Washington agriculture

Mysterious illness takes down many dogs across Northwest and nation, labs don’t know what it is yet.

In a world of calamity and climate change, just don’t mess with my fries! A hundred Northwest farmers and scientists stood in a Quincy-area field recently to make sure the golden goodness lives on despite future restrictions on pesticides, diminished ag lands, limits on water and a changing climate.

It’s hot! It even hit about 110 degrees in the Columbia Basin this week. So how do dairy cows, with no air conditioning, stay cool?

The massive Northwest wine beast – Ste. Michelle Wine Estates – is dropping major fruit.

Light wheat is a problem this summer harvest in the Northwest. Farmers say the plants are stressed by heat and little rain. A fresh U.S. Department of Agriculture report says winter wheat crops in the Northwest are forecast to be down this year.

It’s peak cherry season in the Northwest. The fruits are typically grown outdoors in an orchard. This business in southeast Washington is doing things a little differently.

Across the Northwest crops are late. Cool spring weather has held back asparagus, potatoes and alfalfa. Even tree fruit blooms were late to flush open. Then, record-warm weather hit.

Northwest rancher Cody Easterday recently turned himself in to a minimum security prison camp at Lompoc just south of Santa Maria, California. Easterday carried out one of the largest cattle swindles in U.S. history, from near Pasco, in Washington state.

Northwest apples will be fewer, smaller and more expensive this year. Blame a cold spring, a challenging growing season. Farmers say they’re struggling under that darn inflation of everything.

The company that makes Aplets and Cotlets, the famous jellied fruit candy from central Washington, is calling it quits this June. Served up for Christmas…