SENATE RESOLUTION

                         1996-8680

By Senators Rasmussen, Spanel, Cantu, Haugen and Kohl

     WHEREAS, Washington is home to 930 dairy farms and 263,000 dairy cows; and

     WHEREAS, Washington's dairy cows are the third most productive in America, averaging more than 3,800 pounds of milk per cow above the national average; and

     WHEREAS, In the latest statistics, milk production in Washington increased four percent for a total annual production of 5.2 billion pounds in 1994; and

     WHEREAS, Washington's livestock and livestock products established an all-time record high value, with milk as the number-one commodity in the category; and

     WHEREAS, Our state's dairy farmers contributed $681 million to the state's conomy in 1994, up seven percent from the previous year; and

     WHEREAS, Milk production ranks second in dollar value among all of Washington's bountiful agricultural commodities; and

     WHEREAS, In addition, many of Washington's manufactured dairy products, such as butter, cheeses, and ice cream, have seen remarkable increases in production and value in recent years; and

     WHEREAS, Washington's dairy industry is actually older than the state itself; and

     WHEREAS, The first creamery in Washington was started at Cheney in 1880, at a time when cattle outnumbered territorial residents by more than two-to-one; and

     WHEREAS, Citizens throughout the state today honor this special industry with the annual Dairy Day celebration at the state capitol; and

     WHEREAS, The Washington State Dairy Federation is the proud sponsor of this observance; and

     WHEREAS, Jada Feddema of Skagit County is representing the dairy industry with distinction as the reigning Washington State Dairy Ambassador; and

     WHEREAS, The Jane and Steve Warner family of Snohomish; the Marv Stremler family of Lynden; the Dick and Olga VanderKoy family of Mt. Vernon; and the Harold and Joni Visser family of Sunnyside are admirably representing the dairy farmers of Washington as the 1996 Washington State Dairy Families of the Year;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the members of the Washington State Senate acknowledge and honor the men and women whose work on dairy farms throughout Washington has contributed to the strength and vitality of our state and its economy, the character of our communities, and the well being of our citizens; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the President of the Senate to Washington State Dairy Ambassador Jada Feddema, and to the Warner, Stremler, VanderKoy, and Visser families.

I, Marty Brown, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1996-8680,

adopted by the Senate January 31, 1996.

MARTY BROWN

Secretary of the Senate