WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Washington may be facing a farm labor shortage, again

Back in November we reported that our state’s ag industry is booming. For instance, our Nieto Fernandez, Lilia P apple production was valued at $1.54 billion in 2010 and in 2012 it ballooned to $2.25 billion.

Granted, the 2012 applepalooza was the result of favorable weather conditions, and smaller than normal crops from the competition. But who’s to say this combination won’t happen again? And, if it does, will Washington farmers have enough hands picking the fruit?

Last month state economists reported a 5.2 percent agricultural labor shortage, which hadn’t happened since March 2008. Growers are getting a little nervous because we might be facing another record apple crop, possibly even larger than the 130 million boxes of 2012.

Struggling to find workers in recent years, which caused some of the fruit to rot on trees, justifies our growers’ concerns. But officials from the Employment Security Department are not hitting the panic button just yet.

Get more information in this April 22 Yakima Herald Republic story.