Justin Parker has been hired as the lead buyer for Puget Sound Plants, according to a release from the company. He has 20 years of nursery industry experience. In addition to providing production strategies for their business partners, he will be purchasing nursery stock for the Maltby and Olympia sales yards. Aaron Bernhard has been […]

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is developing a new online portal to make it easier to locate and display import requirements, according to a release from the agency. The Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) is currently in beta-testing, and it has started with Plants and Plant Products Not for Propagation. The […]

Two scientists have been inducted into the Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Science Hall of Fame. ARS has been honoring senior agency researchers for outstanding, lifelong achievements in agricultural science and technology in the Hall of Fame since 1986. Plant geneticist Chad E. Finn has been posthumously recognized for his outstanding work with small-fruits crop research […]

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) has released its 2020 annual report. The summary of Oregon’s Strategic Approach to Conservation highlights the tools and processes their programs have used to help farmers and ranchers. The report includes a breakdown of their investments in conservation, as well as descriptions of 8 Basin success cases and […]

AmericanHort is offering two online series of educational seminars using recordings from Cultivate’20 Virtual. Each one has three lectures by notable thought-leaders in the industry and can be watched on-demand. Registrants will be able to access the material until May 1. The Pricing to Win series of lectures reviews pricing strategies that can be used […]

Bridget Behe Ph.D. will share new marketing research in a tHRIve webinar, Plant Benefits or Features: Which Cue is More Effective?, starting at 4 p.m. on April 15. Behe’s prior research revealed that young consumers are drawn to branded plant products over non-branded ones, and they want more information on signage. Her new research examines […]

Oregon State University Extensions Services is offering FREE online suicide prevention training for people in the agriculture community. The 90-minute program, Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), teaches attendees how to identify the warning signs of suicidal thoughts and get people to lifesaving help. Anyone who works in agriculture is welcome to register for the next sessions: […]

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture declared a disaster on April 2, 2021 due to drought in Union County, according to a release from the agency. In response, the Small Business Association (SBA) is offering small nonfarm businesses in Baker, Grant, Umatilla, Union, and Wallowa counties low-interest federal disaster loans. Qualifying organizations may receive loans up […]