farming Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

Willapa Bay Oyster Farmers Struggle As Shrimp Population Booms

By Molly Solomon June 18, 2019

Kathleen Nisbet Moncy is a second generation oyster farmer. Her family has been farming in Willapa Bay for the past four decades. CREDIT: KAYLEE DOMZALSKI/OPB

Of the 70,000 acres of mudflats in Willapa Bay, less than 10,000 acres are used for shellfish cultivation. Researchers estimate about a quarter of that farmable land has already been taken over by burrowing shrimp. But the battle over land between shellfish growers and the shrimp is not entirely new. Read More

Organic Farming Has A Plastic Problem. One Solution Is Controversial

By NPR News June 7, 2019

Lettuce sprouts amid rows of plastic covering the ground at One Straw Farm, an organic operation north of Baltimore. Although conventional farmers also use plastic mulch, organic produce farms like One Straw rely on the material even more because they must avoid chemical weed killers, which are banned in organic farming. CREDIT: LISA ELAINE HELD/NPR

Plastic is under attack these days for the environmental problems it causes. But sustainability-minded shoppers might not be aware that many organic farmers — like their conventional farming neighbors — also rely on plastic. It's spread over the ground as a form of mulch to suppress weeds, conserve water and aid plant growth. Read More

Critics Say USDA Plan To Move Agricultural Agencies Could Hurt Research Vital For Farmers

By NPR News May 18, 2019

File photo. Ripe ears of wheat lit by the morning sunlight. CREDIT: WSU News

A couple of federal agencies you probably haven't heard of keep track of what farmers grow, what Americans eat and how the country's entire food system operates. And the Trump administration wants them out of Washington, D.C. Read More

Farmers Nervous As Major Northwest Crops Are Weeks Late In Planting

By Anna King April 10, 2019

Grain silos outside of Connell, Wash. reflect in the mud puddles left by heavy spring rains. CREDIT: ANNA KING/N3

Several major crops in Oregon and Washington are significantly delayed from foul winter weather and a cool spring. Wheat farmers are having trouble planting in the wet ground. Potatoes are still being planted a month late. And fruit tree buds are developing slowly. Read More

Study Says Growing Corn Is A Major Contributor To Air Pollution

By NPR News April 1, 2019

An aerial view of a combine harvesting corn in a field near Jarrettsville, Md. A new study ties an estimated 4,300 premature deaths a year to the air pollution caused by corn production in the U.S. CREDIT: Edwin Remsburg/Getty Images

Researchers found that corn production accounts for 4,300 premature deaths related to air pollution every year. Ammonia from fertilizer application was by far the largest contributor to corn's air pollution footprint. Continue Reading Study Says Read More

Northwest’s Late-Winter Snow Means Nation’s French Fries Could Be In Danger

By Anna King March 28, 2019

Ed Schneider, 63, has grown french-fry-making spuds for 40 years outside of Pasco, Wash. He says in all his years of farming, he’s never seen planting be pushed this late. Most potato farmers have to dig on a contracted day to feed processors that run nearly year round. CREDIT: ANNA KING/N3

The fertile fields in Washington and Oregon, are just now drying out from severe winter snows not seen for 100 years. And potato farmers like Schneider are a month behind in planting. A cool spring -- along with this late start -- could throw Schneider’s yields off 30 to 40 percent. Read More

Market Saturation: Why So Many Farmers Markets Are Failing

By NPR News March 17, 2019

Nationwide, there are too few farmers to populate market stalls and too few customers filling their canvas bags with fresh produce at each market. Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images

Farmers aren't producing enough to keep up with the number of smaller markets that keep popping up, often in close proximity to others. This results in fewer customers, unsold food and maybe closure. Continue Reading Market Saturation: Why So Many Read More

Across The West, Much Is At Stake For Farmers In The Weekly Drought Map

By NPR News December 26, 2018

U.S. Drought map showing western U.S. for 12-20-2018

As drought has deepened across the West, much attention is paid to a colorful map that shows the hardest-hit areas. The scientists who update the map each week face enormous pressure to get it right. Continue Reading Across The West, Read More

This Pesticide Poisons, But It’s Still Sprayed On Washington Orchards — Including Christmas Trees

By Eilís O'Neil December 14, 2018

Cristina Campos removes damaged apples from the flume, the front end of the packing line, on Tuesday November, 20, 2018, at Gilbert Orchards in Yakima. CREDIT: KUOW PHOTO/MEGAN FARMER

The chemical’s especially dangerous for babies and small children because it can have lasting neurological effects. Chlorpyrifos can blow from orchards into nearby houses; parents who work in orchards can transport the chemical home on their clothes and in their cars; and chlorpyrifos can make its way into developing fetuses through umbilical cord blood. Read More

Mountain West Farmers Turn To Twitter To Discuss Depression Amid Concern For Their Well Being

By NWPB News December 10, 2018

Larry McMillan drives a combine as he harvests barley Friday, Aug. 24, 2007, near Moscow, Idaho. The region's warm and dry weather has provided optimal conditions for the continued harvest season. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Ranchers and farmers living in the Mountain West are vulnerable to all kinds of things—drought, fluctuating crop prices, trade wars—and in part because of those things - depression and suicide. But there's some help out there, from an unlikely source: Twitter. Read More

