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Future of Farming report offers new strategic plan for Washington agriculture

OLYMPIA  - Agriculture is a vital industry in the state, and the farmers and ranchers of Washington want it to stay that way.

Hundreds of Washington's agricultural producers and industry specialists provided input to the Future of Farming, a yearlong strategic planning process intended to ensure that agriculture remains vibrant and prosperous for generations to come.

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) coordinated input from producer focus groups and an online survey, as well as a steering committee of agricultural experts from every corner of the state and representing every major commodity.

The steering committee was assembled in early 2008 and the final report, Future of Farming: Strategic Plan for Washington Agriculture 2020 and Beyond, was issued this week. WSDA Acting Director Bob Gore and industry representatives have presented the findings to the Legislature.

"Agriculture is woven into the fabric of our community and makes essential contributions to the cultural, economic and environmental progress of our state, said Gore. This report, the first in more than 20 years, seeks to capture what Washington farmers say they need to remain competitive in a global marketplace. The Future of Farming can and should inform public policy debates, wherever they occur, that impact the success of the agriculture community."

The agriculture industry's recommendations detailed in the report fall into five major categories:

• Make agriculture a priority by establishing a business environment and a public policy framework that are conducive to success;
• Eliminate regulatory barriers that impact competitiveness and drive up costs;
• Protect resources (land, water, labor, energy and capital) that are critical to production;
• Strengthen support services that promote profitability, such as education, transportation, and research and development; and
• Harness emerging opportunities, including demand for local produce, food safety concerns, climate change and risk management tools.

These recommendations reflect the input of a highly diversified agriculture community and do not represent the top-down vision or opinions of WSDA. The Future of Farming catalogs the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the industry, but did not set out to identify detailed solutions. In many cases, the report provides a roadmap for further action on the toughest challenges.

The complete document, as well as an executive summary and related issue papers, can be found at www.agr.wa.gov/fof.

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