By Bill Lucia | Editor
Times were already tough for many farmers in Washington. Then came the war in Iran, which drove up fertilizer, fuel and shipping costs. “I’m not going to get into the politics … all I know is it’s causing some grief,” said Ed Chvatal, a wheat and alfalfa hay and seed grower in Walla Walla. Most Washington crops are exported, and the global marketplace makes it difficult for farmers to pass higher costs along to consumers, industry experts say.
Also in today’s edition…
Years after the pandemic, more than $500 million in COVID-related federal payments are landing in Washington.
Public health officials prepare for the World Cup.
And, a group of state officials pushes for greater transparency around tariff refunds, arguing consumers footed much of the bill.
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Winter wheat planting near Palouse, Washington. (Photo by Edwin Remsberg/Getty Images)
By Donna Gordon Blankinship
Even if the war ends tomorrow, economists predict it could be 2027 before fuel and fertilizer costs drop significantly. This all comes as farmers around the state were already dealing with pressures related to labor costs, water supplies and electricity rates. “The world can produce enough food for everybody. It’s a matter of what people will pay for it. Then there’s weather and political issues,” Chvatal said.
By Jake Goldstein-Street
Washington’s health department will receive $263 million in reimbursements from the federal government for pandemic response costs. It’s part of $538 million that Washington’s state and local health departments and hospital systems are receiving, according to U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen’s office.
The money for the state Department of Health is meant to cover COVID-era expenses like protective equipment for healthcare workers and patients, lab equipment to expand COVID testing and added staff at hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat, accused former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of holding up the payments “for no good reason.”
“These resources should have gone out the door a long time ago,” Murray added.
(Photo by Omar Havana/Getty Images)
By Shalina Chatlani
Health officials from U.S. cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup say they are preparing for an array of health threats when millions of fans gather for the soccer tournament in June and July. The World Cup is expected to draw between 5 million and 7 million soccer fans across the 11 U.S. host cities, including Seattle.
On Wednesday, officials with the Big Cities Health Coalition, a consortium of health officials from 36 of the nation’s largest health departments, said they are gearing up for disease monitoring and contact tracing during the weeks of soccer matches.
They aren’t fretting about hantavirus, which has been in the news following an outbreak on a cruise ship. But they are worried about the spread of measles, which has flared up recently in some parts of the country. Extreme heat, alcohol and drug use, and sexually transmitted diseases are among the other concerns.
By Kevin Hardy
An estimated $166 billion in refunds is owed to importers and brokers, after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump’s tariffs. While companies are receiving those refunds, it appears that many don’t intend to share the money with consumers, who paid tariffs through higher prices. Leaders in several states are demanding greater transparency and fairness.
“We’re the ones who paid it. We’re the ones that need to get it back, and so any system that doesn’t get it to the little guy doesn’t get it to the right place,” said Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha.
Blaha was among eight Democratic state officials, including treasurers and auditors, who raised these concerns in a recent letter to Trump. (No officials from Washington signed on.) “Many businesses seeking refunds transferred tariff-related expenses to consumers through higher prices,” they wrote. “A refund process absent pass-through costs risks directing public relief to parties unharmed.”
ICYMI
Federal judge asked to ditch WA legislative maps | by Jerry Cornfield
Fundraising effort saves patch of forest in western WA | by Aspen Ford
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