Ag Tour Wrap Up: We Have Work to Do

Our state is home to over 35,000 farms that generate more than $21 billion in revenue every year. That's why last week I hit the road to hear from producers throughout Central Washington about the challenges they are facing and what I can do in Congress to help. While seeing the successful operations of cattle feed lots and apple orchards, I spoke with producers about the wide range of issues that strain our agriculture economy and burden our farmers. What was the common factor in all my stops along the way? We have a lot of work to do for the agriculture industry, and we don't have time to waste.

My first stop on the ag tour was a roundtable I hosted with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and local producers. As a critical sector in the cybersecurity arena, agriculture is vulnerable to bad actors like any other sector. A lot of people forget that the agriculture industry is not just planting and harvesting; many farms and ranches operate like small businesses. CISA informed us about the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and domestic attackers that understand what a weakened American agriculture sector does to the economy. We learned how to protect our systems, information, employees, and operations and what can be done to strengthen the industry's security. My next stop took me to Washington State University's Prosser research center, where I was shown developments in agriculture artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous farm technology. Their new automated vehicle is designed to both ease the labor strain on farmers and collect new data that will change the way we understand our crops. The researchers there are working on a variety of new and exciting projects that I am excited to see in action.

I started my morning on Wednesday with Washington Beef in Toppenish where I toured their facility and took a deep dive into the beef industry. From quality control to trade practices, beef producers operate in a variety of sectors that demand extreme attention to detail and extensive workloads. Market access is a huge part of the industry, which is why I am working to ensure producers have the resources they need to operate in critical global markets. After leaving Toppenish, I started towards Richland where I met with Atlas Agro, a Swiss company that is slated to build the world's first carbon-free fertilizer facility in Richland. This will allow for increased availability of green nitrate fertilizer to farmers locally and abroad and will decrease carbon emissions in the agriculture industry; a great step in reducing costs for farmers.

That night, I hosted a public forum to hear how the proposal to remove the Lower Snake River dams would impact the everyday lives of residents, business owners, and everyone in between. With numerous other elected officials and over 100 people in attendance, I saw that the support for our critical dams has never been stronger. In a climate that receives very little rain, much of Central Washington's productive farmland is only possible with the irrigation provided by the dams. Breaching them would deal a severe blow to our agriculture economy.

On Thursday, I was in Yakima and visited Gilbert Orchards, where I heard about the challenges facing tree fruit producers. Operation costs, labor challenges, and increased regulations have put a serious strain on tree fruit orchards in the state of Washington. We discussed my bill, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act as well as a freeze we are putting on the Adverse Wage Effect Rate in this year's Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. Next, I visited with CLS Farms in Moxee where I toured their hops farm and discussed the H-2A program.

On Friday, I traveled to Quincy, Othello, and Pasco where I toured Beef Northwest's feed lot, Weber Farms, Colley Mint Farm, and Grimmway Farms carrot processing center. Over at Weber Farms we discussed irrigation issues in the area and how I can help them work with the Bureau of Land Management. At the feed lot I heard more about labor challenges and how feed lots source products for their cattle's diets. Colley Mint Farm gave me a look into the production and processing of mint oil and its place in the market. Washington state is the nation's leading mint producer, with millions of pounds produced every year, much of which is grown in Adams, Grant, and Yakima counties. To end the day, a tour of Grimmway's carrot facility opened my eyes to the scale of the operation they have in Pasco, producing thousands of pounds of carrots per day!

At every stop, I heard firsthand about the issues facing our producers and how everyone plays a role in the agriculture sector. It is abundantly clear that labor costs and availability are hurting our farm economy, and it is incumbent upon us in Congress to reform the H-2A program that allows for a reliable, legal workforce. As a third-generation Yakima Valley farmer, these issues are my issues, and I will always work to be the best ally a farmer can have in Washington, D.C.