Both new opportunities and new challenges are ahead for Washington farmers as the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold and reshape our economic, political and social landscape. Washington Ag Network's Glenn Vaagen joins Dillon from the Tri-Cities to talk about what he's hearing from farmers all over the state.

Washington dairy farmers are being told to prepare their workforce for the possibility of a statewide lockdown. Washington State Dairy Federation Executive Director Dan Wood tells Dillon his organization is advising farmers to prepare letters that employees can carry to verify their travel is legally allowed should a "shelter in place" order go into effect in the state. Recent federal memos designate farm employees among "essential critical infrastructure workers," but some farmers have expressed concern that workers may not feel confident traveling to and from farms if the state puts a full lockdown in place. Dillon also talks with Sustainable Connections' Food and Farming Program Director Sara Southerland about her group's efforts to connect small farmers with consumers in the face of COVID-19 restrictions. And Aneka Sweeney with the Whatcom Conservation District checks in with an update about changing plans for the district's upcoming events.

With difficult market conditions, many family farms in Washington have already been on the brink, and the economic fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak may be what pushes some over the edge. Colville, Wash.-area dairy farmer Krista Stauffer, who has grown a massive social media following blogging as "The Farmer's Wifee," tells Dillon sinking milk prices could spell the end of their family farm.

Dairy markets columnist Lee Mielke joins Dillon with a look at the latest info on production and prices, as well as analysis on whether the net impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing buying panic will be a net positive or negative for dairy producers.

Removing the Snake River dams would do more harm than good for salmon recovery, not to mention farming and the region's economy, says Todd Myers, Environment Director at the Washington Policy Center. He talks with Dillon about the reasons why, and why some environmental groups apparently don't want to accept the science on this issue.

Skagit County dairy farmer, humorist and prolific tweeter Dwayne Faber explains how the COVID-19 coronavirus is affecting global dairy markets, and ultimately the prices that local dairy farmers are getting for their milk. He and Dillon also ponder the psychology of toilet paper hoarding and the confusion over bovine coronavirus treatments.

After decades of dairying, Whatcom dairy farmer Mike Douma sold the cows and planted hemp. He tells Dillon how he and his family hope to make a business out of it despite the quickly-changing market conditions for hemp after its recent legalization in Washington.

With high-tech machines built into shipping containers, Cubic Farm Systems says it can change the way fresh produce is grown, for the better. CEO Dave Dinesen joins Dillon to explain how the technology works, and what it could mean for the future of farming.

Farmers can connect with new customers like restaurants, grocery stores and other food outlets at a meeting this week in Bellingham. Sara Southerland, Food and Farming Director at Sustainable Connections joins Dillon with the details on how the event works, and how farmers can take advantage of it to sell more of their products.

A Bellingham-raised tech guru moves to Acme and becomes a farmer, producing some of the most unique food products in the state of Washington. Devin Day of Valley Farmstead Rabbits and Neil's Big Leaf Maple Syrup talks with Dillon about how he's found his niche.

Washington Policy Center's Pam Lewison talks with Dillon about new bills in the Washington state legislature that could affect the farming community.

Could it be a "new normal"? Lynden-area dairy farmer and Whatcom County Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee member Jeff DeJong says the recent flooding of the Nooksack River may have been worse than expected, possibly thanks to sediment buildup in parts of the river. While his dairy and other farms suffered only minor damage from what he says experts are calling a "5-year event," the flow of floodwaters into the City of Sumas was a bigger problem than in past floods of this size.

Jay Gordon and Scott Dilley with the Washington State Dairy Federation give a rundown of bills proposed in Olympia in the 2020 session that could affect farming in this state.

Seventy-two years after her great-grandpa bought the farm, Ashton Beanblossom opens up about why Custer-area dairy RTJ Farm has decided to sell the cows. Dillon talks with her about the difficult decision and how other local dairies are facing similar pressures with major changes happening in the regional dairy community right now.

The Bellingham Food Bank provides fresh food from local farms to people in need, thanks to a growing collaboration with farmers. Max Morange, Emerging Programs Coordinator at the food bank, talks with Dillon about the importance of fresh food in fighting hunger in our community, and how helpful their partnerships with local farms have been.

