climate

The Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Climate Smart Farm Equipment Grant opens Sept. 4, and now is the time to prepare. Eligible Washington producers may receive reimbursement to help purchase equipment that improves soil health, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthens resilience of Washington agriculture. Funding for this grant is first-come,…

From the Pacific Northwest Ag Network The 2026 Washington legislative session is just around the corner, and in anticipation, state Senator Mark Schoesler has filed legislation that looks to make lubricants for vehicles and machinery more affordable.  Senate Bill 5856, he said, would exempt emissions associated with lubricants from coverage under the state’s Climate Commitment Act enacted in 2021. Read the rest of…

The Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) is accepting applications for partial repayments to ag producers or transporters of ag products who paid carbon fees related to the state’s cap and trade program on fuel purchases. Qualifying purchases are between Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2023. Funds will be issued on…

From the Capital Press It will be first-come, first-served when Washington distributes $28.5 million to partially refund cap-and-trade surcharges to farmers and haulers of farm goods. The Department of Licensing plans to activate a website and start taking applications for rebates Aug. 26. Applicants can file online or print applications…

From the Columbia Basin Herald Budget writers in both the Senate and House have suggested allocating $30 million for refunding farmers impacted by the Climate Commitment Act. With the climate program, fuel used for agricultural purposes was supposed to be exempt. According to farmers and truckers in Eastern Washington, that proposal…

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), in collaboration with Washington State University, is working on a Climate Resilience Plan to support agricultural producers through the effects of a changing climate. WSDA is asking Washington producers to fill out a short, anonymous survey by Feb. 23, 2024, to help the…

From the Capital Press The Washington Farm Bureau estimates farmers have paid at least $153 million and likely far more this year in cap-and-trade fees, even though lawmakers intended to exempt agriculture from the tax on fossil fuels. Read the rest of the article here.

From the Capital Press Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, outlining his climate agenda for the 2023 legislative session, said Dec. 12 he will propose “new ways” to push through energy-related projects more rapidly. Inslee, who last month decried “nimbyism” as a threat to decarbonizing the economy, said state laws for approving…

From the Capital Press Step by step, Washington state has adopted the main canons of the Green New Deal, a sweeping set of mandates aimed at reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Read the rest of the article here.

From the Capital Press The climate deal reached last week by Senate Democrats could reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that American farmers produce by expanding programs that help accumulate carbon in soil, fund climate-focused research and lower the abundant methane emissions that come from cows. Read the rest of…