Northwest Farmers Anxiously Watch Federal Farm Bill, As Time Ticks On End Of Congressional Session

By Anna King December 4, 2018

Standing in bluegrass seed field, farmer Nicole Berg says the farm bill's Conservation Reserve Program is critical to the mix of incomes on her family farm. CREDIT: ANNA KING

Northwest farmers are anxiously watching Washington, D.C.’s lame duck session to see if a Farm Bill will be passed before the New Year. Continue Reading Northwest Farmers Anxiously Watch Federal Farm Bill, As Read More

Study: A Common Insecticide Is Harming Bees And Their Ability To Pollinate Crops

By NPR News November 11, 2018

A bumblebee outfitted with a unique tracking tag forages outdoors. CREDIT: James Crall /Science

Bees exposed to a type of insecticides called neonicotinoids dramatically changed their behavior — becoming sluggish, antisocial and spending less time caring for the colony's young, researchers say. Continue Reading Study: A Read More

Bye-Bye, Beer? Brewers Say They’ve Got A Plan On Climate Change Ahead Of Possible Price Jump

By NPR News October 20, 2018

The barley used to make beer as we know it may take a hit under climate change, but growers say they are already preparing by planting it further north in colder locations. CREDIT: DEAN HUTTON/BLOOMBERG

Newly published research predicting beer prices could double as rising global temperatures and more volatile weather cause shortages of barley created a big splash. But brewers and barley growers say you shouldn't drown your sorrows just yet: They have a plan. Read More

In One Generation, A Farmworker Family Grows College Ambitions

By NPR News September 2, 2018

For as long as he can remember, Angel Benavides, 14, has missed the beginning of the school year in Texas because his parents, Juan and Aracely Benavides, work in North Dakota until the harvest is through. CREDIT: ELISSA NADWORNY

For as long as he can remember, Angel has missed the beginning of the school year in Texas because his family stays in North Dakota through the harvest. It's weather-dependent, so there's no hard end; all Angel knows is they'll head home to Texas sometime in October or November. Read More

Insects Could Eat Twice As Much Wheat By The End Of The Century

By NWPB News August 30, 2018

A burn scar near Moro, Oregon, from the Substation Fire. CREDIT: ERICKA CRUZ GUEVARRA

Climate change might lead to bigger populations of hungrier insects. This could have serious consequences for grain-growing regions in the Northwest and across the world. Continue Reading Insects Could Eat Twice As Much Wheat By The End Of The Read More

In MeToo Era, A Yakima Valley Dairy Worker Finds Her Voice

By Esmy Jimenez August 23, 2018

The old DeRuyter Brothers Dairy sits in Outlook, Wash. According to state records, before it sold, the operation had around 5,000 head of cattle on 500 hundred acres, making it one of the largest dairies in the Yakima Valley. CREDIT: ESMY JIMENEZ

Maria Gonzalez started at DeRuyter Brothers dairy in February 2015. At the time, she was the first and only woman working as a milker. For Maria, working there was a step up in career and pay. But it also meant facing sexual harassment from a male coworker. It ended with losing her job. Read More

Watch This Native Pollinator Build Her Bee-Jeweled Nest

By NPR News August 20, 2018

A female blue orchard bee forages for nectar and pollen on Phacelia tanacetifolia flowers, also known as blue or purple tansy. Blue orchard bees are solitary bees that help pollinate California's almond orchards. CREDIT: JOSH CASSIDY

While honeybees and their buzzing hives and hyper-fertile queens get all the press for pollinating our food supply, the hard-working blue orchard bee is one of 4,000 bee species native to North America that does its solitary work in relative obscurity. That is, until now. Read More

Big Oregon Substation Fire Burning Lots Of Wheat — And Exports — For Northwest Farmers

By Anna King July 19, 2018

Charred grasslands from the Substation Fire near Moro, Oregon, Wednesday, July 18, 2018. CREDIT: MOLLY SOLOMON/OPB

East of The Dalles, Oregon, the Substation Fire has charred over 50,000 acres and is still spreading. A lot of that charred ground so far is golden, soft white wheat. And when grain burns, farmers can lose a lot of money – even if they have crop insurance. Read More

Native Bees And Alfalfa Seeds: A Northwest Love Story

By Aaron Scott June 29, 2018

The alkali bee has to "trip" the alfalfa flower's lower petal to access its pollen, receiving a floral bop on the head from the stamen. CREDIT: DOUG WALSH

Walla Walla County might just be the only place on Earth where you have to brake for bees. Continue Reading Native Bees And Alfalfa Seeds: A Northwest Love StoryRead More

In Central Washington, Housing Crunch Exacerbated By Need For Foreign Farm Labor

By Esmy Jimenez June 11, 2018

Black and white photo of a Yakima neighborhood with text saying no vacancy

The housing shortage in Yakima is coupled with a farm labor shortage. When workers do come, where do they live? The largest farmworker complex in the state opened in Yakima this month. The revamped FairBridge hotel now hosts 800 beds for temporary farm workers. As it opens, critics think it may set a dangerous precedent: Other farmers might start buying up area housing for Read More

Northwest Farmers Fret Over Farm Bill, Crop Insurance

By Anna King May 23, 2018

The U.S. House of Representatives recently failed to pass a farm bill and Northwest farmers are worried that the process is not plowing ahead. Continue Reading Northwest Farmers Fret Over Farm Bill, Crop InsuranceRead More

Could Blue Bees Be Better For Northwest Crops?

