S-1137.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5973

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Jacobsen and Rasmussen

Read first time 02/12/2001.  Referred to Committee on Agriculture & International Trade.

Convening a small farm marketing assistance conference.

    AN ACT Relating to the small farm marketing assistance conference; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that:

    (1) Small farms are an important part of our public economy, quality of life, health, history, and appropriate land stewardship;

    (2) The state would greatly benefit from a focused effort to increase the economic viability and profitability of small farms through increasing their ability to market their products;

    (3) Marketing strategies are often difficult for small farmers to undertake because of market barriers and the difficulty of obtaining information related to marketing; and

    (4) A marketing assistance conference for small farms could provide the needed information, technical assistance, and barrier clearing work that is key to increasing marketing of farm products.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) The department of agriculture shall convene a conference to improve domestic and international marketing opportunities for small farms.  To assist in planning the conference, the department of agriculture must consult with interested associations, companies, individuals, farmers' markets, local produce buyers, various advisory groups including the organic advisory board, and the Washington state cooperative extension.  In addition, the department of agriculture must consult with the department of community, trade, and economic development to assess what international business services would be useful to further marketing efforts by small farmers abroad.

    (2) The conference must be organized to provide marketing ideas and concepts that could be utilized by small farmers, alone or in concert with other small farmers, that would enhance the economic viability of small farmers whether through direct sales to consumers or other marketing techniques.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The sum of forty‑nine thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, from the general fund to the department of agriculture for the purposes of this act.

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