WPC: 2019 Session Shows Importance of Ag Telling Its Story

If she had one word to describe the 2019 Washington legislative session, the Washington Policy Center’s Pam Lewison would use the word: brutal.

She said lawmakers this go around appeared to have a very negative attitude towards farmers and the Ag industry in Washington.  Lewison added legislation such as the Slavery Bill, H2-A Bill, or even comments on the Senate floor that farmers don’t pay taxes, proves there is a disconnect between real life Ag and those who benefit

“That east/west divide I think was very prominent during the legislative session, and beyond that I think the fundamental misunderstanding of food production in Washington state and how it goes from a farm to a plate, was clearly muddled.”

Lewison said many of those pieces of legislation will return into the futures, most likely in the 2020 session.  She said that stresses the importance of the Ag community sharing their story with the non-Ag world.  Lewison said the Ag industry needs help, she said while farmers are very savvy business men and women.

“They need a PR (public relations) team, I think.  And that PR team is kind of missing so far.  I mean there’s been pushes here and there, but not that broad spectrum ‘hey we provide a significant economic boon to this state, and our voices should be heard’.”

Lewison added for many in urban areas, farming has become the low hanging fruit, and very easy to pick on.

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