Department of Agriculture
| Average Annual FTEs | Near General Fund State | Other Funds | Total Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Dollars in Thousands) | ||||
| Current Budget | 936.2 | 72,328 | 356,540 | 428,868 |
| 2023-25 Maintenance Level | 916.0 | 48,885 | 214,502 | 263,387 |
| Difference from 2023-25 Original | (20.2) | (23,443) | (142,038) | (165,481) |
| % Change from 2023-25 Original | (2.2%) | (32.4%) | (39.8%) | (38.6%) |
2023 Policy Other Changes |
||||
| We Feed WA Food Recovery Phase 2 | 7.7 | 25,000 | 51,499 | 76,499 |
| Local Food System Assistance/Grants | 1.0 | 4,424 | 0 | 4,424 |
| Japanese Beetle Eradication | 9.6 | 7,310 | 0 | 7,310 |
| DEI Investment | 1.0 | 344 | 0 | 344 |
| Environmental Justice and PEAR | 0.0 | 406 | 0 | 406 |
| Ag Competitiveness Study | 0.0 | 400 | 0 | 400 |
| Food and Ag Branding and Promotion | 1.0 | 358 | 0 | 358 |
| Enhance Food Assistance | 0.0 | 15,000 | 15,000 | 30,000 |
| WA Soil Health Initiative | 1.0 | 0 | 581 | 581 |
| Meat & Poultry Assistance | 1.0 | 4,424 | 0 | 4,424 |
| Equity for Underrepresented Farmers | 0.0 | 180 | 0 | 180 |
| Northern Giant Hornet | 8.6 | 492 | 1,550 | 2,042 |
| Pesticide Research | 2.0 | 0 | 978 | 978 |
| Food Safety and Pest Program Lab | 0.0 | 335 | 115 | 450 |
| Organic Material | 0.0 | 0 | 3,038 | 3,038 |
| Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater | 2.5 | 0 | 1,492 | 1,492 |
| Invasive Moth Survey & Eradication | 0.0 | 176 | 702 | 878 |
| Spotted Lanternfly | 0.0 | 240 | 0 | 240 |
| Establish Cannabis Lab Standards | 5.0 | 0 | 1,664 | 1,664 |
| 2023 Policy Other Changes Total | 40.4 | 59,089 | 76,619 | 135,708 |
2023 Policy Comp Changes |
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| State Employee Benefits | 0.0 | 33 | 114 | 147 |
| WFSE General Government | 0.0 | 252 | 4,123 | 4,375 |
| Rep Employee Health Benefits | 0.0 | 25 | 161 | 186 |
| WPEA General Government | 0.0 | 485 | 644 | 1,129 |
| Non-Rep Recruitment/Retention | 0.0 | 82 | 282 | 364 |
| Non-Rep General Wage Increase | 0.0 | 835 | 2,906 | 3,741 |
| PERS & TRS Plan 1 Benefit Increase | 0.0 | 21 | 99 | 120 |
| Vaccine Booster Incentive | 0.0 | 72 | 245 | 317 |
| 2023 Policy Comp Changes Total | 0.0 | 1,805 | 8,574 | 10,379 |
2023 Policy Central Services Changes |
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| Shared Tenant M365 to CSM | 0.0 | (262) | (532) | (794) |
| State Data Center | 0.0 | (25) | (49) | (74) |
| Archives/Records Management | 0.0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Audit Services | 0.0 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| Legal Services | 0.0 | 28 | 57 | 85 |
| Administrative Hearings | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| CTS Central Services | 0.0 | 368 | 810 | 1,178 |
| DES Central Services | 0.0 | 94 | 386 | 480 |
| OFM Central Services | 0.0 | 415 | 848 | 1,263 |
| GOV Central Services | 0.0 | 96 | 195 | 291 |
| 2023 Policy Central Services Changes Total | 0.0 | 720 | 1,726 | 2,446 |
| Total Policy Changes | 40.4 | 61,614 | 86,919 | 148,533 |
| 2023-25 Policy Level | 956.4 | 110,499 | 301,421 | 411,920 |
| Difference from 2021-23 | 20.2 | 38,171 | (55,119) | (16,948) |
| % Change from 2023-25 Original | 2.2% | 52.8% | (15.5%) | (4.0%) |
Policy Changes
We Feed WA Food Recovery Phase 2
As many as one in three Washingtonians are still experiencing or at risk of hunger, and hunger relief providers around the state indicate that the demand for emergency food is on the rise again as the purchasing power of household budgets shrinks. This funding will allow the department to sustain the state alternative to the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program which directs emergency food resources to underserved communities across the state for an additional biennium. (General Fund - State, Coronavirus St Fiscal Recovery Fund - Federal)
Local Food System Assistance/Grants
The COVID-19 emergency made apparent the contribution of local food systems to our state's overall food resilience. Ongoing funding is provided to support operations across the emergency food system, such as the persistent gaps in appropriately scaled food processing, storage, transportation, supply chain linkages and related technical assistance. (General Fund - State)
Japanese Beetle Eradication
Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica Newman), the federally regulated pest, have been detected in southeast Washington. Ongoing funding is provided to continue trapping and eradication efforts. (General Fund - State)
DEI Investment
Required investment in diversity, equity and inclusion has been identified for the department, specifically around Executive Order 22-02: Achieving Equity in Washington State Government and Executive Order 22-04: Implementing Pro-Equity, Anti-Racism (PEAR) Plan and Playbook. This funding supports internal operations and diversity, equity and inclusion training for staff, both of which will benefit the department and its interactions with the public. (General Fund - State)
Environmental Justice and PEAR
Ongoing funding is provided to sustain community engagement in support of integrating requirements of the HEAL Act (chapter 70A.02 RCW). By compensating members of part-time boards and commissions, the department can strengthen its antiracist and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to guarantee that our state's agricultural industry serves all Washingtonians. (General Fund - State)
Ag Competitiveness Study
The competitiveness and economic viability of Washington agricultural products is critical in both generating farm income and providing downstream value such as job creation, taxes, value-added products and exports. Funding is provided to contract with Washington State University's IMPACT Center to conduct an analysis of the threats, barriers and challenges facing the state's agricultural producers. (General Fund - State)
Food and Ag Branding and Promotion
