The Department of Agriculture (WSDA) oversees, manages, regulates, and supports a variety of programs related to agriculture and food safety in the state. Programs administered by the WSDA address animal and livestock health, commodity inspection, food safety, food assistance, pesticide and fertilizer regulation, and business and marketing support.
The Director of the Department of Agriculture (Director) must exercise all the powers and perform all duties necessary to monitor food system performance and coordinate statewide food security, working collaboratively with other government agencies, tribes, nonprofit organizations, research institutions, and industry experts with roles related to agricultural resilience and food access. When evaluating food system performance, the Director must consider metrics that, at a minimum, relate to monitoring and quantifying certain regulatory costs. Beginning June 30, 2030, the WSDA must report every four years on the competitiveness of Washington's regulatory landscape relative to peer state competitors for commodity types prevalent in Washington's agricultural economy.
The WSDA must develop a statewide food security strategy (strategy) by recommending measures the Legislature could take to make food more affordable, and related measures that have the potential to reduce the number of Washingtonians in need of food assistance to the extent that relevant data is available. The strategy must define statewide food security in terms of food access, agricultural viability, and supply chain resilience and develop a monitoring system for annually updating certain food system data across these three indicators. Agricultural viability metrics must include tracking the cost of fuel and labor using certain available or voluntarily provided data.
The strategy must also:
In order to develop the strategy, the WSDA must convene a variety of state agencies and nonprofit hunger relief organizations and consult with other nonprofit, research, public sector, and private sector experts on agricultural resilience, food access, and poverty reduction. The WSDA must also consult with individuals who have direct lived experience in a food insecure household with at least one member from the BIPOC community and small farmers who are members of the BIPOC community. The WSDA must notify and engage federally recognized tribes regularly while developing the strategy.
The WSDA must report the strategy to the Legislature by December 1, 2027.
(In support) Under current circumstances, people in Washington are going hungry, whether that is because of job losses or cuts to certain federal programs, and it is a challenge to ensure every Washingtonian is food secure. Changes in funding at the federal level are putting pressure on states and local governments and leaving them with fewer tools and less reliable data to address food security. During the COVID pandemic, the Department of Agriculture (WSDA) was granted emergency authority by the Governor to ensure the state was meeting its needs around food security, however that emergency authority has lapsed and there is a need to authorize the WSDA to continue this work year-round. Because the WSDA has relationships with farmers, food banks, and food pantries of various sizes, and a role in administering emergency food assistance, it is the appropriate agency for this work. Coordination among agencies and other organizations is essential, and lifting up one sector lifts up everybody. Food delivery through food banks is an organic system which has evolved over the years from delivering mostly nonperishable goods to increasing their delivery of perishable goods. Fuel and labor costs have increased since the COVID pandemic and should be addressed. Food deserts exist across Washington in both urban and rural areas. Demand at food banks remains high, with an increase in first-time visitors with modest and middle incomes. The advisory committee should include at least one community member with lived experience with hunger and at least one small farmer. The strategy should also address identifying the root cause of hunger. Growing and raising food is the life work of agricultural producers, who want to be partners in this process. Producers appreciate that the bill addresses diverse partnerships and highlights regulatory barriers and agricultural viability. Selling product to fine-dining establishments allows small-scale producers to scale up production and drop prices on foods that go to hunger relief. The grocery industry should continue to be a part of the food security conversation moving forward because of its role in selling food, providing food donations, and providing food for SNAP and WIC customers.
(Opposed) None.
Representative Kristine Reeves, prime sponsor; Michael Moran, 2nd Harvest of Spokane; Anna Nepomuceno, Northwest Harvest; Bryan Yambe, Pierce County; Mark Streuli, WA Wheat Growers, WA Cattlemen, WA Potatoes, WA Water Resources; Katie Beeson, Washington Food Industry Association (WFIA); Bryan Yambe, Council member District 5 for Pierce County Council; Aaron Czyzewski, Food Lifeline; Jillian Moore, Mom's Micro Garden; Jeremy Vrablick, Cascadia Produce; David Bobanick, Harvest Against Hunger; Colleen Donovan, WA State Farmers Market Association; and Melanie Smith, Coalition of Accountable Communities of Health.