SENATE RESOLUTION

8679

BySenators Honeyford, Warnick, Schoesler, Wagoner, Zeiger, Wilson, L., Brown, Van De Wege, Muzzall, Holy, Becker, King, Short, O'Ban, Rivers, Hawkins, Conway, and Wellman

WHEREAS, Even before statehood, farmers played an important role in the Oregon Territory providing the food and fiber early residents relied upon; and

WHEREAS, Today the state's 37,500 farms together make up the second largest business sector, with more than ninety percent of these farms being family-owned; and

WHEREAS, Washington agriculture represents thirteen percent of the Washington economy, amounting to fifty-one billion dollars in revenue and 164,400 jobs; and

WHEREAS, The Washington Farm Bureau was formed in 1920, one year after the creation of the American Farm Bureau Federation, to ensure that rural citizens enjoyed the same benefits as those living in the cities, including rural electrification and telephone access; and

WHEREAS, The first county Farm Bureaus in Washington were established in Columbia, Kittitas, Skagit, Spokane, Yakima, and Walla Walla counties; and

WHEREAS, Today the Washington Farm Bureau has over 46,000 member families and consists of twenty-five county Farm Bureau organizations representing the interests of farmers at the local, state, and national level; and

WHEREAS, The Washington Farm Bureau is the largest all-encompassing agricultural organization in the state, and is commonly referred to as the "Voice of Washington Agriculture"; and

WHEREAS, 2020 is the Centennial Year for the Washington Farm Bureau;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the Washington Farm Bureau's centennial year and the work it does on behalf of the state's farmers and ranchers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to John Stuhlmiller, Washington Farm Bureau Chief Executive Officer, and Mike LaPlant, President of Washington Farm Bureau.

I, Brad Hendrickson, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8679,

adopted by the Senate

February 26, 2020

BRAD HENDRICKSON

Secretary of the Senate