Pacific Northwest

Low tunnels aid strawberry growth, protect from disease and pests

Due to the cold, wet spring in western Oregon, the fruit hadn’t ripened at Strawberry Field Day in June at Oregon State University’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC) in Aurora. Under experimental plastic... more »

Washington State onion specialists to discuss weeds, insects

Washington State University researchers are hosting an insect and weed control field tour. The tour will be from 2-4 p.m. July 20 at the WSU Commercial Vegetable Farm in Pasco. The tour will focus on... more »

USDA looks at ports to increase export-import capacity

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced plans to increase capacity for exporting chilled and frozen agricultural commodities at the Port of Houston, to help improve service for shippers of U.S. agricultural commodities. The U.S. Department... more »

USDA opens container assistance program amid shipping woes

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin accepting applications for the Commodity Container Assistance Program (CCAP) as the lack of containers adds to supply chain issues. The CCAP currently... more »

Action urged on ag labor reform measure by Washington state’s Newhouse

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, hosted a press conference on April 27 with community leaders and advocacy organizations to urge action on his legislation, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. The groups tacking part included the National... more »

BioSafe Systems’ Gretchen Pettis goes to Pacific Northwest

Gretchen Pettis of BioSafeSystems will be donning a new hat within the company this year. In tandem with her role as an entomologist, Pettis will be providing technical support to the Pacific Northwest region of... more »

Viral proteins join forces to lower plants’ defense ‘shields’

New research, led by Washington State University scientists, into how viral proteins interact and can be disabled holds promise to help plants defend themselves against viruses – and ultimately prevent crop losses. The study published... more »

Ray Baker and his lifetime of research achievements in Washington mint

Used in everything from chewing gum to mouthwash, peppermint and spearmint oils are produced by the millions of pounds annually in Washington’s Yakima Valley and Columbia Basin. Based at Prosser, Washington, in the heart of... more »