Department of Agriculture

  Average Annual FTEs Near General Fund State Other Funds Total Funds
  (Dollars in Thousands)
Current Budget 909.2 41,678 278,541 320,219
2021-23 Maintenance Level 909.2 42,115 291,030 333,145
Difference from 2021-23 Original 0.0 437 12,489 12,926
% Change from 2021-23 Original 0.0% 1.0% 4.5% 4.0%

2022 Policy Other Changes

Establish Cannabis Lab Standards 5.0 0 1,559 1,559
Emergency Management 2.0 732 0 732
Electric Vehicle Equipment 1.8 217 0 217
HEAL Act Funding 2.5 656 0 656
Food Assistance Capacity Grants 0.50 0 17,625 17,625
Invasive Moth Eradication 4.6 240 724 964
Japanese Beetle Eradication 5.1 5,468 0 5,468
Pollinator Health 0.80 252 0 252
Reduction Reversal 0.0 2,315 (105) 2,210
Specialty Crop Federal Agreement 0.0 0 3,800 3,800
Spotted Lanternfly Eradication 0.80 100 70 170
We Feed Washington 3.0 0 74,838 74,838
2022 Policy Other Changes Total 26.1 9,980 98,511 108,491

2022 Policy Comp Changes

State Employee Benefits 0.0 2 4 6
WFSE General Government 0.0 67 1,697 1,764
Rep Employee Health Benefits 0.0 1 10 11
WPEA General Government 0.0 160 169 329
Non-Rep General Wage Increase 0.0 209 719 928
PERS & TRS Plan 1 Benefit Increase 0.0 10 49 59
2022 Policy Comp Changes Total 0.0 449 2,648 3,097

2022 Policy Central Services Changes

Archives/Records Management 0.0 1 3 4
Legal Services 0.0 14 28 42
CTS Central Services 0.0 44 204 248
DES Central Services 0.0 5 21 26
OFM Central Services 0.0 342 696 1,038
2022 Policy Central Services Changes Total 0.0 406 952 1,358
Total Policy Changes 26.1 10,835 102,111 112,946
2022 Policy Level 935.3 52,950 393,141 446,091
Difference from 2021-23 Original 26.1 11,272 114,600 125,872
% Change from 2021-23 Original 2.9% 27.0% 41.1% 39.3%

Policy Changes

Legal Services

Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of Attorney General's Office legal services based on a three-year average. Because legal services costs are based on usage, funding provided in the central service model is not all inclusive. (Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, other funds)

DES Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency’s anticipated share of charges from the Department of Enterprise Services for campus rent, parking, security and contracts; capital project surcharges; financing cost recovery; public and historic facilities; real estate services; risk management services; personnel service rates; the Perry Street and Capitol Campus child care centers; small agency services; and the department’s enterprise applications. See the 2021-23 Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (General Fund - State, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)

WFSE General Government

The collective bargaining agreement includes a general wage increase of 3.25% for fiscal year 2023 and a lump sum payment for employees who were employed continuously starting on or before July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. (Grain Inspection Revolving Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, other funds)

WPEA General Government

The collective bargaining agreement includes a general wage increase of 3.25% for fiscal year 2023 and a lump sum payment for all employees hired before July 1, 2022. (Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - Federal, General Fund - State, other funds)

Establish Cannabis Lab Standards

This item is intended to address a major issue that arose during implementation of HB 2052 (Chapter 277, Laws of 2019), which created a cannabis science task force focused on creating a robust and uniform set of standards for cannabis laboratory accreditation. As part of agency request legislation, the agency will implement the recommendations of the task force to create a team of scientific experts, led by the department and including the Liquor and Cannabis Board and Department of Health. The scientific team will establish and maintain cannabis laboratory standards and coordinate on future public health and safety needs related to cannabis products. (Dedicated Marijuana Acct - State)

Emergency Management

The department experienced increased responsibilities related to emergency response for the agriculture industry, food systems and food security during the COVID pandemic. The department continues to be responsible for emergency response coordination and workforce redevelopment related to food and agricultural industries. This item permanently funds the department's emergency response efforts rather than relying on annual grants from the federal government to plan for and respond to disasters that impact our food systems. (General Fund - State)

Electric Vehicle Equipment

Additional funding is provided in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 to support adoption of standards for electrical vehicle charging stations as required in Chapter 238, Laws of 2021. The department will use this additional support to complete rulemaking and set fees to create a self-sustaining regulatory program that ensures consumers receive the amount of electricity purchased at fee-based electrical vehicle charging stations. (General Fund - State)

