Community Supported Agriculture
Posted on 16. Aug, 2010 by lfehrenbacher in News
In an age where big farms, wholesale markets and grocery stores rule, a new and growing sustainable business model is connecting small farmers with local dinner tables.
Washington apple growers expect record crop, lower yield nationally
Posted on 13. Aug, 2010 by dominickbonny in News
By Dominick Bonny
The U.S. apple harvest is expected to be down 4 percent this year, but that’s good news for Washington apple growers — the state’s yield is expected to be up 5 percent, according to the USDA’s 2010 Apple Estimate released Aug. 12.
“We have a nice place in the market right now,” said Charles [...]
Stemilt Growers announces 2009 Grower Award recipients
Posted on 09. Aug, 2010 by lfehrenbacher in Happenings
The Wenatchee Business Journal
Stemilt Growers, Inc. announced the recipients of its 2009 Grower Awards during its annual grower barbecue, Thursday, August 5. Award recipients were selected based on the quality of the fruit they produced during the 2009 crop year.
“We honor our growers because they are kind of like the life line of our company,” [...]
Federal crop insurance expansion in Douglas county
Posted on 02. Aug, 2010 by Lance Henderson in News
The Wenatchee Business Journal
USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) recently announced the crop expansion availability of the Canola/Rapeseed Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) program in Douglas and Okanogan counties. Federal crop insurance is now generally available in most locations where canola or rapeseed is grown in the Pacific Northwest.
RMA also reminds Pacific Northwest producers of the fast approaching 2011 crop year [...]
USDA introduces new crop insurance policy
Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by lfehrenbacher in News
The Wenatchee Business Journal
Change is often for the better, and that is what the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) said it strived for in combining various insurance plans for the 2011 crop year.
The new insurance policy combines four insurance plans with similar features into one single policy. The four insurance plans [...]
Stemilt’s Mathison breaks down new compost phase
Posted on 15. Jul, 2010 by lfehrenbacher in News
From yard waste to tree food, Kyle Mathison explains the science, and the business philosophy, behind the new Stemilt Organic Recycling Center.
Small local businesses may seek disaster relief funds
Posted on 12. Jul, 2010 by Lance Henderson in News
The Wenatchee Business Journal
Non-farm businesses that suffered economic losses due to the freezing conditions and record low temperatures Oct.10-13, 2009, now have access to financial relief through low interest loans.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million for small agricultural cooperatives, private [...]
Unemployment rising, but not as quickly
Posted on 08. Jul, 2010 by lfehrenbacher in News
By Lee Fehrenbacher
In a May report from the Washington State Employment Security Department, the unemployment rate in the Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which is composed of Chelan and Douglas counties, is still rising but not as quickly as in past years or as much as in the rest of the state.
“There’s an old saying [...]
Migrant workers have deep roots in the Valley
Posted on 08. Jul, 2010 by lfehrenbacher in News
Washington’s tree fruit industry generates approximately $6 billion annually, and employs nearly 1 million seasonal farm workers statewide. Of those farm workers, 50 percent are estimated to be unauthorized to work in the United States.
Ag panel forecasts healthy season
Posted on 24. May, 2010 by lfehrenbacher in News
By Lee Fehrenbacher
Those in the know had bright things to say about this year’s expected crop yields.
During an Agriculture Outlook panel discussion May 20, West Mathison, president of Stemilt Growers, Bruce Grim, executive director of the Washington State Horticulture Association, and Karen Wade of Fielding Hills Winery, weighed in on the 2009 and 2010 crop [...]
