Agriculture
Latest Stories
Judge halts controversial proposed chicken farm east of Salem
A Linn County judge invalidated an essential permit for a proposed chicken farm east of Salem on Tuesday. Local residents and farmers have fought for years to keep the farm from being built.
Food and Farms
This Oregon program seeks to unlock opportunities for Latino farmers and gardeners
Language barriers, limited access to land, and a lack of financial resources or federal loans and grants can keep some Latino people from becoming farmers. Hundreds have graduated from a Washington County program that seeks to overcome those obstacles.
Science & Environment
Invasive emerald ash borer could wipe out Oregon’s ash trees. Here’s how you can help
“Right now is a good time to identify if you have an ash tree because they are leafing out right now,” says an invasive species specialist. “It’s OK if you don’t even know what an ash tree is. We have a guide.”
Superabundant
How Oregon became a world-class cheese state
Blue, cheddar, bergkäse, Oaxaca, Oregon punches way above its weight on the global cheese scene. Meet cheese makers large and small and see how cheese helped shaped Oregon's history.
‘The Evergreen’: The Mexican braceros who saved Northwest agriculture during World War II
Facing a dire agricultural labor shortage during World War II, the United States made an agreement with Mexico: a government-sponsored program to bring Mexican workers to the U.S. on temporary labor contracts to help farms, as well as railroad companies, across the country. Over 15,000 of these workers came to Oregon, under what became known as the Bracero Program.
Food and Farms
Washington state’s blueberry industry faces an icy outlook as US-Canada tariff talks unfold
About 40 million pounds of Washington’s blueberries are shipped to Canada for packing or processing each year.
Oregon lawmakers punt on bill to prohibit new livestock farms in state’s most polluted areas
An Oregon bill to prohibit expanding or building new large dairies and livestock farms in the state's three groundwater management areas was tabled after a hearing in Salem drew strong support and opposition.
Science & Environment
Oregon farmworkers say they’re overworked and underpaid. They want a seat at the table
Oregon farmworkers want to be more involved in setting standards around working conditions and pay. But farmers say they can't afford more burdensome regulation.
Oregon Senate votes to make T-bone the official state steak
Oregon CattleWomen have championed the T-bone as the official state steak, due to its two distinct sides like Oregon, with a split like the Cascades down the middle.
Federal workforce
More than 5,000 USDA workers fired by Trump ordered back to work for now
The U.S. Department of Agriculture must temporarily reinstate more than 5,000 probationary employees fired since Feb. 13, according to a ruling by the Merit Systems Protection Board.