Newhouse: It’s Important We Pick Up Where We Left Off After Pandemic

So much of the attention in D.C., and on many farms across the country, is financial assistance to get farmers through the coronavirus pandemic, now roughly eight months old. But, Central Washington’s Dan Newhouse says it’s not enough for lawmakers to look at the present, but they much look to the future; a life after COVID-19. And to do that, Newhouse said they need to quickly pick up several key pieces of Ag legislation they were looking at before the pandemic erupted.

“We’ve got to continue working on opening up more market for our products, leveling the playing field with our trading partners, for example the USMCA that we passed.  We need to continue with some of the victories that we’ve had with trade deals.”

Other issues Newhouse wants lawmakers to take up sooner rather than later include water and ag labor reform. In fact, he said he’s working with others in the House now to determine the best way to move forward with the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

“All of those things that make for a competitive agricultural industry that we’ve been working on pre pandemic, we’ll continue to work on post pandemic to make sure that we can thrive on into the future as we get over this COVID pandemic.”

Newhouse added a healthy and strong farm economy is not only vital to the wellbeing of the Northwest economy, but the U.S. economy at large.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com