Many of the environmental efforts squeezing family farming in Washington state are connected to an assumed need for more fish habitat ostensibly to help restore the endangered Chinook salmon.

But what if this major push is actually based on a misdiagnosis of the actual problems hindering Chinook recovery?

Save Family Farming's Gerald Baron joins Dillon with details on his meta-analysis of several recent key studies that show habitat is unlikely the limiting factor keeping Chinook salmon populations struggling, and what that reality could mean for farming.

Saying it's not possible to survive financially the high cost of labor to harvest their fruit, another family farm is calling it quits. April Clayton, of Red Apple Orchard in Orondo, WA joins Dillon to explain why she and her husband decided to shut down the farm this year, and what might become of their beautiful orchards.

The latest Census of Agriculture data is out from the USDA, and Tom Vilsack, US Secretary of Agriculture, is calling it a "wakeup call." Pam Lewison, Center for Agriculture Director at the Washington Policy Center, says in many ways, the situation is even worse in Washington state than it is nationally, and joins Dillon with details.

The state of Washington's broken promise to Whatcom County farmers and now a sprawling lawsuit on water in the Nooksack River Basin is pushing already-struggling farms to shut down.

Dillon shares audio clips from "Losing The Farm," a new, locally-produced documentary sharing the story of Cascade Farms, whose owners were forced to close less than a year ago.

Deep emotion and harsh realities of farm life are on full display in a brand new documentary giving viewers an inside look at a local potato farm that chose to close in the face of daunting odds for survival.

Jeff and Diana Bedlington talk with Dillon about "Losing The Farm," which shares the story of their third-generation Lynden-area seed potato farm, and they open up about the heartbreak of having to let go of a legacy started by Jeff’s grandfather.

Farmworkers are losing money as a result of Washington's new agricultural overtime law, and they're not happy about the change that was originally promoted as a benefit to them.

Erik Zavala is a former farmworker who's now director of field staff for a tree fruit growers' cooperative in Eastern Washington, and he joins Dillon with more on what workers are saying and feeling about the situation.

Washington state Senator Rebecca Saldaña walked out of a hearing on a bill that would provide relief for farmworkers earning less money as a result of Washington's new ag overtime restrictions.

Maia Espinoza, Director of the Center for Latino Leadership, joins Dillon and says Saldaña's exit happened as farmworkers in favor of a bill to allow overtime flexibility were about to speak.

She shares with Dillon more details about the important hearing for farmworkers, as well as the farmworker rally that happened just days before.

Growing pears near Cashmere, WA, orchardist Alex Lanuza is a first-generation Latino farmer and former farmworker.

He joins Dillon to explain how the state's new overtime restrictions for farmworkers are forcing the closure of family farms, and ultimately resulting in the urban development of productive farmland.

Redundant reporting rules for farms employing guest workers, as well as a proposal to ease the burden of Washington state's new ag overtime restrictions on farmworkers were both up for public hearings in Olympia (segment aired 1/27/24).

Scott Dilley with wafla joins Dillon to discuss the details and what may or may not happen in the hearings, as well as the impact of the hundreds of farmworkers that rallied just two days before this interview.

Farmworkers making less money as a result of Washington state's new agricultural overtime law are unhappy, and gathered by the hundreds at the state Capitol in Olympia Jan. 25.

Just two days after the event, Dillon explains what happened, and what farmworkers are saying about the new law (Episode aired 1/27/24).