A world-renowned plant pathologist has been named director of the Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser and assistant dean for the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland.Naidu Rayapati studies virus diseases in a variety of crops, with an emphasis...

Jim Harbertson sees through rosé-colored glasses finely-tuned shades and hues ranging from blush and coral to berry jam.Harbertson, a wine researcher at Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland, has become an expert in the science of pink-esque pretty.With the rosé wine craze in full bloom and warmer weather helping to...

Washington sweet cherry farmers reported a good crop this year thanks to a moderate spring with warm temperatures.The state’s sweet cherry production is forecast at 255,000 tons of sweet cherries this year, compared to 195,000 tons last year, or a 31 percent increase, according to recent data released by National...

Five-acre farm produced 65,000 pounds last year for Tom Douglas Restaurants   Jackie Cross had no intention of owning a farm in Prosser as she and her husband Tom Douglas spend most of their days on the west side of the state.As the owners of more than a dozen Seattle-area restaurants,...

By Paul G. NeifferFarm couples can be worth about $11 million and not owe any federal estate tax. However, farmers in Washington state are subject to a state estate tax which starts at a little more than $2 million of net worth and the tax rate reaches 20 percent at...

By Michelle DuplerBenton County and Washington state marijuana retail sales bloomed in fiscal year 2016, and the high appears to have continued into 2017, according to data from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.[blockquote quote="We’re your grandma’s cannabis store." source="Steve Lee, owner of Green2Go" align="right" max_width="300px"]Retail sales in Benton...

By Marilou SheaThis column is exclusively about one of our universally favorite things: food. Marilou Shea,Pasco Specialty KitchenIt contributes to our economy in all kinds of ways, from agriculture, processing and manufacturers, to talented entrepreneurs, cultural heritage, restaurants, food trucks, farmers markets and farm-to-table efforts.Farm-to-table is a cool concept but...

It’s too early to tell how the Trump administration will affect agriculture in Eastern Washington. But if the president’s budget proposal for the U.S. Department of Agriculture survives intact, it could chop a serious chunk out of the Washington Department of Agriculture’s budget. Derek Sandison,Washington Department of AgricultureThat’s what Derek Sandison,...

Middleton Six Sons Farms bought 15 carts for its workersThe asparagus served at several Tri-City restaurants likely features spears picked by experts at Middleton Six Sons Farms who have worked in the fields for more than three decades.It’s a lot of work to get the springtime favorite from field to...