Washington is one of only five states that does not have a program to raise the marketplace visibility of food and agricultural products produced in the state. Ongoing funding is provided for an assessment of best practices in food and agricultural branding and promotion program design, program guidelines, and stakeholder engagement. The department will also hire staff to implement the program. (General Fund - State)
Enhance Food Assistance
The impacts of COVID-19, coupled with rising food prices that are significantly affecting households and hunger relief organizations alike, have illuminated the need for increased investments in the emergency food system. The state will use a combination of one-time and ongoing funding in the enhanced Food Assistance programs to support the needs of food banks and food pantries for staff, food purchases, cold storage, distribution facilities and equipment. (General Fund - State, Coronavirus St Fiscal Recovery Fund - Federal)
WA Soil Health Initiative
The Washington Soil Health Initiative, created in 2019, has improved soil health and helped implement climate-smart agricultural practices. However, growers have asked the department to help lower economic barriers to sustainable farming. The department will implement a science-based, voluntary software program called Saving Tomorrow's Agricultural Resources (STAR), which will provide tools to producers to track soil health improvements and generate market-based incentives. (Natural Climate Solutions Account - State, Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State)
Meat & Poultry Assistance
Small, direct-marketing farms, ranches, and local processors make up a significant part of Washington's regional meat economy. The sector continues to experience sustained pressure and overwhelming demand intensified by the pandemic. With one-time funding in 2021, the department established a temporary meat and poultry assistance program and a local meat processing capacity grant to respond to these needs. Ongoing funding will continue the assistance program and capacity grants. (General Fund - State)
Equity for Underrepresented Farmers
The 2022 Legislature directed the department to examine barriers and opportunities for inclusion and equity for underrepresented farmers and ranchers in Washington. The department's outreach and engagement with diverse stakeholders significantly informed the content of the report. Funding is provided to continue the valuable community engagement and take action on the findings and recommendations contained in the report. (General Fund - State)
Northern Giant Hornet
The invasive hornet Vespa mandarinia was recently found in the state and represents a threat to the state's managed honeybee hives and native bee populations. One-time state and federal funds are provided for continued detection and eradication efforts. (General Fund - Federal, General Fund - State)
Pesticide Research
Studies of the impact of pesticides and nutrients on environmental quality are necessary to support agricultural viability while protecting the environment and human health. Increased operational costs have impacted agency data analysis and research, resulting in significant data gaps. Funding is provided to maintain program operations and to develop a regional assessment for pesticides in groundwater. (Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State)
Food Safety and Pest Program Lab
The department is relocating its laboratory to a new, larger facility designed to accommodate the critical and burgeoning services in food safety, public health, invasive species eradication projects, and monitoring for early detection of pests and diseases. One-time funding for decommissioning costs of the old laboratory, which will require full sanitization due to being a Biolevel Security II designated laboratory as a human pathogen testing facility. (General Fund - Federal, General Fund - State, Grain Inspection Revolving Acct - Non-Appropriated, other funds)
Organic Material
Ongoing funding is provided to implement organic materials legislation passed in the 2022 legislative session. The legislation requires the agency to establish and implement a new program to reimburse farmers for purchasing and using compost products. (Climate Commitment Account - State)
Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater
Lower Yakima Valley groundwater is a source of drinking water for the local community and is contaminated with high levels of nitrate in certain areas, presenting an imminent and substantial threat to human health. The department will use this funding to increase capacity and support work to reduce nitrate pollution in groundwater from irrigated agriculture. (Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State)
Invasive Moth Survey & Eradication
Invasive moths are very damaging to trees and negatively impact the timber industry and the state's trust lands. Ongoing state and matching federal funding is provided for eradication treatments and follow-up monitoring to ensure that invasive moths do not reproduce. (General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal)
Spotted Lanternfly
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that feeds on a variety of crops and poses a serious threat to key agricultural industries. Survey data show that spotted lanternfly is linked to the federally regulated invasive Ailanthus altissima known colloquially as tree-of-heaven (TOH). Funding continues the early detection program and the associated TOH survey and control programs. TOH will be removed from high-risk locations, reducing the potential for establishment of the Spotted Lanternfly. (General Fund - State)
Establish Cannabis Lab Standards
Ongoing funding is provided to implement Chapter 135, Laws of 2022 (HB 1859), which created a multi-agency task force for cannabis lab standards and requires the department to establish marijuana testing lab quality standards by rule. (Dedicated Cannabis Account - State)
State Employee Benefits
