WFB: November’s Election Pivotal For Washington Ag

With less than 16 weeks before the 2020 general election, many across the country are focused on the Presidential election between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. But, farmers are being reminded there will be a lot more on the November ballot than just the selection of a Commander in Chief. Robyn Meenach Political Action Committee Chair with the Washington Farm Bureau, said while many eyes will be on the presidential and gubernatorial elections this fall, Washington farmers need to follow their local races very closely.

“The balance in our state legislature for several years has been heavily Democratic, and we have a Democrat Governor, it is a real battle to try to protect our interests when we get to the legislative session in Olympia.”

The Washington Farm Bureau, like farm bureaus across the country, will bring back the I Farm, I Vote campaign from the 2016 election, encouraging producers to get off the sidelines and get politically active.

Meenach said the budget an important thing voters need to consider when casting their ballot, since the budget impacts everything that happens in Washington. She added the Evergreen state’s budget has doubled over the last 15 years.

“And as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown, the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council predicts that we’ll have a shortfall of $4.5 billion in this biennium, and another $4.3 billion in the next biennium.  Two years ago, the Cato Institute rated Governor Inslee as the worst governor for fiscal policy in the entire nation and frankly the hole just keeps getting deeper.”

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