WSDA

This year, as in year’s past, the Washington State Department of Agriculture will deploy thousands of traps to monitor for Japanese beetle adults.  While the program traps around nurseries and farms throughout the state, most traps are placed at pathways like airports, railways, or transfer stations.  The Departmen...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture will host a webinar Tuesday, focused on preparing for Japanese Beetle treatments this year.  WSDA said the 45 minute on-line session will show those in impacted areas how the sign up for treatment, how to prepare for treatments, and know when the treatment is over.  The Dep...

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...

Following steady snow and rain over the past couple of weeks, the Washington State Department of Agriculture is reminding growers to be vigilant when it comes to the impact floods has on their crops.  While late fall and early winter is not typically a primary growing season in this region, certain crops such as garlic, cabbage, and kale that overwinter or are cold hardy can present food safety ha

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.   ..