Frigid temperatures, snow and icy winds slammed Whatcom County this week, but unlike most people, dairy farmers had to be out in the nasty weather keeping their farms running. Sisters Leea Rainey Heeringa and Lynne Rainey Wheeler join Dillon to describe all of the challenges dairy farmers face in a winter storm.

Farmers gathered on the WA state capitol steps on the first day of the 2020 legislative session, calling on lawmakers to listen to farmers as they make major decisions that affect their livelihoods. Organizer Rosella Mosby fills Dillon in on how the demonstration came about, how the event went, and some of the proposed legislation farmers are concerned about right now.

Wind gusts in northern Whatcom County could hit 80mph as a vicious winter storm slams the entire Pacific Northwest starting this weekend, says meteorologist Rufus La Lone. He fills us in on what the latest weather predictions show, and just how much we still don't know about what the week ahead could bring.

After over 40 years of dairying and growing dozens of crops in southwest WA, Jay Gordon is giving hemp a shot. At a time when thousands of acres are going into hemp production with the crop being legalized in many places across the country, Gordon tells host Dillon Honcoop what it's like to grow industrial hemp, and what major uncertainties lie ahead.

Could we be in for a major blizzard like the ones our grandparents talk about? It's quite possible, meteorologist Rufus La Lone tells Dillon, and the long-range weather forecasts continue to show it's more and more likely. La Lone breaks down when the storm will hit, and just how bad it could get if some of the most dire predictions come true. You can check out Rufus' blog, the WxCafe™️ at http://ovs.com

A community effort to improve water quality in Drayton Harbor has helped get hundreds of acres of shellfish beds back into production, and RTJ Farm is one of many that experts are recognizing as leaders in reaching this achievement. RTJ co-owner Sharon Tjoelker talks with Dillon about the things they've done on the farm to protect the watershed.

Whatcom family farm Boxx Berry Farm provided nearly 70,000 pounds of food for those in need in the local community. Co-owner Mike Boxx joins Dillon to tell the story of their involvement with the Bellingham Food Bank's Small Potatoes Gleaning Program highlighted in a new video from Whatcom Family Farmers.

A city in California is showing support for the theft of animals by activists who say they're "rescuing" them. Protect the Harvest's Dave Duquette joins Dillon to explain why they're doing this, and the threat that this activism poses to farms across the country.

Even though landowners are harvesting more of the imported elk than they have in the past, they'll never keep up with the non-native herd's growth, says Randy Good with the Skagit Cattlemen's association. He joins Dillon, explaining how the real costs of the invasive elk's damage is much higher than what's been reported.

Washington Red Raspberry Commission Executive Director Henry Bierlink joins Dillon with a recap of the latest updates from the Washington Small Fruit Conference in Lynden.

Detailed laws and regulations are in place to make sure people, animals and the environment stays safe when farmers use pesticides. Washington State Department of Agriculture pesticide investigator Kevin Jensen joins Dillon from the Washington Small Fruit Conference in Lynden to explain how they work.

As farmers become increasingly focused on soil health to improve their operations, one of the tools people are talking about is biochar. But what is biochar, and what can it really do? Local author and policy researcher Jack Petree has reported extensively on biochar for farming and forestry publications nationwide, and he joins Dillon to explain what it's all about.

The annual Washington Small Fruit Conference & Lynden Ag Show is Dec. 4-6 at the Northwest Washington Fair & Events Center. Dillon chats with event organizer Stacey Beier about what's happening at this year's event, and how people can still register to attend--as well as earn credits toward various certifications--by going to http://wasmallfruit.com.

Leroy Plagerman, Whatcom dairy farmer and Northwest Dairy Association board chair, tells Dillon the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement is a good solution to ongoing trade issues that have affected dairy farmers.

Gavin Willis, Whatcom Family Farmers' Outreach Coordinator, talks with Dillon about this week's Whatcom Farm Circle event that teaches local 3rd graders about farming.

After an early start, this year's Whatcom seed potato harvest took a turn for the worse when, as Cascade Farms' Blake TeVelde put it, "the heavens opened." TeVelde joins Dillon to talk potato harvest and explain what local growers have had to do to bring their crop in.

