WPC on Lost Farms Pt 2
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. Census of Agriculture data show the state of Washington lost 3,717 farms and ranches of the past five years, almost 14 per week.
The Washington Policy Center’s Director of Agriculture, Pam Lewison says more regulations and higher costs are the major reasons …
LEWISON … “You know, the economics of where things are, I think, certainly an encouraging part of that rate of attrition that we’re seeing in farms statewide, and I think probably also on a national level.”
Lewison says it’s really tough to keep up with financially …
LEWISON … “If you’re sitting down right now, like most people are, trying to figure out how you’re going to pencil out the next year, two years, five years, you’re really trying to figure out how to run as lean an operation financially as you possibly can.”
Everything, Lewison says is more expensive …
LEWISON … “You have fuel cost that are through the roof. You have seed costs that are through the roof, pesticides, fertilizers, everything, labor. All of those inputs are very expensive and not getting less expensive. But your return on investment hasn’t changed.”
Which leaves most folks, Lewison says scrambling …
LEWISON … “So, you’re trying to figure out how to get more out of what you’ve got when your return isn’t changing.”
Check out Lewison’s article on the matter in the April 15th edition of the Seattle Times.
