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BYOB: Bring your own bees — Video
Using mason bees requires year-round chores.
USApple launches online game to show the importance of ag labor
The U.S. Apple Association announced in a news release the launch of Apple Quest, an
Big hopes for a very tiny wasp
Washington researchers hope parasitic wasp can help slow the spread of apple maggot.
Okanogan County apple maggot boundaries to remain unchanged in 2022
Apple maggot quarantine boundaries in Okanogan County, Washington, will remain the same this year, while
Spotted wing drosophila resistance: ‘It’s getting worrisome’
Researchers look for ways to thwart SWD resistance.
Airblast from above
Drones present new spraying option for Michigan fruit.
Considering carbon capture credit for tree fruit farms
Economics and scale make carbon markets a hard sell for tree fruit.
Northwest Horticultural Council welcomes new technical communications manager
The Northwest Horticultural Council has hired Dan Langager as its new technical communications manager. For
New York set to lower overtime threshold to 40 hours
On Jan. 28, New York’s Farm Laborers Wage Board decided to lower the state overtime
Washington Growers League labor conference online Feb. 3
The Washington Growers League will hold its 2022 Labor Conference & Annual Meeting online Thursday,
Help wanted for hiring help
Lawyers point out pitfalls and potential liabilities lurking in the complexity of hiring farm labor in Washington in 2022.
H-2A workers must be vaccinated before they arrive
No more vaccinating H-2A employees after they arrive for work in the United States. The
California Association of Winegrape Growers President John Aguirre to step down
John Aguirre The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) announced in a news release the
Learning to lead
New training program aims to fill gaps in resources available for farm supervisors.
U.S. raises H-2B cap
The U.S. government has raised the cap on H-2B visas, which may free up more
Workers navigate overtime
As growers look to reduce overtime costs under new rules, farmworkers say they are losing income and looking for side jobs.
Apple exports face another ‘tough year’
Lingering trade conflict, port problems, variety shifts slow international shipments.
Motivated for mental health
Washington rural health care access law touches on stress management.
Ask the hard questions
Ag stress management programs aim to prevent farmer suicide.
North Central Washington Tree Fruit Days Jan. 18–20 and Feb. 9
Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension announced the schedule for North Central Washington
Blueberry, cherry pests the talk of Great Lakes EXPO, Day 2
Attendees are back for Day 2 of the 2021 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm
DeVaney: A new year ahead
After these unprecedented years, the tree fruit industry should take the opportunity to reflect on our successes so far and the opportunities ahead of us.
Washington specialty crop farms eligible for new program with free consulting, deadline Dec. 15
Through Dec. 15, the Washington State Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for a new
AEWR likely to rise again
If federal authorities follow the recent Farm Labor Survey, Adverse Effect Wage Rates will go
Good to Know: Dialing in disease control
Best practices for fungicide stewardship.
Justin Lyon, a young grower from Prosser, Washington
Justin graduated from Columbia Basin College and Washington State University and manages vineyards in the Yakima Valley and Red Mountain AVAs. He’s married to Brianne Holden-Boushey and is the son of Susan and Michael Lyon.
A new image of pest control
Camera traps monitor pests and inform decisions remotely.
Grab bag boom
Shippers adjust to increased demand for bags accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Putting IPM to work
Wenatchee Valley pear growers implement integrated pest management strategies to help control pear psylla.
Propane orchard weed burners exempted from Washington burn ban
The state of Washington has exempted orchard weed control by propane burner from a statewide
2021 cherry pesticide residue study now available
The 2021 cherry pesticide residue study from the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission is now
Labor apps on tap
Users share how they chose from a growing field of labor tracking apps.
EPA settles chemical accident prevention planning violations at eight Yakima Valley cold storage facilities
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled alleged civil chemical accident prevention and preparedness violations
No drivers needed with new tractor technology
Autonomous tractor technology begins marketing to Western U.S. orchard and vineyard growers.
Gebbers Farms to invest nearly $2 million in worker housing and local communities as part of mediation agreement
Gebbers Farms announced a successful settlement with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries for alleged
Epstein: Moving targets for MRLs
Maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides on fruit have become extremely dynamic and the Northwest Horticultural Council is working to keep the Pacific Northwest tree fruit industry ahead of the curve.
Berry gentle harvesting
Manufacturers race to build blueberry harvesters that can pick without bruising.
Growers casting wider nets when recruiting professionals
Fruit producers look beyond U.S. borders for highly skilled managers and directors.
Heat wave hits the Northwest
It’s hot in the Pacific Northwest and expected to get even hotter as the region
Affordable alternative for employee housing
Fruit processor solves worker housing shortage by building its own.
Before vaccinations took effect, COVID-19 spread on Washington farm
A total of 45 employees tested positive for COVID-19 on May 27 at Gilbert Orchards
Washington softens COVID-19 restrictions for farmworker housing
In light of high vaccination rates among Washington’s farmworkers and shifting federal guidelines about coronavirus
Listeria hot spots
Study ranks packing line locations for prevalence of pathogen indicators.
Thurlby: Make room for blooms
Cherry industry takes notes on last season’s success and invests in healthy markets for 2021.
Growing relationships and profits
How a people-first approach helped one Washington wine grape grower succeed in a pandemic.
Washington extends and updates coronavirus worker housing rules
Washington workplace health and safety authorities have extended emergency rules for operating on-farm worker housing
Changing the culture on the farm
Several tree fruit growers pursue certification and worker training with the Equitable Food Initiative.
A shot in the arm for the industry
Fruit companies begin vaccinating employees en masse in hopes of turning the pandemic corner.
Oregon extends bunk bed ban indefinitely
Oregon workplace safety and health authorities have indefinitely extended temporary agricultural labor housing rules intended
Prepare, and react with care
An enduring lesson from 2020: the importance of an established crisis communication plan.