Washington State Department of Agriculture

Excited for fair season? 🏆🎡 As you check out the amazing animals, let’s keep everyone safe and healthy by practicing some simple hygiene tips!
✅ Wash Your Hands: Before and after interacting with animals, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. 👐🧼
✅ Avoid Touching Your Face: Try not to touch your face, especially after petting or feeding animals. 🤲🚫
✅ Use Hand Sanitizer: If soap and water aren't available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. 🧴✨
✅ Keep Your Distance: Respect barriers and signs meant to keep both you and the animals safe. 🐑🚧

By following these simple steps, we can all enjoy a fun and healthy fair experience! Let’s make it a great event for everyone—both two-legged and four-legged friends! 🐴🎉

Get more info on animal health biosecurity at

Animal Health Biosecurity | Washington State Department of Agriculture Limit nonessential traffic on the farm.Post a sign at the entrance instructing visitors to check in at a central location, such as the farm house. Instruct drivers of essential vehicles, such as feed or milk trucks, to drive only where they need to go.

Emerald ash borer has been detected on both sides of Washington in Oregon and British Columbia. It kills virtually all ash trees wherever it establishes. One way to prevent it from establishing is to not move firewood. Learn more about this invasive pest and how to identify it at bit.ly/wisceab.

invasivespecies.wa.gov

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Save the Date! In two days!

Very cool!

Sniffing out invasive mussels to protect Washington's waters - Northwest Public Broadcasting Fin is about 4 years old and is a Catahoula leopard dog, blue lacy and Australian kelpie mix. He can inspect up to 140 boats per day. (Credit: Courtney Flatt […]

We're excited to offer you an easy way to stay updated with the latest news, updates, and important announcements from WSDA. By signing up for our GovDelivery lists, you'll get timely information straight to your inbox, ensuring you're always in the loop on what matters most.

View our topics and sign up today at:

Email notification lists | Washington State Department of Agriculture Washington State Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Building P.O. Box 42560 1111 Washington ST SE Olympia, WA 98504-2560

Wildfires can strike with devastating speed, posing serious threats to our livestock and farming operations. Here are some crucial steps to help safeguard your animals and ensure their well-being during a wildfire:

1. Create a Wildfire Emergency Plan: Develop a comprehensive plan for evacuating livestock, including designated safe areas and transportation methods.

2. Prepare an Emergency Kit: Equip yourself with essential supplies, such as first-aid kits, feed, water, and identification tags for each animal.

3. Clear Brush and Debris: Maintain defensible space around your property by clearing flammable vegetation and debris that could fuel a fire.

4. Install Firebreaks: Create barriers of cleared land or plowed earth to help slow the spread of fire and protect your property.

5. Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date with local fire warnings and evacuation orders to act swiftly when needed.

6. Coordinate with Neighbors: Work together with neighboring farms and ranches to share resources and create a collective fire protection strategy.

Your preparation can make a crucial difference in the safety and survival of your livestock. Stay vigilant, stay prepared, and stay safe! 🐄🚒💪



Get more tips from our friends at the American Veterinary Medical Association at:https://avma.pulse.ly/jz43crnrns

It’s fairs season. See us in Grandview and Lynden this weekend. 🙌

Come see our booth at the Yakima Valley Fair & Rodeo 🙌

In 2023, WA families used over $4.3 million in food access benefits to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and other staples directly from farmers and food businesses at farmers markets. This is a win-win-win for local families, businesses, and markets.

Happy National Farmers Market Week. 🥕🍞🍓🥔

🌱🍎 Field to Flavor Tour: Connecting Kids with Fresh, Local Food! 🍎🌱

This school year, Washington students are savoring apples and carrots that are likely grown just a few miles away, thanks to the expanding Farm to School programs! 🚜✨

Join us as we dive into the highlights of the recent Field to Flavor Tour, where food service directors, school nutrition staff, and key partners explored Casa Cano Farm in Valleyford, WA. This tour, part of the Washington School Nutrition Association’s summer conference, spotlighted the innovative ESD 101 Regional Farm to School Program, which bridges the gap between local farms and school cafeterias. 🌾📚

From fresh produce and nutrient-rich meals to supporting local agriculture and boosting community economies, this initiative is making waves across Washington. 🌟 Learn more about how local farms are partnering with schools to provide healthier options and strengthen our communities.
Swipe through to see how local farmers are changing the game and find out how you can get involved! 💚🌾

-Ed

Congrats Neveah!

This week's featured winner of our art contest is Nevaeh's (age 11) poster which won second place in the Grades K-5 category! The Northern giant hornet was first verified in Blaine, Washington in 2019. Washington State Department of Agriculture responded with a vigorous trapping and removal program. While no hornets have been trapped in the previous two trapping seasons, we still need your help to keep an eye out for them! Visit the department's page to learn all about these invasive insects and how you can help: https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/hornets

Have you seen this pest? Spotted lanternfly would pose a serious threat to Washington's iconic apples, grapes, and hops. If you think you see this pest, repoWashington Invasive Species Council. Learn more at agr.wa.gov/lanternfly

Spotted lanternfly Spotted lanternfly is an invasive pest not yet established in Washington.

For many of the over 4.3 million shoppers, their only contact with WA farmers is at a farmers market. Farmers markets are on the frontlines of teaching people, one by one, where their food comes from and helping them to create personal connections to farmers and specific places. Farmers markets help people care about food, farming, and agriculture.

