The value of the meat and poultry industry to Washington
Washington Ag June 19, 2009 An economic impact study unveiled by the American Meat Institute shows the meat and poultry industry pumps billions of dollars not only into the U.S economy but also Washington state’s. According to the study, when you add up the direct impact, supplier impact, and what’s called induced impact, the total value to Washington’s economy is just over 14-billion dollars annually. The study shows the meat and poultry industry also pays over 1.4 billion dollars a year in federal and state business taxes. J. Patrick Boyle, AMI President and CEO, says the industry can be proud of the millions of quality jobs and economic impact in every state and every sector of the economy. Boyle: “These are real people, with real jobs working in industries as varied as banking, retailing, accounting, metal working, printing, all of which depend on the meat and poultry industry for their livelihood.” The study had about 104-thousand jobs either directly or indirectly related to the meat and poultry industry in Washington. The American Meat Institute represents the meat packing and processing industry. At its recent annual meeting the Washington State Potato Commission appointed Angela Pixton and Roger Hawley to two open at-large positions. Pixton, a grower from Warden, has served a term as an at-large commissioner. Hawley grows seed potatoes in the Skagit Valley. Commissioners will hold a special meeting of the Potato Commission July 9th at the Commission office to appoint members to two grower positions left unfilled in recent district elections. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
