February 2026

Farmland Preservation in the News

• Local Farmer Declines Multi-Million Data Center Bid to Preserve Land Instead - While stories of hardship within agriculture and proliferation of data centers seem the most prevalent in the agricultural news, it is inspiring to see instances of farmers making the choice to prioritize the land over profit. 
  
  
• Washington Agriculture at a Crossroads: A Baseline Assessment of Agricultural Viability | Washington State Department of Agriculture - WSDA has published a phase 1 report regarding agricultural viability that will be followed up on later in the year to identify opportunities and produce recommendations to how agricultural viability in Washington can be improved. 

Trainings

• Northwest Land Camp - Land Camp will be taking place in Florence Oregon June 23-26 and registration is open!
  
  
• 2026 Washington Farmers Market Conference - Washington Farmers Market - Registration closes February 15 for the February 20 & 21 event at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton. 
  
  
• Growing with AI | Washington State Academy of Sciences - This six part series has completed 4 of the presentations, available as recordings, and two more in the weeks ahead. 
  
  
• Application to attend the Growing with AI Grand Challenges Workshop | Washington State Academy of Sciences - This will be an in-person workshop in Wenatchee from April 22-24. 

Agriculture in the news

• Editorial: Washington lost 3,700 farms in 5 years: Here’s how to slow the trend | The Seattle Times
  
  
• Washington nonprofit hiring out farmworkers as consultants | Capital Press
  
  
• Seaweed farms could change the math of ocean carbon capture | Anthropocene
  
  
• ‘It is not looking good for the Cascades’: Snowpack under 50% of normal due to warm, dry winter | The Columbian
  
  
• WSU agriculture economist: Area farmers face grim realities | Spokesman Review
  
  
• Dent bill aiming to address ag stress passes through committee | Columbia Basin Herald

Job Announcements

• SCC Job Board - A variety of roles at Conservation Districts across the state. 
  
  
• American Farmland Trust Job Board- Several fully remote options available. 
  
  
• Washington Association of Land Trusts Job Board- Opportunities with Whidbey Camano Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and Friends of the Columbia Gorge. 

Subscribe to the Farmland Preservation Monthly Newsletter, brought to you by the Office of Farmland Preservation. 

The Washington State Conservation Commission administers the Office of Farmland Preservation to address the rapid loss of working farm and forest lands in our state. Learn more: www.scc.wa.gov/ofp.