washington state department of agriculture

Trade is always on the mind of Northwest Ag leaders, since the region is so dependent on overseas buyers.  But more and more, the American farming community as a whole is talking about trade, and what’s being done to open up new markets, or expand existing ones.  Derek Sandiso...

Now that the New Year has come and gone, the Washington State Department of Agriculture is reminding residents now is the time to sign up for Japanese Beetle treatments.  In the coming days, the WSDA will send out Japanese beetle treatment consent letters.  The Dep...

The agriculture community is still holding its breath that Congress will pass a one-year Farm Bill Extension, allowing lawmakers to address the issue in 2025.  But, what happens if the extension gets tied up in D.C. bickering?   Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Derek Sandison said the state will feel a direct impact in a variety of ways.   “Our ...

With cases of bird flu in cattle reported across the western U.S., as well as cases in pigs and humans here in the Northwest, health officials are watching the H5N1 strain very closely.  But, why is this strain so devastating for domestic birds?   ...

Across Washington, farmers, commodity groups, economists have discussed what a trying year 2024 has been for the agriculture community.   Add to that list the voice of Derek Sandison.    The Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture says across the board, farming is very challenging right now.  Sandison not...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has wrapped up seasonal trapping of invasive pests including Japanese beetles and spongy moths.   According to WSDA, after seeing a drop in trapped beetles last year, overall beetle numbers increased in 2024.  Mo...

Over the weekend, two Spokane County horses died from the neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) otherwise known as Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM).  This contagious, often fatal disease of horses has prompted the Washington State Department of Agriculture veterinarians to issue a warning for those who recently visited a local arena where other horses were present.   ..

According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, homeowners who live in a previous Japanese beetle treatment area in Yakima or Benton counties can now give consent and sign up for 2025 Japanese beetle treatments.  WSDA said southcentral Washington homeowners can get these free treatments by getting a consent form, either in English or in Spanish, filling it out and returning it to the

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has confirmed the first detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza this year in a commercial poultry operation.  The WSDA says a commercial farm in Franklin County reported high numbers of sudden deaths in chickens on Friday, October 11th.  In addi...

Governor Jay Inslee has proclaimed October 2nd as Taste Washington Day.  Annette Slonim with the Washington State Department of Agriculture said historically, the event takes place the first Wednesday in October as a way to celebrate the foods grown in the Evergreen state and served in school lunchrooms.   “...