By Mary CoffmanLike all agricultural producers in the state, Washington’s wine grape growers have faced myriad challenges since the onset of the pandemic.Tasting room closures, hot temperatures, wildfires, inflation.“It won’t go back to what the market looked like prior to Covid,” said Vicky Scharlau, executive director of the Washington Wine...
By Jared BalcomDespite all the changes the nation has experienced over the two-plus years of this pandemic, the U.S. potato industry remains as committed as ever to fighting for federal policies that protect our businesses, our families and the communities we support. Years ago, when I first attended the potato industry’s...
By Pam LewisonFor some farmers, growing potatoes is about a passion for growing things and connecting with consumers.Reagan Grabner, of CSS Farms, is one of those farmers. His family is one of the more than 300 families who make up Washington state’s potato growers.“I was raised on a wheat farm...
By Mary CoffmanMore than 84.6 million pounds of hops were grown in Washington in 2021, a 14.1% increase over 2020.“We were all kind of surprised to see a record crop last year, after the spring heat dome, which hit when the vines were vulnerable,” said Maggie Elliot, science and communications...
It’s hard to prepare for the future if you’re only checking the rearview mirror.That’s why the AWB Institute has launched a new tool called FutureCast to provide employers, policymakers and community leaders with a forward-looking view of how growth is likely to affect Washington state and every community within it.The...
Before the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the world, factory workers were humming along assembling products just after components were delivered. It was called “just-in-time” production. It was efficient, predictable and cost effective.Today, companies scramble just to find parts, lock in purchases (and hopefully prices) and work around estimated delivery schedules. It...
Parents who have built a successful business and have raised capable children might find the proposition of selling the family business to the children compelling.As with so many decisions in life, this proposition comes with pros and cons, but properly structuring the transaction is always vital.At the outset, the parents...
Manufacturing in the two counties didn’t shine during the pandemic.According to recent work the Institute undertook for the Port of Kennewick, the most positive employment changes during the “shutdown quarter,” Q2 of 2020, were found in the following sectors: finance and insurance, transportation and warehousing, information, wholesale trade and retail.Yet,...
The soaring inflation rate has turned trips to the gas station, grocery store, shopping mall and restaurants into nerve-wracking experiences. Not to mention buying a used car or a sheet of plywood. But it isn’t just wreaking havoc on family budgets — inflation is setting off alarm bells for businesses,...
The news that President Joe Biden plans to resume leasing federal land for oil exploration maybe good five years from now, but that action alone won’t bring down record gas prices at the pump in the months ahead. According to American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average for a gallon of...
