Concern over budget hit to Washington Department of Agriculture

Farm and Ranch December 24, 2009 Among the proposals in Governor Gregoire’s budget plan to deal with a 2.6 billion dollar state deficit is a 1.2 million dollar reduction in state general funds that previously offset some of the administrative costs of the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission, says that means no more general state fund support for WSDA’s fee based programs. And if those fees have to be raised it will impact the potato industry.

Voigt: “Specifically potato inspection. We have inspectors that come out and look at the potatoes for quality and grade standards. Those fees will likely go up. Even our Potato Commission pays oversight fees to the Department of Agriculture and those are also likely to increase. And then another thing that is going to be affected is the state Fair Commission. They often give grants to local county fairs and that is going to be cut. And fairs are great ways of connecting with the public and getting agriculture‘s story out there. Those are going to be cut also.”

As for the possibility that agriculture could lose some of its tax exemptions to help balance the state budget, Voigt explains what he told the governor during a meeting she had with agricultural leaders.

Voigt: “Every potato that is currently being sold is sold below the cost of production. And so now is not the time to institute new taxes on our industry. And I let the governor know that.”

That’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today. Good health tomorrow. I’m Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.

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