Challenges 2025 NW Hort Council Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. With a new Congress in place, both state and federal, many ag groups are back to the table trying to educate legislators on what is needed.Kate Tynan, Senior Vice President at the Northwest Horticultural Council, says it’s not easy, but it is important …
TYNAN … “And that’s always a challenge both with the, what we call, freshmen or the new members within Congress as well, frankly, a lot of the veterans. And you have new staff who are coming in and that can be an opportunity as much as it is a challenge, to make sure folks are up to speed.”
But the information that they share, Tynan says is always changing …
TYNAN … “The challenges that our growers are facing have evolved and are certainly more acute today than they were, you know, even just a few years ago. So, just making sure that our elected officials and those in these decision-making positions understand the realities of today and why we simply just can’t keep punting on this issue. We really have to come up with some solutions now because there are going to be fewer growers standing tomorrow than there are today, and that trend is going to continue unless they act.”
One of the big challenges growers are facing, Tynan says is the ag trade deficit …
TYNAN … “You know, you look at the survey data from the National Agricultural Statistic Service and just see what the numbers were in 2017 and what the numbers are in 2022. And we all know, at least in our industry, it’s a lot worse today than it was even then.”
Listen tomorrow for more on the outlook for agriculture, the good and the bad.