Glenn Vaagen

Hi, my name is Glenn. I'm the Program Director of the Pacific Northwest Ag Network. I've been blessed with multiple national farm broadcasting awards, receiving the 2019 Editor's Choice award, as well as the 2020 Excellence in Ag Reporting award from the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. I started my radio career as the Program and News Director at KMAX-AM in Colfax, WA. I also served as a reporter/anchor at KXLY-AM in Spokane, WA. Before launching the PNW Ag Network, I served as the Program and News Director for KBNW-AM/FM in Bend, OR. While there, our station was recognized for reporting excellence by the Oregon Association of Broadcasters in 2009. I'm a former University of Idaho football player, currently, I'm married with four children.

WSDA: Japanese Beetles Have Spread

Washington State Department of Agriculture officials confirmed last week that Japanese beetles have spread beyond the initial quarantine area established earlier this year. On Thursday, December 15th, the WSDA filed an emergency rule to expand the boundaries of the internal quarantine of Japanese beetle. The Dep...

Bird Flu Confirmed In South Central Washington Commercial Operation

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has confirmed a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a large commercial flock. The Franklin County operation first reported a high number of sudden deaths of chickens to the WSDA last week. Investi...

Gavojdian Joins WSU Through February

Washington State University’s Department of Animal Sciences announced earlier this month the addition of Visiting Fulbright Scholar Dr. Dinu Gavojdian. Gavojdian comes to WSU from the Research and Development Institute for Bovine, Romania. He joins Dr. ...

Newhouse, Bennet Introduce Last Minute Farm Labor Bill

In a last-minute effort to get H-2A reform finished before Congress adjourns, lawmakers have introduced a new bill. Colorado senator Michael Bennet, and central Washington representative Dan Newhouse, introduced the Affordable and Secure Food Act Thursday. Th...

WSDA: Check Your Trees, Wreaths For Pest

The State Department of Agriculture is asking Washingtonians to check their Christmas trees, wreathes and other purchased holiday greenery for invasive species. Last week WSDA confirmed elongate hemlock scale, Fiorinia externa, on out-of-state sourced holiday greenery. The Dep...

Inslee Proposes Funding For Central Washington Rail Project

Rail service in central Washington could improve thanks to a budget proposal in Olympia. Governor Jay Inslee has included nearly $15 million in funding in his recently released 2023-25 Budget for the Connell Rail Interchange Project. That pr...

News From China Pushes Oil Prices Higher

Oil prices have inched a little higher in the past week, rebounding from the lowest prices we’ve seen in roughly a year. A barrel of West Texas was up roughly $2 in Monday’s trade, hovering around $75. And while that is higher week-over-week, Patrick DeHaan with GasBuddy noted that’s still one of the lowest prices we’ve seen in 2022. DeHaan noted the recent swing higher in o...

Oregon Snowpack Looking Good For This Time Of Year

The Oregon snowpack is looking very good for this time of year, that according to Matt Warbritton with NRCS-Oregon. He noted that all basins across the state right now are reporting averages well above 100% for this time of year, with the basins in the southeastern corner of the state, Lake County-Goose Lake, Harney and Owyhee nearing 200% of average. Warbrit...

NW Potato Stocks Hit 157M CWT December 1st

Potato stocks across the Pacific Northwest total 157 million cwt to start the month. Potato stocks in Idaho on December 1st totaled 85.0 million cwt. Disappearance of the Idaho crop to date was 35.7 million cwt. Potato stocks in ...

PNW 2021 Potato Value Comes In Just Under $2B

According to NASS, the value of all potatoes sold last year in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, totaled $1.92 billion. Washington's 2021 potato crop sold was valued at $666 million, down 5% from 2020. The marketing year average price for fall potatoes was $7.75 per cwt, up...