Washington State Department of Agriculture

Live yellow-legged hornet intercepted at Port of Vancouver

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is asking those in the Vancouver, WA area to be on the lookout after a live yellow-legged hornet was intercepted at the Port of Vancouver.
agr.wa.gov

Wanted: Livestock Identification Advisory Committee members

Qualifications for all appointed members require that the candidate be a resident of Washington state and engaged in the phase of the livestock industry they represent. These qualifications must ...
agr.wa.gov

Spongy moth treatments begin in King, Pierce counties

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) plans to begin treatments to eradicate spongy moth caterpillars starting next week, weather permitting. In total, WSDA will aerially ...
agr.wa.gov

Protect Your Herd: How to Prevent and Respond to Livestock Theft

High cattle prices, driven by historically low herd numbers, are fueling a significant rise in cattle theft across the U.S. in 2025–2026, often targeting young, unbranded animals. In any case of ...
agr.wa.gov

$2.7 million in grants awarded to strengthen Washington state’s local food system

OLYMPIA – Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has awarded $2.7 million in Local Food System Infrastructure Grants to unlock new sales channels for local farmers, lower costs for small ...
agr.wa.gov

Licensed nurseries protect your garden and the state

It is officially spring, and many of us are itching to start digging in the garden — and some of us already have! It’s the time of year when the birds are ...
agr.wa.gov

State begins annual treatments to eradicate invasive beetle

OLYMPIA, WA – Annual Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) treatments to eradicate the invasive Japanese beetle are starting this week. The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is ...
agr.wa.gov

WSDA confirms first domestic flock HPAI case in Skagit County

OLYMPIA, WA — March 20th, 2026 — Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a medium-sized flock of backyard chickens in Skagit County.
agr.wa.gov

Spring Migration and Bird Flu

As spring brings thousands of migratory birds to Washington along the Pacific Flyway, it also raises the risk of avian influenza (bird flu) spreading through the region. Waterfowl such as ducks, geese ...
agr.wa.gov

Governor proclaims March “Washington Agriculture Month”

OLYMPIA – Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is celebrating agriculture’s vital role in the state following Governor Bob Ferguson designating March 2026 as Washington Agriculture Month.
agr.wa.gov

New World Screwworm: What every dog owner needs to know

You may not have heard of new world screwworm, but veterinarians and animal health officials are paying very close attention right now, and pet owners should too. A serious outbreak of this parasite ...