By Esmy Jimenez April 27, 2018

Osmia lignaria or the blue orchard bee visits a blossom. While it won’t make honey, this bee is a superior pollinator than the honey bee. Credit: Natalie Boyle/US Department of Agriculture.

Honey bees are struggling with habitat loss, colony collapse disorder, and other challenges. One Northwest beekeeper is rethinking the kinds of bees we use to pollinate crops in the first place. Continue Reading Could Blue Bees Be Better For Northwest Crops?Read More

Like Your Fresh Washington Apples And Blueberries? Thank A Falcon For Keeping Away The Pests

By Esmy Jimenez April 13, 2018

A hooded falcon of Brad Felger used in his business

In the Northwest, we’re gearing up for a season of fresh berries, cherries, apples, and much more. Farmers of course want to avoid anything that could hurt crops: cold temperatures, tough tariffs, or even … pesky birds. Forget the clowns. Send in the falcons. Read More

Youth Farm In Hawaii Is Growing Food And Leaders

By NPR News March 28, 2018

Cheryse Sana, left, and Derrik Parker were interns 10 years ago and now help manage the farm's current interns as well as run the day-to-day operations. CREDIT: DAKOTA KIM

The program practices tough love — Hawaiians call it kuleana, or a sense of personal responsibility. Kids commit to more than two years of work, and get free college tuition for their "sweat equity." Continue Reading Youth Farm In Hawaii Is Growing Read More

Important Activist – Yet Largely Unknown

By Tom Hungate March 9, 2018

Independent Lens Presents “Dolores” on KTNW-TV One of the most important, yet least known, activists of our time, Dolores Huerta was an equal partner in founding the first farm workers union with César Chávez. Fighting for racial and labor justice, Huerta evolved into one of the most defiant feminists of the 20th century and she continues… Read More

Northwest Farmers Hope Tender Fruit Buds Can Withstand Cold Snap

By Anna King February 23, 2018

Ric Valicoff slices open tender fruit buds to see how his trees are doing in this arctic cold. CREDIT: ANNA KING

The recent bite of arctic air is causing real worry for Northwest fruit farmers. They’re fretting over their trees’ tender buds. And it all might get worse as things warm up. Continue Reading Northwest Farmers Hope Tender Fruit Buds Can Read More

These Citizen-Regulators In Arkansas Defied Monsanto. Now They’re Under Attack

By NPR News February 14, 2018

In Arkansas, a regulatory committee of farmers and small-business owners banned the latest weed-killing technology from the giant agrichemical company. Monsanto is taking them to court. Continue Reading These Citizen-Regulators In Arkansas Defied Read More

Northwest Farmers Worry As Fruit Buds ‘Push’ Early

By Anna King February 13, 2018

Workers prune back grape vines at McNary Vineyard outside of Plymouth, Washington. CREDIT: ANNA KING

East of the Cascades in Washington and Oregon -- it’s been about 5 to 10 degrees warmer than normal for most of the winter. And those usually warm conditions have buds on fruit trees and grapevines starting to “push,” or emerge early. That has farmers worried. Read More

Fighting For Compensation: How Well Is L&I Hearing Latino Farmworkers?

By Esmy Jimenez January 5, 2018

Six years ago, Jose Luis Mendoza lost part of his left leg, and with it, the ability to work as a farm laborer. He now has a lawyer trying to help him get full compensation from the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries. Continue Reading Read More

Reviving the Past

By McKayla Fox December 18, 2017

Reviving the Past Ben Harlow rescued a 1948 Gibson tractor from a neighbor’s overgrown field, took it apart and put it back together again. Ben’s tractor could probably win awards at shows but he prefers to use it as intended, in the field. Full Transcript [Announcer] Throughout the inland Northwest, there are people like Ben… Read More

International Push Aims To Put More Pulse Crops On Your Table

By Courtney Flatt May 23, 2016

Asparagus hummus at Black Cypress restaurant in Pullman. The 2016 International Year of the Pulse aims to put more of the crops — chickpeas, lentils, dried peas and beans — onto your table. Photo credit: Courtney Flatt Listen If you’ve ever had chickpeas, lentils, or dry peas and beans, you’ve eaten pulses. Some think… Read More

StoryCorps Northwest: Brains and Brawn, Farming In The Yakima Valley

By Sueann Ramella August 28, 2013

Charlie de la Chapelle (L) Cragg Gilbert (R) CREDIT STORYCORPS Listen When you think of farming in America, you may think of golden fields, red barns and abundant orchards. You may imagine a farmer in overalls, sitting on a tractor. But what about a farmer sitting in class — at a university? Cragg Gilbert… Read More