budgets

The USDA announced $27.6 million in grants for underserved and veteran farmers, ranchers, and foresters. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is celebrating its many successful efforts to prevent African swine fever from reaching the United States.

**Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a long-awaited reorganization of the USDA, creating two new mission areas and elevating the stature of rural development agencies. Perdue has expressed support for the creation of a new under-secretary position for trade at the department, and he made it official Friday, splitting up the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service that houses the Foreign Ag Service,

OLYMPIA (AP) — The Senate has passed a measure delaying a deadline for a reduction in the amount of money school districts can collect through local property tax levies, something school superintendents have said they need as they ready their budgets...

OLYMPIA  (AP) — Former state Rep. Helen Sommers, a Seattle lawmaker who served 36 years in the Washington Legislature, has died. The Olympian reports Sommers died Tuesday in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where she lived, according to her sister, Joan Coach...

The Yakima County Commissioners approved an agreement Tuesday, establishing new court protocols with the county's judges. . For months now, Court Consultants and County Commissioners have been discussing ways to improve their working relationship so they can avoid the problems that are currently plaguing another Washington county...