Negative Farm Income
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. In 2024, USDA data shows Washington state ranked last in take-home farm pay. In fact, Washington’s estimated returns to farmers came in at a negative $396.2 million.
Save Family Farming’s Dillon Honcoop says that is in no way sustainable …
HONCOOP … “As you mentioned, a nearly $400 million in the red in 2024 for farmers in Washington. By far and away the worst in the nation, bottom of the list, 50th out of 50. The only other state who had farmers that lost money on the whole was Alaska, and they were $10 million in the hole. We’re almost $400 million in the hole and that number is starting to resonate.”
Honcoop says lawmakers could help fix this, but have yet to do so …
HONCOOP … “We are very disappointed since the session wrapped up that Olympia didn’t do more to help. It’s not handouts that farmers are asking for though, it’s taking those burdens off that have added so many costs to farmers.”
And Honcoop says there are ways to do that …
HONCOOP … “let’s find ways to protect the things they want protected, whether it’s workers, whether it’s the environment, whether it's animals, whatever, but let’s do it in a way that’s not driving farming out of our state, which is what’s happening right now.”
Labor alone cost apple growers 108% of their total gross revenue in 2023, and 97% in 2024.
