Hort Keynote Wrap Up
Hort Keynote Wrap Up. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.
Dan Newhouse says that the WSDA is a well run, lean machine when it comes to the states ag budget and with the Governor’s just released state budget it will have to continue in that lean capacity. Newhouse talked with members of the Washington State Horticultural Association at their annual meeting.
NEWHOUSE: 60% of our budget is generated from fees, from charging for services that the Department of Agriculture does and provides. About 20% is only general funds state and about 20% are federal dollars that come to us. As a farmer I understand that anything that takes away from my bottom line, I’m not going to view as very positive.
Newhouse is a farmer in the
NEWHOUSE: As the Director of Agriculture I understand that any increase in fees that potentially might be out there in the future are not going to be looked at very positively by the industry. So what we’re doing is making sure that as pressure is put on that side of the equation that we can stand before you in gatherings like this and look people in the eye and say we are doing everything we possibly can to minimize any impacts on increasing fees.
One of the other issues Newhouse is trying to address is the future of farming, what it will be in
NEWHOUSE: So I’m asking for help from you to be a part of whatever that’s going to look like in the future.
That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
