Failure to pass farm bill could damage state exports

Failure to pass the federal farm bill could chop exports of Washington-grown cherries in half, from last year’s $460 million.

That’s the view of Keith Hu, director of international operations for the industry organization Northwest Cherries, and the reason why he and other agricultural leaders gathered in Seattle Thursday in support of the bill.

The current extension of the farm bill expired in September, and all remaining funding will run out at year’s end, said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who led the Seattle event. When that happens, federally supported marketing of Washington agricultural exports will halt, giving competing countries room to take market share from Washington.

“If not enacted by the end of this year, cuts to programs vital to Washington state will actually take effect,” she said, adding that Washington exports about $15 billion in agriculture products yearly, with exports accounting for 37 percent of the industry’s yearly revenue.

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/10/24/failure-to-pass-farm-bill-will-damage.html?ana=e_sea_rdup&s=newsletter&ed=2013-10-25