Need help finding a market near you? Check out this awesome map from WFMA:

https://FindAMarket.pulse.ly/l2solu7on0 🌽🍅🍓

Find a Farmers Market - Washington Farmers Market 📍 Click red map pin or search list below map. 2024 WA State Farmers Market Directory available at Info Booth. 🥕 Check farmers market website or Facebook for vendors, special events, and other local updates. 🍓 Click for 2024 Farmers Market Directories by Region in English, Spanish, Russian, ...

🌱🚜 Big news from the Washington Soil Health Initiative! We’re all about working together to improve soil health through research, education, and hands-on help. Our goal is to show farmers and ranchers effective ways to take care of their soil, making it better for our environment and our communities. Through demonstration projects and doing long-term studies, we aim to create a more sustainable and resilient farming future for Washington. Come join us in making our soil—and our state—healthier!

Read the 2024 WaSHI Annual Report athttps://hk79fd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Annual-report24_Final-Spread.pdf

Learn more about the WA Soil Health Initiative here https://washingtonsoilhealthinitiative.com/our-work/

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Washington State Conservation Commission
Washington Soil Health Initiative
Washington State University Agricultural Education

We're getting into the early apple season, so please remember - homegrown or foraged apples must stay in the apple maggot quarantine area!

Are you in the apple maggot quarantine area? More than half of Washington State is quarantined for apple maggot. If you live in the quarantine area, you can't transport homegrown or foraged fruit into t...

August is ! We'll be featuring a pest each week that - if present - could likely be found during the month of August. Up first: spongy moth! This highly destructive moth has been known to kill entire forests in the Eastern United States. But in Washington, we've protected our trees from this invasive pest for 50 years! Learn more at agr.wa.gov/moths

Spongy moth in Washington State WSDA has been keeping spongy moth from establishing in Washington since 1974. It is WSDA's longest-running and most successful pest monitoring program.

📣📣📣Now open! Applications are being accepted for the Compost Reimbursement Program now until September 12! Learn more and apply at

Compost Reimbursement Program - WA State Department of Agriculture Learn about WSDA's efforts to help farming operations purchase and use compost products.

Our Compost Reimbursement Program will begin accepting applications Monday at noon. Not sure what it is and if you should apply? Check out this video to learn all about it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdTN6iEYL18

WSDA Compost Reimbursement Program Get an overview of the Washington State Department of Agriculture's Compost Reimbursement Program. In this program, commercial farms can apply to be reimburs...

We all see social media posts and bumper stickers encouraging people to "Eat Local" and "Shop Local," which are meant to encourage people to support smaller, locally owned businesses. However, not everyone can AFFORD to eat or shop local as prices are generally higher than big box stores because of supply chain costs and more.

With the We Feed WA grant, Helping Hands is able to improve accessibility to "Eating Local." By offering locally-produced foods at the Helping Hands Food Bank, community-members of all socio-economic backgrounds can enjoy the benefits of "Eating Local" that include:

-More nutrients
-Better flavor
-More environmentally friendly because food hasn't travelled as far and is usually does not use as much packaging
-Promotes a safer food supply - knowing where the food came from!
-Supporting the local economy

We so excited about increasing the accessibility of "Eating Local" to all members of our community through the We Feed WA grant!

Washington State Department of Agriculture

After our call to watch for Japanese beetles in the Tri-Cities last week due to the rising number of this invasive pest in Pasco, we have now detected our first beetle in Kennewick. Be on the lookout for this invasive pest and report sightings at agr.wa.gov/beetles

Japanese beetle in Washington State Japanese beetles are an invasive insect that attacks more than 300 plants.

Wild birds can spread diseases like avian influenza. Keep wild birds away from your flock to reduce disease risks. Get more biosecurity tips at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian or on our website https://agr.wa.gov/departments/animals-livestock-and-pets/animal-health/animal-health-biosecurity

If you suspect you have seen Japanese beetles, take a photograph and report the sighting at https://agr.wa.gov/beetles

Tri-Cities residents asked to report Japanese beetle sightings - Elkhorn Media Group OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Agriculture is asking people in the Tri-Cities area ...Read More

It's fairs season!

Hives on the move aren’t required to register with our apiary program, but if you have one, don’t forget to register your hive.

"I am a beekeeper and it's swarm season! If you see a large cloud of bees congregating somewhere or a large cluster of them hanging on a branch, sign, fence post, etc. DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED!
These bees are homeless, wayward travelers looking for a new place to set up a hive. They not only have no home to defend, but they are also full and fat on honey so they have enough resources to start fresh wherever they end up.
This is the calmest you will ever see a honeybee. If you see this, contact your local beekeeper and they will be more than willing to come get them! "

Credit: Dan Brown

Wildfires are a common occurrence during Washington summers. It’s crucial to be ready to evacuate, including your livestock. CREATE AN ACTION PLAN TODAY to protect your animals and farm. Follow these steps for a quick recovery. Let's stay informed and prepared together!

Congratulations to the six awardees in Washington selected for a 2024 USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant!

- Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin — $49,992
- City of Seattle, Office of Sustainability and Environment — $99,736
- Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation — $43,125
- Federal Way Public Schools — $95,737
- Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction — $136,078
- Tilth Alliance — $98,408

Selected projects include a wide variety of farm to school activities, including agriculture education and school gardens, support for procurement from underrepresented farmers and ranchers, education on native foods and development of culturally-relevant curriculum, incorporation of fresh fish and game into school meals, expansion of garden to cafeteria, creation of a statewide Harvest of the Month toolkit, and training to prepare more producers to participate in farm to school. See the USDA press release and list of funded projects for more detail.

USDA Makes Record-Breaking $14.3 Million Investment in Farm to School Grants | Food and Nutrition Service Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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