Washington State Farm Bureau Opposes I-1433

Washington State voters will have the option of enacting a new minimum wage law through Initiative 1433 this November.

Washington State Farm Bureau Director of Government Relations Tom Davis said the law could have an inordinate impact on younger workers, push farmers to mechanization and also has a trickle-down effect.

“As the minimum wage goes up it also pushes up the wages of the folks ahead of them in the wage scale. The problem for us in agriculture is we’re generally paying higher wages than minimum wage especially for the experienced farm workers.”

The WSFB has partnered with the Association of Washington Business, Washington Restaurant Association and others to oppose I-1433.

Davis said that farmers will be at a disadvantage as they have to account for more input costs.

“It’s going to make it even more challenging for our state farmers whose wage costs are going to go up and they’re going to have to continue to compete with other farmers, not only in this country but in other countries as well and it’s just going to make it more challenging.”

If passed, I-1433 would raise the state’s minimum wage to $13.50 per hour by 2020 beginning with an increase to $11 hour on January 1^st.

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