Agriculture

 

Washington rancher: Ecology’s ‘wetlands’ weren’t wet until I dug', Capital Press, Jan 13
Central Washington rancher Wade King has moved to more aggressively respond to allegations by the Department of Ecology that he excavated and damaged rare inland wetlands...What Ecology calls “wetlands” are actually ponds for cattle, King said. Ranchers once restored dried-out holes with horse-drawn equipment. Later generations used mechanized equipment. King said he grew up watching his father and uncle dig ponds.

Ecology not telling lawmakers whole story about farmer, consultant says, Capital Press, Jan 15
A Yakima water-rights consultant says the Washington Department of Ecology misled lawmakers by claiming a Spokane County farmer was fined for using too much water. Ecology mischaracterized the case against Bob Greiff in an email last month to legislators, said Tim Reierson, who worked on behalf of Greiff for nearly five years to resolve a dispute over where Greiff can apply water.

Two Washington farm labor organizations merge, Capital Press, Jan 14
The Worker and Farmer Labor Association and the Washington Growers League announced Jan. 14 they will become one organization. The merged group will retain the name Worker and Farmer Labor Association, commonly known as WAFLA.

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Washington Politics

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Washington AG asks court to block Trump admin's demand for personal SNAP data, KOMO, Jan 12
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has asked a federal court to enforce an order blocking the U.S. Department of Agriculture from requiring states to turn over personal and sensitive information about millions of people who receive food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

State says it caught all fraudulent claims from Washington fruit company workers , Capital Press, Jan 16
The Employment Security Department told legislators it caught all fraudulent applications for state benefits filed by workers at a Pasco, Wash., fruit and agricultural services company. Responding to allegations of widespread fraud, the department confirmed Jan. 15 it received a small number of false claims for paid family and medical leave from workers at Douglas Fruit Company and Douglas Ag Services.

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Climate & Endangered Species

 

Washington's gray wolves could see status shift under new legislation, KHQ, Jan 13
Washington state officials admitted Jan. 6 they overstated by more than 80% how much projects funded by cap-and-trade taxes have reduced greenhouse gases. The Department of Commerce blamed data entry errors for inflating the benefits of eight grants that helped low- and moderate income households buy energy-efficient electric appliances. The state reported in November the eight grants will cut emissions by 7.5 million metric tons and accounted for 86% of all reductions over two years. The actual reduction was only 78,000 tons, according to Commerce.

A homecoming for Upper Columbia River salmon, National Fisherman, Jan 16
In early September 2025, for the first time in over 80 years, members of the Syilx Okanagan, Secwépemc, and Ktunaxa Nations saw salmon returning to the upper reaches of the Columbia River in British Columbia...On the U.S. side, the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT) and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council finalized a plan, “Fish Passage and Reintroduction into the U.S. and Canadian Upper Columbia Basin,” aimed at long-term restoration of Chinook and Sockeye runs above the dams.

Future of Washington state’s climate-pollution fund up in the air, KUOW, Jan 15
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson wants to slash spending on climate change as the state faces severe budget pressures. His proposed budget would redirect $569 million from the state’s quarterly auctions of pollution permits away from the environmental spending those funds have been dedicated to since the auctions began in 2023. That half-billion-plus dollars would be used to shield state refunds of sales taxes for lower-income taxpayers from the budget axe.

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Trade & Markets

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Trump's tariffs push Canada and China to strike deal of their own, Washington Post, Jan 16
Ottawa has sought a thaw with Beijing as part of a larger effort to diversify trade as Trump threatens to use “economic force” to make Canada the 51st state. Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed a “new strategic partnership” and tariff deals with China on Friday, capping a visit to Beijing aimed at resetting a deeply troubled relationship and diversifying trade away from the United States amid President Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats against Canada’s sovereignty.

WSU economist: Bridge payments ‘insufficient’ to address tariff impact, Capital Press, Jan 16
The $12 billion paid by USDA in one-time “bridge payments” to farmers will help “marginally” in balancing the effects of the Trump administration’s tariffs, Washington State University economist Eric Jessup said. “But it’s a temporary help, and probably insufficient,” Jessup, an associate research professor in WSU’s School of Economic Sciences, told Capital Press.

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Research

 

Sieg Snapp named associate dean for research at Washington State University’s CAHNRS, Daily Fly, Jan 15
Sieg Snapp will be the new associate dean for research for Washington State University’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). Raj Khosla, the Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of CAHNRS, announced Snapp’s selection following a national search. Snapp will join the college on April 1, 2026.

WSU makes nearly $4B economic impact on Washington, WSU Insider, Jan 12
A new economic impact report by Community Attributes Inc. found the university’s total economic impact on the state is comprised of $1.75 billion in direct institutional, student, and visitor impacts, as well as $2.2 billion in indirect and induced impacts. Additionally, the report found that for every dollar of state funding the university received, it generated nearly $12 in economic impact.

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This week in history

On January 18, 1900, the Weyerhaeuser Timber Company incorporated, just days after Frederick Weyerhaeuser made one of the largest land purchases in American history. Years later, the company dedicated the nation's first tree farm near Montesano.[Historylink.org]