OLYMPIA — Several bills sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, to promote agriculture in Washington are poised to become effective this summer.
“The farm friendly legislation I sponsored this year will help ensure that agriculture continues to be a way of life in our state,” said Haugen, who serves on the Senate Agricultural & Rural Economic Development Committee. “My goal is for future generations to be able to buy food grown right here in the state of Washington.”
Among the bills signed into law are Haugen’s Senate Bill 5684, which requires the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to consider using public lands for environmental mitigation sites in highway construction before agricultural lands of long-term significance are used.
“The few agricultural areas with sufficient critical mass intact, such as the Skagit Valley, are facing ever increasing pressures,” said Haugen. “Some counties have designated these areas as agricultural lands of long-term commercial significance to protect them from being converted to non-agricultural use, but the state needs to do its share as well — especially when it comes to environmental mitigation on our highway projects.”
SB 5684 calls for WSDOT to first consider existing public lands for environmental mitigation sites before looking at agricultural lands. If public lands are not available, then every effort should be made to avoid a net loss of agricultural lands that have been designated as lands of long term commercial significance.
“Agriculture is important to our rural communities, so I was very pleased to have the opportunity to serve on the Agricultural & Rural Economic Development Committee this year,” said Haugen. “It was a great chance work closely with my colleagues and with groups like the Western Washington Agricultural Association to continue my commitment to preserving farmland in our state.”
“We need to do whatever we can to protect the agriculture footprint of our region and we really appreciate the longstanding efforts of Sen. Haugen,” said Mike Shelby, executive director of the Western Washington Agricultural Association. “Mary Margaret has been a huge champion of agriculture, even before she became a member of the ag committee, and this is just the latest of her many accomplishments on behalf of Washington farmers.”
Last month, the governor signed into law Haugen’s Senate Bill 5797, allowing Washington farmers and ranchers to mix food byproducts with cow manure into their biodigesters, and Senate Bill 5350 to allow poultry producers to obtain permits from the Department of Agriculture for the slaughter and sale of 1,000 or fewer domesticated fowl per year directly to the consumer at the producer's farm.
Haugen points out that while agriculture is often considered a rural issue, it impacts the economy of the entire state.
“Agriculture is one issue that makes the quality of life so good for people here,” Haugen said. “It’s great for us to have access to locally grown foods – it’s healthy of course, but it’s also good for the economy because it creates jobs, from the farmers and field workers to the produce processors and the people who sell farm machinery.”
Haugen notes that agricultural resources are also a major tourist draw to rural areas like the ones she represents, including the beautiful tulips fields of the Skagit Valley and the many local farmers and nurseries.
“People flock to our area because of agriculture,” said Haugen. “They come up for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, and they visit places like Lavender Wind Farms on Whidbey Island and Hedlin’s Fruit Stand in La Conner. Even people who are just passing through on their way from the city to go to Canada or the North Cascades stop off along the way to enjoy what we have to offer. Our farmland makes this an incredibly special place to live.”