agriculture

Farm Worker Harassment Draws Increased Scrutiny

Liz Jones — Sun, 12 May 2013 23:12:35 +0000

In her green minivan, Angelica Villa navigates the farm roads north of Bellingham like a seasoned tour guide. She points out a cannery, a potato plant and miles of berry fields. Villa previously worked at many of these places and she rattles off story after story about harassment on the job.

Washington State Pressed To Save Honey Bees By Restricting Pesticides

Tom Banse — Wed, 01 May 2013 16:44:19 +0000

For about seven years, many Western beekeepers have been plagued by unexplained die-offs in their hives. It happened recently to Mark Emrich.

"I was doing great until about five weeks ago," he says. "Then I came down and opened up the hives and I had five dead boxes of bees.

Northwest Asparagus Comes A Tad Early

Anna King — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:30:28 +0000

PASCO, Wash. – Northwest farmers are beginning to harvest the first asparagus of the year this week in southeast Washington. That’s a tad earlier than usual. And after last year's farm-labor shortage, growers across the region are keeping an eye on how many asparagus workers show up for the harvest.

At the Middleton farm stand near Pasco, Washington asparagus – both purple and green – is selling by the pound to passersby.

Washington Farmers Encouraged By Senate Immigration Plan

Liz Jones — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:03:32 +0000

This week, something new is sprouting in the Northwest’s fields and fruit orchards: optimism about immigration reform.

Farm Bill Extension Leaves Out Many In Northwest

Anna King — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:45:10 +0000

RICHLAND, Wash. – Many Northwest growers are left out of the partial extension of the U.S. Farm Bill included in this week’s fiscal cliff legislation. The new law largely covers conventional agriculture and not the organics, specialty crops and conservation programs that our region’s farmers are known for.

A popular USDA conservation program encourages some farmers to turn their crop ground back into bunch grass or native forbs.

Northwest Wheat Growers Hope For Resolution At Grain Terminals

Jessica Robinson — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 16:58:22 +0000

Northwest wheat growers are hoping for a swift resolution to a labor dispute that could keep their grain from reaching the world market. Grain terminals remain open in Portland, Vancouver and Seattle, even though the terminals' owners have implemented a contract offer unionized longshoremen rejected.

Most of the wheat that grows on the rolling hills of eastern Washington is bound for the international market.

Grain Terminal Labor Dispute Could Disrupt NW Farmers

Anna King — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:53:08 +0000

A possible strike or lock out at Northwest grain terminals would have a profound effect on U.S. wheat exports.

Women, Hispanic Farmers Say Discrimination Continues In Settlement

Jessica Robinson — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:25:27 +0000

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a long history of discriminating against farmers who are women, Hispanic, Native American and African American. Numerous lawsuits have cost the government several billion dollars. The latest legal settlement is for women and Hispanic farmers who can prove they were discriminated against in the 1980s and ‘90s. But some of these farmers say the deal to make amends for discrimination is itself discriminatory.

On February 1, 1983, Rosemary Love was lying in a hospital bed. She had breast cancer. The doctors had just performed surgery to save her life.

Labor Shortage Hits Some Apple Growers Hard

Anna King — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 18:08:50 +0000

CHELAN, Wash. – The apple harvest season is starting to wrap up across the Northwest. Despite record yields, many farmers had trouble getting their time-sensitive crop off the trees because of a short labor supply.

Grower representatives at the meeting said their regions saw a 10 percent to 30 percent labor shortage this season. Several talked of nearly empty labor camps near Wenatchee and Chelan.

Consumers Could See Higher Apple Prices This Year

Anna King — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 21:57:00 +0000

CHELAN, Wash. – Moms and dads hoping to pack an apple in their children’s lunches might have to budget a bit more this year. That’s because even though the Northwest has seen a bumper crop in apples, elsewhere there’s a shortage.

The Northwest may have had a great season, but the Midwest and East’s apple crop got pummeled this year. That means there is more demand and increased prices for our region’s fruit, both for fresh eating and for juice and sauce.

In addition, local farmers had high costs this year.