03/17/06 WA Apple Quarter

Washington Apple Quarter in consideration. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. When was the last time you glanced at the change in your pocket? If you haven't noticed yet, the venerable quarter has been undergoing quite a change over the past few years. In fact, you could have a whole pocket full of quarters and each would have a different design. The 50 State Quarters Program is a ten year initiative commemorating each of the nation's 50 states. Five new designs have been released each year since 1999. States are honored in the order that they were admitted into the Union. Washington State became the nation's 42nd state November 11, 1889. It is up to each state to submit designs to the governor who then recommends a final design to the U.S. Treasury Department. In Washington State, 5 designs were submitted to the Washington State Arts Commission who is coordinating the project. Recently, two designs were eliminated. In April, the three designs can be voted on by the general public by visiting the states website. The results will be used by the governor to make her final decision. The three designs include a salmon breaching the water with Mount Rainier in the background, a Pacific Northwest Native American stylized orca and a salmon, Mount Rainier and a branch of apples over the backdrop of a state map. Apple industry leaders decided to get involved and lobby for the design. There is hope that an apple themed quarter would help raise the industries profile and according to Dave Carlson, president of the Washington Apple Commission, it would be a neat little PR deal and would boost morale for some of the farmers. He also adds that the fruit industry is worth $1 billion and that having the ability to feed your population is a very important national goal. Idaho has already submitted their design and Oregon's quarter was released last year and featured Crater Lake. Voting on the design will take place in April via the website www.governor.wa.gov/quarter. The public is invited to vote for their favorite design. Both Washington and Idaho's commemorative quarters will be released in 2007. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.