Health insurance funding is provided for state employees who are not represented by a union, who are covered by a bargaining agreement that is not subject to financial feasibility determination, or who are not part of the coalition of unions for health benefits. The insurance funding rate is $1,160 per employee per month for fiscal year 2024 and $1,233 per employee per month for fiscal year 2025. (General Fund - Federal, General Fund - State, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)
WFSE General Government
Funding is provided for a general wage increase of 4%, effective July 1, 2023; a general wage increase of 3%, effective July 1, 2024; targeted job classification base range increases; recognition and retention lump sum payments for employees employed on or before July 1, 2022 and continuously employed through July 1, 2023; shift premium increase for eligible shifts from $1 to $2.50 per eligible hour; a COVID-19 booster incentive of $1,000; supplemental shift premium increases for nurse classifications; 5% premium pay for employees who are assigned to a facility that provides direct care to residents, patients and/or clients and whose duties are required to be performed on location; and an increase of $250 to the annual lump sum payment for Labor and Industries risk classes 7200/7201. (Grain Inspection Revolving Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, other funds)
Rep Employee Health Benefits
This provides health insurance funding 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 $1,160 per employee per month for fiscal year 2024 and $1,233 per employee per month for fiscal year 2025. (Grain Inspection Revolving Acct - Non-Appropriated, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)
WPEA General Government
Funding is provided for a general wage increase of 4%, effective July 1, 2023; a general wage increase of 3%, effective July 1, 2024; targeted job classification base range increases; recognition and retention lump sum payments for employees employed on or before July 1, 2022 and continuously employed through July 1, 2023; shift premium increase for eligible shifts from $1 to $2.50 per eligible hour; and a COVID-19 booster incentive of $1,000. (Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal, other funds)
Non-Rep Recruitment/Retention
Funding is provided for recognition and retention lump sum payments for employees employed on or before July 1, 2022 and continuously employed through July 1, 2023. (General Fund - Federal, General Fund - State, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)
Non-Rep General Wage Increase
Funding is provided for wage increases 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. It is sufficient for a general wage increase of 4 percent, effective July 1, 2023 and a general wage increase of 3 percent, effective July 1, 2024. This item includes both general government and higher education workers. (Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, 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. (Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, other funds)
Vaccine Booster Incentive
Funding is provided for a $1,000 lump sum COVID-19 booster incentive for non-represented employees. This funding does not cover institutions of higher education. (Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, General Fund - Federal, other funds)
Shared Tenant M365 to CSM
Agency budgets are reduced by the base budget amounts provided to Consolidated Technology Services for Microsoft 365 licenses so the cost can be added to the central service model allocation in CTS central services (Step 92J). (Motor Vehicle Account - State, Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account - State, Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State, other funds)
State Data Center
Adjustments are made for each agency's share of costs related to the State Data Center. (Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State, Motor Vehicle Account - State, Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account - State, 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. (Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, other funds)
Audit Services
Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of audits performed by the State Auditor's Office. (General Fund - State, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, other funds)
Legal Services
Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of legal services provided by the Attorney General's Office. Because legal services expenditures are based on consumption, funding provided in the central service model is not all inclusive. The methodology to estimate consumption has been updated from a three-year average to a two-year average and allows for analysis to incorporate unique agency circumstances. (Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, other funds)
Administrative Hearings
Adjustments are made for each agency's anticipated cost of hearings performed by the Office of Administrative Hearings. (Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State)
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 Cybersecurity, state network, enterprise services, small agency IT services, security gateways, and geospatial imaging services. This amount now includes the total amount for agencies that use the Microsoft 365 shared tenant. See Chapter 11 of the 2023-25 OFM Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - 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 (DES) for campus rent, parking, contracts, and security; 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 Chapter 11 of the 2023-25 OFM 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 Chapter 11 of the 2023-25 OFM Budget Instructions for allocation methodologies. (Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, other funds)
GOV Central Services
A new central service is created to reflect each agency's anticipated share of charges from the Office of the Governor for statewide policy staff and the Office of Equity. (Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Acct - Non-Appropriated, Agricultural Local Account - Non-Appropriated, General Fund - State, other funds)
