …

WA Reaches Beyond "Meatless Mondays" for Vegetarian Diners

SEATTLE - While restaurants in some parts of the nation are just starting to add meatless meals to their menus one day a week for a "Meatless Monday" …

Preserving NW Cropland, One Farm at a Time

WALLA WALLA, Wash. - Farmland is being swallowed up by development in parts of the Northwest, but some farmers are taking advantage of another option:…

Oxfam WA: Table for Nine Billion, Please!

SEATTLE - It won't be a new restaurant opening at the Broadway Farmers Market this Sunday - but it will look like one. Oxfam Action Corps Seattle …

Court Set to Decide WA Livestock Water Dispute

SEATTLE - Superior Court today will consider whether limits should be placed on the amount of water industrial "stock watering" feedlots may draw from…

Important Issues, Tiny Turnouts?

TACOMA, Wash. - They are votes almost no one notices. Of the 47 conservation districts in Washington, a total of 15 have scheduled elections this …

WA's New Cash Crop: Energy Entrepreneurs

KENNEWICK, Wash. - Washington communities and landowners have a lot of options to "go greener," save energy and make money from it, but not all of …

Bringing Home Washington’s Bounty

SEATTLE - With a little planning, having an all-Washington Thanksgiving dinner is absolutely possible. So says the Cascade Harvest Coalition…

WA's Fall Chemical Roundup Begins

Olympia, WA - Washington's fall roundup of pesticides from large farms and commercial users will soon be underway, and last year it netted more than 1…

Flu Scare Calls Attention to Animal Health

Spokane, WA – Over the weekend, the number of suspected H1N1 virus or "swine flu" cases reported in Washington topped two dozen. While there's …

Washington’s Full of Would-Be Farmers

Seattle, WA - More people in Washington want to get "back to the land," by choosing farming as a profession. One program that made it through the U.S…

Deadly Disease Hits Some WA Beehives

Spokane, WA – Some Washington beekeepers have lost hives this year to "colony collapse disorder," the deadly disease that scientists speculate …

WA Chefs + WA Farmers = Local Economic Boost

For a busy chef or restaurant owner, it's a lot less hassle to order everything from a big food broker rather than seeking out small, local …

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WA: Sustainable Agriculture and Farming