The Pacific Northwest Ag Network Report airs daily, Monday through Friday, during the 5, 6, and 7 AM hours on 920 News Now. Glenn Vaagen and the Pacific Northwest Ag Network team bring you the most in-depth ag news focused on products grown across the region each morning. They connect you with the latest research at WSU, OSU, and the University of Idaho, commodity group leaders, and state and federal lawmakers.
PNW AG Network News
Before Your Next WA Hike or Camping Trip, Read This Fire Warning
If you're heading out on the road or into the backcountry this weekend, there are a few resources worth bookmarking before you go - starting with knowing where the fires are in Washington and Oregon. Continue reading...
Jul 27, 2026
With Smoke In The Air, Outdoor Workers Need To Use Caution
Washington State is reminding outdoor and farm workers that wildfire smoke carries fine particles that can reach the bloodstream - and cloth masks won't stop them. N95 respirators are the minimum protection recommended. Continue reading...
Jul 24, 2026
Wyden, Merkley Call For The Quick Distribution Of Wildfire Funds
Oregon's two senators joined a bipartisan group urging FEMA to release long-delayed wildfire recovery grants - some communities have been waiting since fires from previous seasons destroyed homes and infrastructure. Continue reading...
Jul 24, 2026
Crapo Looks To Improve Idaho Water Infrastructure &
Senator Crapo introduced two bills this week — one to modernize how clean water dollars flow to Idaho, and another to help rural towns use water systems to fight wildfires. Continue reading…
Jul 24, 2026
Wine Minute: Importance Of The Research Projects
Julie Tarara from the Washington Wine Commission explained how ongoing research efforts are influencing wine production across the state in ways that go well beyond the tasting room. Continue reading…
Jul 24, 2026
Merkley: More Is Needed To Fight Fires In Oregon This Season
Five Oregon homes have burned this year, and the total acreage lost already tops all of last season. Senator Merkley is pushing hard to reauthorize Forest Service funding he calls still far too thin. Continue reading…
Jul 24, 2026
Farmers Market Minute: Education/Advocacy Both Locally & Regional
Oregon Farmers Markets Association board president Rose Williams Guevara wants more consumers to know the story behind what they eat, and she says that conversation needs to happen across the whole state. Continue reading…
Jul 24, 2026
Western Washington Farms Tour Set For Mid-September
On September 12th, thirteen Whatcom County farms open their gates for a free, self-guided tour — from dairy operations and flower growers to indoor vertical farms and aquaponics setups. Continue reading…
Jul 24, 2026
Tri-Cities Food Bank Awarded $200K To Help Fight Hunger
A Pasco food bank that feeds roughly 1,700 families every Wednesday just received $200,000 in state funding. St. Vincent de Paul plans to use the money to add more protein, dairy, and fresh produce to the food boxes they hand out. Continue reading…
Jul 24, 2026
Tariffs Against Canada Will Hurt Northwest Ag, WCIT Notes
The Pacific Northwest ships billions of dollars in goods to Canada every year, supporting an estimated 560,000 regional jobs. Trade groups are now pushing the administration to negotiate rather than move forward with a new round of tariffs. Continue re...
Jul 24, 2026
Blood Donations Are Needed This Summer
Blood has a short shelf life and can't be stored long-term, which makes summer donations more important than most people realize - especially for O, B negative, and platelet donors. Continue reading...
Jul 24, 2026
USDA Certifies the Farmers Innovation Fund
A newly certified federal fund is putting private money behind agricultural technology by connecting startup companies directly with farmers to road-test new tools under real working conditions. Continue reading…
Jul 24, 2026
Washington Households Continue To Struggle With Food Insecurity
Food insecurity in Washington isn't just showing up in lower-income households anymore. A new state survey found that rising costs across the board are stretching budgets well beyond the grocery aisle. Continue reading...
Jul 23, 2026
New Players Are Cutting Into Potato Markets
For years, Washington potato growers had more overseas demand than they could handle. That has changed, with exports dropping around 10 percent as China and India become serious competitors in the same markets. Continue reading…
Jul 23, 2026
Merkley, Bentz Look To Promote Renewable Fuels, Boost Resiliency
A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to expand the federal Renewable Fuel Standard to include woody debris from forest thinning, giving rural timber communities a new economic reason to clear fire-prone land. Continue reading…
Jul 23, 2026
Virtual 5K Raises nearly $14K For WSU's Rabies Control Program
A Colorado vet returned from ten days vaccinating dogs in rural Tanzania and launched a virtual 5K that drew participants from around the world and raised close to $14,000. Continue reading…
Jul 23, 2026
UI-Boise Hire Expected To Help Water Users Statewide
Kendra Kaiser spent years studying watershed hydrology at Boise State before taking the helm of the University of Idaho's statewide water research institute earlier this month. Continue reading...
Jul 23, 2026
OPINION: Empowering Women in Agriculture
From Capitol Hill visits to panels on agricultural trade and leadership, nearly 500 farmers and advocates spent three days in Washington D.C. celebrating women's work in agriculture. Continue reading...
Jul 23, 2026
Purdue Vet School to Expand Class Sizes by 50%
Farm communities across the country are short on veterinarians, and Purdue University is responding by planning its largest veterinary school expansion in more than a decade. Continue reading…
Jul 23, 2026
U.S. Dairy Applauds Tariffs on Canadian Dairy Imports
U.S. dairy farmers say Canada never fully honored its USMCA commitments, and now the White House is responding with a 50% tariff on Canadian dairy imports under a 1930s-era trade law. Continue reading…
Jul 23, 2026
