Child categories
| Category | Path |
|---|---|
| Front-page-slider | /BBJ NAV/Front-page-slider |
| News | /BBJ NAV/News |
Ellensburg celebrates new economic partnership with CWU
ELLENSBURG – Central Washington University, Kittitas County and the City of Ellensburg have partnered to work toward economic development and work toward economic innovation. This strategic collaboration will soon be realized through the remodeling of the historic Old Heat facility, which will be updated into a technology transfer hub with the hope that it prompts economic growth. At a project kickoff event held April 29, representatives from CWU and local government officials gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking initiative it is hoped will generate high-wage jobs and stimulate local industries. “The opportunity to bring together networks of technology subject matter experts with investors and entrepreneurs is critical for the region,” Rob Ogburn, Executive Director of CWU’s Business and Community Services said.
Newhouse reintroduces Farm Workforce Modernization Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan bill to make hiring and retaining foreign farm workers more feasible was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives May 7 by Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-WA, and Zoe Lofgren, D-CA. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2025 would establish a new category for foreign nationals living in the U.S. and working on farms and ranches. To qualify as a certified agricultural worker, or CAW, an immigrant would have to have worked in the U.S. for at least 180 days in the last two years and be inadmissible or deportable but be under a grant of deferred departure or hold temporary protected status, according to a fact sheet from Newhouse’s office. A CAW’s spouse and children could also be eligible to remain in the U.S. as certified agricultural dependents. A CAW would be eligible to work in the U.S. year-round, unlike seasonal workers admitted under the H2-A visa program. “In the past few years, we’ve seen labor shortages contribute to high food prices. If it wasn’t obvious before, the pandemic made clear that our country’s agricultural workforce rules are in dire need of reform,” Lofgren wrote in a statement. “The men and women who work America’s farms feed the nation. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act stabilizes the workforce, which will protect the future of our farms and our food supply. It’s well past time we get this legislation that serves the best interests of our country to the president’s desk.”
Khosla appointed as dean of the CAHNRS
ELLENSBURG – Raj Khosla, a globally recognized researcher on precision agriculture with extensive leadership expertise, has been named the Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of Washington State University’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. WSU Provost and Executive Vice President T. Chris Riley-Tillman announced Khosla’s selection May 14. Khosla will join the college, referred to at WSU by the acronym CAHNRS, on Sept. 1, 2025. “President Cantwell and I are delighted to welcome Dr. Khosla to Washington State University,” said Riley-Tillman. “His visionary leadership and proven ability to guide a large academic enterprise will further strengthen CAHNRS. We are confident that under Dr. Khosla’s leadership, CAHNRS will continue its storied legacy and advance WSU’s land-grant mission of serving all people through education, research, and service.” As the Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean, Khosla will lead CAHNRS in developing a clear vision that enhances the college’s teaching, research, Extension, and outreach initiatives. His leadership will leverage CAHNRS’s interdisciplinary expertise and past achievements to promote academic excellence, foster a dynamic research environment, and elevate its regional, national, and global impact.
Dedicated to the art of bareback riding
MOSES LAKE – The rodeo has been a popular attraction since the late 1800s. Popular at county fairs, families and friends gather for a fun night of entertainment. For Mason Payne, he’s followed the rodeo since he was 14 years old. “I grew up around it, it was always around me. My Grandpa Red used to own a stock contracting business called CNC Rodeo, and he had a lot of open rodeos,” Payne said. “I used to jump in with him, and he’d take me all over the place, and we’d be gone for the weekend, and I got to watch all those guys get on bulls and get on bucking horses.” He started out riding bulls, his grandpa showed him the ropes, and Payne took to it quickly. According to Payne, a lot of his time was spent at rodeos and practicing bull riding on their ranch.
Columbia Basin Rodeo Guide 2025
Rodeo season is underway and it seems like there’s one around every corner. Here’s where the buckin’ and ridin’ is happening in your neck of the woods:
Summer weather conditions require measures to reduce risk to outdoor workers
MATTAWA — Working outdoors in the summer can present challenges from hot temperatures or smoky conditions caused by wildfires. It’s recommended that people stay inside when heat or smoke conditions exceed specific limits. While technology has changed farming techniques for many crops, staying out of the elements isn’t always possible for farmers and farmworkers. There are ways to reduce the risks posed by hot or smoky weather, which are reflected in work rules adopted by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries. “The rules are based on best practices that protect workers from identified hazards that come with outdoor work in Washington,” wrote Dina Lorraine, communications consultant for L&I. “They evolved through the rulemaking process which involved extensive stakeholder conversations with workers, businesses, and others to establish what is needed from the worker perspective and feasible from the business side, while ensuring workers have adequate protection on the job.”
Cherry harvest expected to be strong
CASHMERE — Cherries are looking good this year, said Jon DeVaney, executive director of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association. “We’re looking at a crop that will be a bit bigger than last year’s,” DeVaney said. “We had some weather problems that compressed the crop in 2023, and so having a more normal crop last year was good. It was about 19.5 million (boxes). We’re looking now at a forecast of about 21.4 million, not the biggest crop we’ve ever had but about 10% bigger than last year.” That figure is for the harvest in five states, DeVaney said: Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho and Montana. About 81% of the cherries sold in those states are grown in Washington, he said. Conditions for growing have been favorable, said Pasco grower Shawn Gay.
WSU, Cornell demonstrate high-tech gas monitoring system at dairy farm
ROYAL CITY — Dairy farming is taking a step into a lower-carbon future, researchers from Washington State University and Cornell University said at Royal Dairy near Royal City May 31. “There was a big push on the carbon footprint from dairy farms in the last 10 years,” said Dr. Francisco Leal-Yepes of Cornell University at the Climate-Smart Dairy Farming Research and Development Field Day at Royal Dairy. “Dairy farmers are actually doing a great job to reduce their footprint, not only in terms of reducing methane emissions but also resource use.” The event showcased a system that Washington State University researchers have developed to measure emissions from cattle. It’s an adaptation of WSU’s (Ag Weather Network) Smart Farms network of private weather stations that allow growers to monitor weather conditions statewide in real time.
Summer resorts and vacation guide
For those already on vacation or looking for a summer getaway, Eastern Washington and the surrounding area feature a variety of resorts, casinos and vacation spots that can be enjoyed.
Commodity report for June 18, 2025
Onions, potatoes, fruit and cattle
