Is tomato fruit borer lurking in your garden? Or is Scots pine blister rust on your tree? Early detection is critical for protecting the state’s forests, parks, farms, and gardens from invasive pests and diseases.
That’s why WSDA’s Pest Program has a new project to be on the lookout for some of the nation’s highest-priority pests and plant diseases that are not yet known to be in the state.
The program will look for national high-priority pests including pests like spotted lanternfly, which has rapidly spread and decimated vineyards in the Eastern U.S.; apple proliferation phytoplasma, a type of bacteria that inhabits, impedes, and kills orchards; and the tomato brown rugose virus, which stunts tomatoes making their fruits unpalatable.
To look for these and other* pests, the WSDA Pest Program needs your help. They are asking farms, community gardens, parks, and even private property owners to sign up to participate in the project this summer. There are two ways to participate:
Summer trapping – WSDA trappers will place traps early in the summer and check them several times throughout the season. The traps will be removed in the fall.
Single site visit – WSDA staff will visit the site once to perform a visual inspection for pests.
Specifically, the team is looking for properties that will have one or more of the following on-site this summer:
Fruit or nut trees
Vegetables
Fruiting shrubs/vines
Ornamental trees/shrubs
While anyone in Washington is welcome to sign up, the program is especially interested in sites near highways or ports.
If you are willing to participate by offering your property for trapping or a site visit, please sign up to have your location considered. The Pest Program will review your information and contact you by May 15, 2023, to let you know if your property has been selected as a pest survey site for the upcoming season.
WSDA has a long history of looking for invasive pests to prevent them from establishing in the state. For example, the longest-running program is the invasive moth program, which has kept spongy moth (formerly known as gypsy moth) from establishing in Washington (despite numerous introductions) for almost 50 years. Public support and participation have always played a key role in protecting our state from invasive pests and diseases.
With your support and early detection, there is a much higher chance of eradicating or significantly slowing the spread of any new pest. --From the WSDA (details)
IN OTHER STATE NEWS HEADLINES:
AG Ferguson files lawsuit against Puppyland for misleading marketing of puppies, channeling consumers into predatory loans.
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today he filed a lawsuit against Puppyland and its owners for failing to honor advertised health guarantees and channeling customers into predatory loans with illegal terms restricting truthful reviews. The lawsuit asserts Puppyland misrepresented both the breeding standards of puppies it sold and the health guarantees they offered, while unfairly maneuvering buyers into signing predatory loans with interest rates approaching 200% without adequate time to understand the terms.(details)
Commerce awards $2 million to encourage innovative business and manufacturing growth statewide.
OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington Department of Commerce today announced $2 million in grants to accelerate manufacturing job growth and economic opportunity across the state with a particular focus on rural communities. Six businesses and four innovation cluster organizations were awarded $200,000 each through the Evergreen Manufacturing Grant program. (details)
No food in landfills is goal of Food Waste Prevention Week, April 10-16.
OLYMPIA –
During Food Waste Prevention Week, April 10 - 16, people throughout Washington are encouraged to find ways to reduce food waste, which will benefit the environment and save them hundreds of dollars each year. (details)
Annual trout derby kicks off, lakes open statewide April 22.
OLYMPIA – The lakes are stocked. The fish are tagged. And, on Saturday, April 22, anglers can enjoy the thrill of catching trout when hundreds of lakes open across Washington, and the 2023 statewide trout derby officially kicks off.(details)
DNR and American Forests Announce Statewide Partnership to Advance Tree Equity.
Seattle among first Washington cities to sign onto first statewide tree equity collaborative in the country.(details)
2) NEWS FROM OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION:
REPRESENTATIVES KILMER AND GALLAGHER INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL LEGISLATION WITH SENATORS KLOBUCHAR AND GRAHAM TO BRING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO ONLINE POLITICAL ADS. (details)
Central WA Gets $7M in Federal Grants to Conserve Water for Farmers and Salmon
Bureau of Reclamation awards $4.125M to reduce West Canal water seepage in Grant County; $3M to improve fish passage at Roza Dam near Yakima (details)
WA Gets $105 Million from EPA for Projects to Secure Safe Drinking Water
Money can be loaned to communities for water infrastructure projects like replacing wells, repairing leaky water mains, and improving water treatment. (details)
Senator Murray Statement on Biden Admin Strengthening Federal Privacy Protections for Patients Seeking Abortion Care. (details)
Democrats in Congress File Amicus Brief Urging Appeals Court to Prevent Dangerous Ruling Threatening Access to Mifepristone From Taking Effect. (details)
3) WORLD & NATIONAL HEADLINES.
WORLD HEADLINES:
Haiti: $720 million plan to support millions facing gangs, hunger and cholera.
Yemen: UN envoy welcomes mass prisoner release, urges push for political solution to war.
Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the Burma Regime Airstrike.
U.S., Ukraine Leaders Discuss Ongoing Needs, Continuing Support.
NATION:
FACTSHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration’s Record on Protecting Access to Medication Abortion--WH
Physician and Clinic Office Manager Convicted of Unlawfully Distributing Over 600,000 Opioid Pills
U.S. STI Epidemic Showed No Signs of Slowing in 2021 – Cases Continued to Escalate--CDC
4) BUSINESS HEADLINES:
5) On Focus story & Local meetings:
From the EPA: EPA Awards Nearly $1.5M in Research Grants to Reduce U.S. Household Food Waste.
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $1,471,426 in research grant funding to two universities to develop, apply, and test innovative and creative community-engaged approaches to reduce household food waste in the United States.
“Preventing food waste at home can help fight climate change and save money for U.S. families,” said Chris Frey, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The research funded by these grants will help us identify successful strategies to empower communities to reduce food waste while improving food security.”
When food is produced but unnecessarily wasted, all the resources used to grow the food (water, energy, and fertilizers) along with the resources used to transport it, are also wasted. Wasted food is typically deposited in a landfill where it decomposes, and the main byproducts are methane and carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases that trap heat and contribute to climate change. Reducing and preventing food waste can increase food security, foster economic efficiency, promote resource and energy conservation, and help address climate change.
The following institutions are receiving awards:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, to work with households in Raleigh, NC, to evaluate a set of household food waste prevention interventions developed by researchers and local health, food, and environmental organizations. This project will also simulate the impact of the interventions on environmental outcomes and cost-effectiveness for national-scale application.
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a series of culinary education videos for home cooks focused on food waste prevention and minimization. The project will measure the impacts of educational materials on food waste reduction at household and community levels and test national scalability.
LOCAL MEETINGS.
CLALLAM COUNTY MEETINGS:
Clallam County Commission work session for 4/17/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04172023-779
Clallam County Commission meeting for 4/18/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04182023-778
Clallam County Board of health meeting for 4/18/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04182023-777
Clallam County Planning Commission meeting for 4/20/23
https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04202023-780
City of Port Angeles Council meeting for 4/18/23
https://www.cityofpa.us/DocumentCenter/View/12973/CC-Council-Packet-04182023
OMC BOARD MEETING FOR 4/19/23
https://www.olympicmedical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AGENDA-April-19-2023-Business-Meeting.pdf
JEFFERSON COUNTY MEETINGS:
Jefferson County Commission meeting for 4/17/23
https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/18a684ad-1668-4de0-9a40-8d13ea2ac174
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
For 4/17/23
https://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=3532