HEAL Act Funding

Additional funding is provided to support agency coordination with the Environmental Justice Task Force as required in the HEAL Act (Chapter 314, Laws of 2021). (General Fund - State)

Food Assistance Capacity Grants

Hunger relief organizations requests for support have outstripped available funding provided in the 2021-23 biennial budget. Additional federal funding is provided to support operations across the emergency food system working to serve an unprecedented number of lower-income Washingtonians. (Coronavirus St Fiscal Recovery Fund - Federal)

Invasive Moth Eradication

Recent trapping of invasive moths in King, Pierce, Clark and Stevens counties require additional funding to eradicate this pest that can damage over 500 species of plants in forests, nurseries, agricultural fields, and riparian areas. The department will conduct eradication treatments and follow-up monitoring to ensure gypsy moths do not reproduce. State funds will be used to secure federal grants to help pay for the cost of treatment and monitoring. (General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal)

Japanese Beetle Eradication

Japanese beetle attacks more than 300 plant species. In addition to landscape plants, it attacks important crops such as apples, grapes, hops, pears, sweet cherries, cranberries and cannabis, and many others. A large infestation of Japanese beetles was detected in the Grandview area in June 2021, and this funding will support eradication efforts. (General Fund - State)

Pollinator Health

To understand the geographic distribution of bee species across the state, the department will create a citizen science project to discover new bee species and track their populations. The department will then catalog and map the extent and distribution of all bee species in the state. The data will better inform the actions of the Pollinator Health Task Force created in Chapter 278, Laws of 2021. (General Fund - State)

Reduction Reversal

Savings taken in the 2021-23 biennial budget for vacancy management and agency overhead are restored because they are no longer necessary. The reductions limit the agency’s ability to conduct food safety, animal services and administrative activities. (Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - Federal, General Fund - State)

Specialty Crop Federal Agreement

The agency expects to receive additional federal funding through the Specialty Crop Block grant program. Federal expenditure authority is increased in anticipation of this increase in program support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. (General Fund - Federal)

Spotted Lanternfly Eradication

Spotted lanternfly poses a serious threat to three key agricultural industries in Washington state: grape, hops, and apple. The department will use state funding to match federal funds to implement a spotted lanternfly early detection program. (General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal)

We Feed Washington

Additional federal funding is provided for WSDA to implement a Washington state farmer-to-families food box program. Funding provided in the 2021-23 biennial budget supported less than half of the total need identified by hunger relief organizations. This increase in support is intended to meet the projections from recent studies that indicate rates of food insecurity are not substantially declining and prices for food, transportation, and distribution continue to rise. (Coronavirus St Fiscal Recovery Fund - Federal)

State Employee Benefits

Health insurance funding is provided for state employees who are not covered by the healthcare coalition. The insurance funding rate is $936 per employee per month for fiscal year 2022 and $1,130 per employee per month for fiscal year 2023. (General Fund - State, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated)

Rep Employee Health Benefits

Health insurance funding is provided as part of the master agreements for employees who bargain for health benefits as part of a coalition of unions. The insurance funding rate is $936 per employee per month for fiscal year 2022 and $1,130 per employee per month for fiscal year 2023. (Grain Inspection Revolving Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, other funds)

Non-Rep General Wage Increase

A general wage increase of 3.25%, effective July 1, 2022, is provided for state employees who are not represented by a union or who are covered by a bargaining agreement that is not subject to financial feasibility determination. (Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State, General Fund - State, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)

PERS & TRS Plan 1 Benefit Increase

For eligible Public Employees' and Teachers' Retirement Systems Plan 1 members, this item provides an increase of 3%, up to a maximum of $110 per month. (General Fund - State, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)

Archives/Records Management

Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated share of charges for archives and records management services provided by the Secretary of State's Office. (Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Grain Inspection Revolving Acct - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, other funds)

CTS Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from Consolidated Technology Services (CTS) for the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Cyber Security, state network, enterprise services, small agency IT services, security gateways, and geospatial imaging services. See the 2021-23 Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)

OFM Central Services

Adjustments are made to reflect each agency’s anticipated share of charges for existing statewide applications, the One Washington program, and other central services provided by the Office of Financial Management. See the 2021-23 Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (General Fund - State, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)