Agriculture

Agriculture is the leading employer in our state. More than 160,000 Washingtonians work to provide safe, high-quality food for our dinner tables and for export around the world. Our growers market more than 300 products, including traditional favorites such as apples, potatoes and wheat, and contribute to the rapidly expanding market for premium wines, shellfish and certified organic foods. Our strategy to expand the state’s agriculture sector is based on these goals:

Promote Washington agriculture

• Promote Washington products and agriculture to other nations. During her first term, Governor Gregoire met with and hosted many heads of state, including the presidents of China, South Korea and Mexico, and the prime ministers of New Zealand and South Korea. She has also led multilateral trade missions to Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, England, France, Germany and Mexico. During a 2006 trade mission to South Korea, the Governor urged the removal of a number of trade barriers that limited exports of Washington asparagus, beef, coffee, potato products, tree fruit and wine, as well as other products.

• Work with international leaders to reduce export barriers. When Washington’s horticultural industry expressed concerns about India’s restrictions on the use of wax on fruit, Governor Gregoire secured meetings with the Indian ambassador and sent numerous letters to Indian officials. Those communications urged the government of India to delay implementing its new wax regulations until the science behind our use of wax on horticultural products could be explained.

Protect family farmers

• Keep our families fed and our economy thriving. In 2007, the Governor signed into law House Bill 1648, a measure that supports farmers by protecting their right to farm and helps keep their working lands profitable. This bill increased protections for agricultural operations, activities and practices by broadening the definition of agricultural activity. In 2008, Governor Gregoire signed into law the Local Farms – Healthy Kids bill. The new law made it easier for schools to buy locally grown food, which provides a market for local farmers and nutritious, fresh local food for children.