Alien-looking contraptions with metal arms protrude out of farm fields throughout the state of Washington. Look closer and you’ll see gauges on the arms measuring all kinds of weather data, from temperature and precipitation to wind, dew point, solar radiation and humidity. The stations—part of Washington’s AgWeatherNet—relay data to a
Continue reading Which Way the Wind Blows: AgWeatherNet Gives Washington Farmers the Data They Need to Grow Greener
Washington’s Yakima Valley, a terrain of rugged hillsides and golden desert, is one of the top wine regions in the country. With an ideal climate for grapes and well-drained soils deposited by prehistoric floods, the valley is home to a third of the state’s vineyards. But the region’s many growers of
Continue reading IPM Research Helps Washington’s Renowned Wine Industry Get Greener
A weekly roundup of news and events concerning food, farms, the environment, local communities- and anything else that may catch our eye.
Beginning farmers are getting a boost from the USDA through a program that helps them gain access to affordable land. The Transition Incentive Program (TIP) preserves existing farmland and supports new sustainable agriculture operations
Continue reading Friday News Roundup 6/4/10
Recently I headed up an American Farmland Trust study where a team of researchers from the University of Arizona, Colorado State University and New Mexico State University looked at the potential effects of climate legislation on the agricultural economies in their region.
This was an interesting question to look at since agriculture in these states is very
Continue reading Southwestern Agriculture and the Effects of Climate Legislation
Before I came to American Farmland Trust, I was the Counselor to the Administrator for Agricultural Policy at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One of my primary efforts at EPA was to start the first-ever agricultural advisory committee for the agency so that they might advise the agency on how environmental policy issues affect
Continue reading Farmers and Environmentalists: Working Toward Mutual Understanding
On the outskirts of Wenatchee, a city in the heart of central Washington where golden hills surround endless miles of irrigated fruit orchards, a large apple-shaped sign reads, “Apple Capital of the World.” In a region that ships over 100 million boxes of apples a year around the nation and the world, education has been
Continue reading Education Helps Limon and Sons Orchard in Washington Go Natural
Good Afternoon,
I hope everyone’s week is starting off well. It’s been wet here in DC, but it’s good to be back in the nation’s capital after spending several days last week in the Midwest. One of my stops was at the 2009 National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention in Kansas City where there was lots
Continue reading Opportunities for Agriculture in Clean Energy Legislation