Seattle, Washington-Kathleen Connors, President of the Washington State Council on International Trade (WCIT), today announced the formation of a state-wide coalition to support Congressional passage of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. 

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The need for clean water is a no-brainer but what is reasonable to pull that off?
That is the question in a bitter battle that made it all the way to the Supreme Court and that is now in the hands of Congress.
WFB's Clark Cowlitz County Farm Bureau President Bill Zimmerman speaks on camera to a Portland TV station about this important topic.

Brett Boyer of Oakville has been awarded a $1,000 college scholarship by Dodge division and Campbell Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep, Inc. of Centralia.  Boyer is the son of Grays Harbor/Pacific County Farm Bureau members Rick and Donna Boyer.

A student at Elma High School and member of the Elma FFA Chapter, Boyer plans to study Agricultural Business Management at Grays Harbor College. Learn More »

The Washington Farm Bureau has released its 2008 Vote Record to indicate how legislators voted on issues of interest to the agricultural community.

The Vote Record documents votes during the second session of the 60th Legislature and shows whether a legislator voted with or against Farm Bureau's position on key bills.

The bills on the Vote Record were selected by the Washington Farm Bureau Board of Directors.  

The vote record is published in LegisLetter, the Washington Farm Bureau publication that details the outcome of bills and issues of interest to Washington farmers and ranchers and the state agricultural industry.   Learn More »

Valoria Loveland, director of the Washington state Department of Agriculture (WSDA), is retiring, effective May 5, 2008.

Before serving as director of agriculture under two governors, Loveland served as Franklin County Treasurer, state Senator and chair of the state's Public Disclosure Commission. Learn More »

Washington Ag in the Classroom, a successful non-profit organization that provides a school-based education program aimed at enhancing agricultural literacy in K-12 students and educators, is seeking a part-time Executive Director. 

The position includes responsibilities of fundraising and support, the publication of popular “Ag@School” student magazine (three times per year), donor account management, administrative coordination, and assisting on WAIC projects.  The Executive Director also represents WAIC at meetings, trade shows and other gatherings. Learn More »

America’s farmers and ranchers take seriously their role as primary caretakers of the land. Because of the agriculture industry’s many efforts to protect the environment and wildlife, farmers and ranchers have much to celebrate this Earth Day (April 22).

Through the use of modern conservation and tillage practices, agricultural producers have greatly reduced the loss of soil through erosion, while at the same time enriching the earth.

As of March 2008, farmers enrolled 34.5 million acres of their land in the Conservation Reserve Program to protect the environment and provide habitat for wildlife. More than half of America’s agricultural producers intentionally provide habitat for wildlife, which has significantly increased many populations. Learn More »

The Washington Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau Federation welcomed the April 18 announcement that South Korea will fully open its market to U.S. beef consistent with World Animal Health Organization (OIE) standards.  

“This agreement with Korea has been a long time coming,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “Farm Bureau has been steadfast in its support for fully reopening foreign markets for U.S. beef in compliance with OIE standards. It is important that all ranchers are able to ship their beef based on sound and predictable rules.” Learn More »

The availability of land and farm facilities and overall profitability remain the top challenges of America’s young farmers and ranchers. However, they also believe they are better off today than five years ago, and they are more optimistic about the future of farming.

These are just a few of the key findings of an informal survey of young U.S. farmers and ranchers, ages 18-35, conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Overall, the 16th annual survey of participants in AFBF’s Young Farmer & Rancher Program, conducted during the 2008 YF&R conference held in Baltimore, Md., recently, shows the future of U.S. agriculture is in caring and competent hands. Learn More »

The Washington Farm Bureau Flood Relief Fund has concluded its donation collection efforts to assist family farmers and ranchers impacted by the December storms.   

The final disbursement of Fund contributions will take place in March by local Farm Bureau leaders in Lewis, Thurston, Grays Harbor, and Pacific counties.  Over $250,000 in generous donations were received by the Fund since December.  

It has been suggested by Lewis County Farm Bureau leaders that those wishing to assist in recovery efforts should consider a financial donation to one of two non-profit, tax-exempt organizations that have served the area well in the recovery effort: Learn More »