The growing "My Job Depends On Ag" movement in California has inspired a new TV docu-series tackling the challenges farmers are facing in that state. MJDOA co-founder Erik Wilson joins Dillon to explain how "American Grown: My Job Depends On Ag" came to be, and how the farming advocacy group rose to prominence on social media - MORE: https://www.pbs.org/show/american-grown-my-job-depends-ag/

Dairies in Washington are using new technology to filter manure water. Russ Davis with Organix, Inc. in Walla Walla joins Dillon to explain how the BioFiltro system works, and the benefits it has for dairies, other crops, and the environment.

The United Farm Workers union has strayed from the noble intentions of its founding, and is now harming the very workers it's supposed to protect. As the union increases its activism in WA, Pick Justice spokesman Jesse Rojas joins Dillon to detail UFW's exploitation and abuse of workers, including their own employees.

After suffering through low prices for years, dairy farmers are finally getting a reprieve. Dairy markets expert and columnist Lee Mielke joins Dillon with an update on why prices are near a 5-year high, and shares the outlook for prices in the months ahead.

Aneka Sweeney with the Whatcom Conservation District joins Dillon to share details of some upcoming events for local farmers and landowners.

Labor activists are challenging Washington's exemption on overtime pay for farm workers, claiming it's racist and saying that farming is dangerous. Scott Dilley with the Washington State Dairy Federation joins Dillon to explain why his organization along with the Washington Farm Bureau are defending the exemption as the case goes before the state Supreme Court.

Coldstream Farms in Acme was the perfect spot to test new water filtration technology, and farmer Galen Smith says the system will soon be able to return clean water to the Nooksack River thanks to the success of a pilot project there. He fills Dillon in on why he sees the system as a win for farmers and the environment. MORE: https://bit.ly/2mMxXsO

Fourth generation family farmer Ashton Beanblossom, herd manager at RTJ Farm near Lynden, tells us the recent wet weather hasn't hindered their corn harvest so far. Whatcom County dairy farms grow over 10,000 acres of corn that they chop and ensile to feed their cows throughout the coming year.

Farmers have been financially devastated by the EPA's bad science on dairies and groundwater nitrates, and Laurie Fischer, American Dairy Coalition CEO, says EPA Director Andrew Wheeler needs to take action before many more are harmed. She joins Dillon to explain why they're warning dairy farmers across the country to take this issue seriously and get involved.

The United Farm Workers union has been taking advantage of the people they are supposed to represent. Farmworker Silvia Lopez is speaking out against the union's dishonest practices, and shares her story with Dillon, as well as explaining why she's visiting farmworkers targeted by UFW here in Washington.

Several farms all over Whatcom County are opening up their operations for the public to come and visit. Abbie Lindeberg with Sustainable Connections fills Dillon in on all the details for this year's Eat Local First 13th Annual Whatcom County Farm Tour - MORE: https://eatlocalfirst.org/all-events/whatcom-farm-tour-weekend/

A new variety of red raspberries developed by Pat Moore at WSU Puyallup could provide answers to some problems that have nagged our region's commercial growers. Moore joins Dillon to talk about how his new variety Cascade Premier was developed, and how it fits into the long history of red raspberry development in the Pacific Northwest.

Juan Gavette has been raising, showing and judging animals ever since he was a kid on his parents' Everson, WA farm. He's won national awards and done animal judging all over the country, but he was back home in Whatcom County to help judge sheep and goats at the Northwest Washington Fair. Dillon caught up with him at the fair to learn more about what he does.

A fraudulent federal science study has caused major unnecessary problems for Larry Stap and dairy farmers across Washington state. He joins Dillon to explain the backstory, saying he and his fellow dairy community members won't stop calling for justice until the bad science is fixed. Find out how to help Larry and WA dairy farmers get justice here: https://savefamilyfarming.org/help-family-farmers-send-a-message-to-the-epa-we-want-the-truth/

Third-generation Whatcom County seed potato grower Melissa Bedlington-Kleindel gives us the lowdown on this year's season, and throws a little Bedlington family history in just for fun.

Overwhelming evidence shows the damage that breaching the Snake River dams would cause farming, consumers and communities without actually helping fish. Despite this, an activist group made headlines this week saying their new study supports dam removal. But is that really what the study revealed? Todd Myers, head of the Center for the Environment at the Washington Policy Center, takes a closer look at what the ECONorthwest report really shows.

The Whatcom County red raspberry crop suffered from wet weather during harvest, as well as damage from a late winter storm in February, local grower Todd Van Mersbergen tells Dillon. But he had a different outlook on the local blueberry harvest that's just getting underway.