Dec. 20 — New Farm Bill may offer local farmers some support

East Pierce farmers consistently face a lack of governmental funding, which goes almost entirely to wheat and corn farmers. The berry and rhubarb farmers of East Pierce County say even a little support would make their lives easier.

Congress has listened. It recently passed a Farm Bill that includes $2.2 billion set aside specifically for specialty crops like raspberries, rhubarb, apples and 250 other fruits and vegetables. Washington state happens to rank third in the nation for specialty crop production, right behind California and Florida.

The grant program has been around for a number of years but the money has vastly fluctuated from one year to the next. This time it’s a set amount with provisions like a research grant program and a pilot program bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to schools.

It’s hard to tell exactly how much of that money will reach Washington, but the staff of Sen. Patty Murray, who helped pass the bill, said Washington definitely won’t be overlooked. The money will be appropriated to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, which will then determine how to disperse it after input from local farming associations.

Although the specific amount that East Pierce farmers will receive is unknown, this is a step in the right direction for the specialty farmers of the Puyallup valley.