Sandison: It’s A Very Challenging Time In Washington Ag

Across Washington, farmers, commodity groups, economists have discussed what a trying year 2024 has been for the agriculture community.

Add to that list the voice of Derek Sandison. 

The Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture says across the board, farming is very challenging right now.  Sandison noted there's a lot of concern about the viability of agriculture.

“The numerous issues they're facing; inflation, cost of production increasing, and labor costs, but the price farmers and ranchers and receiving it's not keeping up with the increases in in the in operating cost. So, I think that's sort of an overarching issue.”

Sandison said 2024 wasn’t a challenge only from a business perspective, but from a weather and trade perspective as well.  He noted the year started off with a cold snap the limited pear production, and to a lesser extent cherry production.

“Apple production for a 2nd year in a row enjoyed high production, but again, for various reasons, production costs one of them, but also continuing weakness in foreign markets like India.  We're just not able to move the quantity of products that we were able to do say in 2017.  So again, mixed bag.  Wheat prices are down, the yields were pretty good, even though we faced a drought year.”

Sandison said while this year was a mixed bag for Washington crops, the commodities put out to market were of high quality, meeting the expectations of domestic and international consumers. 

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