East Washingtonian - Your Hometown News Source

OLYMPIA–Agriculture isn't only a way of life and a key job provider in Garfield County, the 9th District and other rural parts of our state, it also is a huge part of Washington's economy.

According to the state Department of Agriculture, Washington is the top producer in the U.S. for apples, hops, blueberries, pears, sweet cherries and spearmint oil. Our state ranks second nationally in production of asparagus, apricots, grapes, potatoes and raspberries. And we are the third-ranking state in dried peas, lentils, onions and peppermint oil. As a wheat farmer, I'm proud that Washington also is one of the top wheat-producing states. In all, Washington farmers produce more than 300 different commodities. As of 2018, Washington's agriculture production was nearly $9.7 billion.

Need more proof that ag is big here? Agriculture and food processing provide 164,000 jobs in Washington, making it one of the largest employers in the state. There are nearly 36,000 farms in our state, with two-thirds of them less than 50 acres. As of 2017, Garfield County had 226 farms, while neighboring Columbia and Asotin counties had 257 and 205, respectively. Whitman County has over 1,000 farms.

Even though ag is a key part of Washington's economy and provides many jobs throughout the state, several Democrat-sponsored bills still alive this session would harm Washington agriculture. Here is a rundown of those that are especially anti-agriculture:

Senate Bill 5172–This is a classic example of a good bill being ruined by bad amendments. First, some history. For 60 years, state law exempted the agriculture industry from paying overtime wages after 40 hours per week. But last November, the state Supreme Court decided in Jose Martinez-Cuevas v. DeRuyter Bros. Dairy, Inc. that this law was unconstitutional. The majority's opinion said nothing on whether overturning the law also meant up to three years of retroactivity on wages would apply. Since then, dairy farmers and other agricultural employers have worried that they could be forced to pay their employers with retroactive overtime going back three years. The total amount is estimated to be $84 million for the state's dairy industry alone.

Under the original version of SB 5172, which I co-sponsored, an employer who followed the overtime-exemption law up until it was overturned couldn't be assessed damages under the state's wage and hour laws for three years of retroactive compensation. Unfortunately, Democrats on the Senate labor committee passed amendments undoing the bill's original intent. Among other things, the amended bill removes the agricultural overtime exemption from the overtime law. As of March 5, SB 5172 was on the verge of a full Senate vote.

House Bill 1091–Recently passed by the House, this is the latest attempt by Gov. Inslee to cram a low-carbon fuel standard down Washingtonians' throat. This proposal would direct the Department of Ecology to adopt rules aimed at achieving a 20% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions from fuel by 2035. It would cause gas prices to skyrocket, without any benefit for our roads.

Senate Bill 5396–Under this bill, housing used for H-2A farm workers would be removed from the farmworker housing sales and use tax exemption. This would increase the cost of farmworker housing. It's now in the House after the Senate passed it. I voted no.

Senate Bill 5022–Recently passed by the Senate, it would establish minimum recycled-content requirements for plastic beverage containers and other plastic items. It includes a requirement for plastic milk containers to meet certain recycled-content standards. The dairy industry is concerned about this requirement. That's one reason why I voted no.

–Sen. Schoesler, R-Ritzville, has served the 9th District since 1993.