Governor, State Senator have different approach to growing the farming and tree fruit industries

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson at farming, tree-fruit industry roundtable in Wenatchee, Oct. 11. Photo courtesy: City of East Wenatchee.

Gov. Bob Ferguson met with local farmers and tree fruit growers in Wenatchee to speak about the current economic conditions in the state's farming industry.

The Governor said it was productive meeting.

Sen. Keith Goehner (R-Dryden) participated in the roundtable discussion.

"The sad thing is that a lot of the problems that farmers are facing are the result of the government being involved in how farming plays out, not only on the farm or field or orchard, and when it gets to market," said Goehner. "My comment to the Governor really was that we need to roll back some of the things that have been the impediment to the success of farming."

The Governor noted that the state’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA), which created a market-based program called "cap-and-invest" requiring farmers in the state to reduce their usage of greenhouse gases, plays a positive role in the state's economy.

Sen. Goehner said the CCA works as a detriment of farmers and orchardists.

"The point that I've made is there is no one that cares more about the environment than farmers," Goehner emphasized. "We're continually, every year, when we raise our crops we're providing carbon sequestration. We're doing very environmentally friendly things. There's been so many things where the Climate Commitment Act has actually made it more difficult for farmers to be successful in doing the environmentally friendly things that we've been doing."

Ferguson outlined a plan to collaborate with Washington State farmers and to implement local farmers' concerns into his upcoming budget.

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Washington apples and timber are getting a boost this year thanks to $700,000 in state funds and three corresponding private investments totaling $102 million.

The Governor’s Economic Development Strategic Reserve Fund is revenue that comes from unclaimed lottery prize money.