Tag Archives: agriculture

Senate unanimously approves supplemental capital budget

The Senate today unanimously passed its version of the 2025-27 state supplemental capital budget. Republicans who helped develop the spending plan applauded it for addressing needs across Washington.

“Our supplemental budget complements the two-year capital budget enacted by the Legislature last year by spending money in a responsible manner while addressing important needs throughout the entire state,” said 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, the lead Republican for the Senate capital budget. “Working with our Democrat counterparts, we identified priorities and worked together to create a budget that is both effective and prudent. Our budget does a very good job for several areas, from K-12 and higher education to water infrastructure, housing and flood response.”

Schoesler’s floor speech on the capital budget prior to the Senate’s vote may be viewed here.

“I’m pleased with how this will get the most from the available dollars and make sure priorities are being addressed,” said 16th District Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Waitsburg, who is in his second year on the capital-budget team and has a solid budgeting background from eight years as a Walla Walla County commissioner.

“The conservative approach we took in budgeting a year ago gave us more flexibility when it came to doing good things now. The item I’m happiest about is the funding to deal with the Richland tire pile – it’s also in the House capital budget so I’m feeling positive about getting that cleanup going. Some of the other standouts in what we passed today include the added support for construction projects at small schools around our state, and a long list of water improvements, many of which are on our side of the Cascades. And like last year, I’m grateful to be a part of this team, for the bipartisanship that produced this budget, and the unanimous support it received today.”

The Senate supplemental capital budget (Senate Bill 6003) totals $723 million. It follows up the $7.5 billion 2025-27 state capital budget enacted last year. The new budget addresses a wide range of needs throughout Washington, with funding for projects related to K-12 and higher education, water infrastructure, flood responses, housing and clean energy.

The Senate capital budget provides over $71 million for the Small District and State-Tribal Education Compact Schools (STEC) Modernization Program. The budget also includes $3.7 million for projects for distressed schools, $5 million in new spending for school seismic-safety grants, $1.5 million for Healthy Kids-Healthy Schools to fund grants to support lead remediation and $430,000 for school seismic-safety site class assessments.

Several four-year universities and other higher-education institutions benefit from the capital budget. Several Washington State University projects receive funding:

  • Preserving and improving campus facilities.
  • Cooling and electrical upgrades to Ensminger Pavilion.
  • Spokane Team Health Education Building renovation.
  • WSU Creamery lighting and equipment replacement.

Central Washington University receives money for its electrical feeder line to support the growth of campus and geothermal energy. Capital budget funding goes to Eastern Washington University for projects to preserve and improve campus facilities, as well as to Western Washington University for preventative maintenance for building-system repairs and for projects to preserve and improve campus facilities.

In addition, several campuses in the state’s community and technical college system receive funding for projects, including:

  • Cascadia College – CC5 Gateway Building.
  • Lower Columbia College – David Story Field improvements.
  • Spokane Community College – renovation of the east wing of its Main Building.

Schoesler and Dozier, both farmers, noted the Senate capital budget funds agricultural projects, including:

  • $10 million for cost-share agreements with dairy-farm owners for anaerobic digester development and maintenance projects.
  • $4.6 million for grants to farmers to buy climate-smart agricultural equipment to reduce on-farm carbon emissions and increase carbon sequestration.
  • $2.2 million for the design of a new Washington State Department of Agriculture Plant Services Lab at Washington State University’s Prosser campus.
  • $400,000 for WSU’s soil health research infrastructure, specifically its long-term agroecological research and extension sites (LTARE).

The Senate supplemental capital budget funds water-infrastructure projects on both sides of the Cascades. Those appropriations include $12.2 million for several water-conservation projects across the state, including:

  • Kennewick Irrigation District main canal lining.
  • Kittitas Reclamation District South.
  • Mill Creek passage, Walla Walla – 3rd to Colville.
  • Roza Canal floor replacement.
  • Roza Canal sealing project.
  • Touchet River mile 42.
  • Waynita Creek restoration.

A total of $7.9 million is allocated for many local water-infrastructure projects in both western and eastern Washington, including the Chehalis River irrigation project, Othello water supply, Scatter Creek irrigation and pipeline projects, Skagit District 15 irrigation project and Skookumchuck River irrigation fish screen and water conservation projects.

More than $25 million is provided in the Senate capital budget for response to the December 2025 floods, including:

  • $8.6 million for recovery support, including rental assistance and home repair and replacement for individuals recovering from the floods.
  • $3.945 million for grants to counties for the removal of debris in rivers and other waterways.
  • $2 million for grants to six counties (King, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom) to evaluate the counties’ risks and needs for flood response, preparedness and prevention.

The Senate capital budget provides money for law-enforcement projects, including:

  • Over $1 million for Pasco Regional Police Academy improvements.
  • $350,000 for the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission’s Burien Campus indoor shooting range.
  • $252,000 for the Criminal Justice Training Commission’s ADA upgrades at the Burien Campus.

The natural resources section of the Senate’s supplemental capital budget includes:

  • $4.2 million for small, family-forest landowners to replace and remove stream-crossing structures, such as culverts, to improve fish passage for salmon, trout and other fish.
  • $3.2 million to address tire-pile prevention and cleanup, including removing the Twin Bridges Road tire-pile site near Richland.
  • $630,000 for a new welcome center and stormwater drainage improvements at Millersylvania State Park.

The Senate supplemental capital budget spends $150 million for housing and homelessness, with $128.3 million allocated from the Housing Trust Fund for housing projects in both western and eastern Washington.

Once the House of Representatives passes its capital budget, budget writers from the Senate and House are expected to meet as a “conference committee” to develop a compromise budget for both chambers to consider.

The 2026 legislative session is scheduled to end March 12.

Senate passes Schoesler bill encouraging voluntary incentives related to wildfire mitigation

The Senate yesterday unanimously approved Senate Bill 5919, a measure introduced by 9th District Sen. Mark Schoesler that would encourage fire districts and insurance providers to collaborate and develop voluntary incentives to promote wildfire-mitigation best practices related to agricultural activities.

Schoesler, R-Ritzville, says SB 5919 aims to encourage incentives much as auto-insurance companies provide discounts for students with good grades

“In recent years, two of our small farming communities were nearly lost to wildfires from wheat fields,” Schoesler told senators during his floor speech supporting the proposal. “Because of farmers and others who volunteered their equipment, water and other things, we saved those two small towns. We have tools we could use, taking advantage of red-flag days and incentives to not work on those days, and this gives us a chance to develop voluntary incentives for producers that they could get a discount on their crop fire insurance or for their rural residences by voluntary incentives with their fire districts. And the carriers may offer the incentives. We have incentives for other areas. We could have more if we just do it voluntarily.”

When SB 5919 received a public hearing in the Senate Business, Trade and Economic Development Committee last month, Michael Harris of Franklin County Fire Protection District #3 testified in favor of it.

SB 5919 now goes to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

Peak season for agricultural fairs has arrived – get those exhibits ready, says 9th District senator

RITZVILLE… More than 40 county, community and regional agricultural fairs will happen across Washington in August and September, and fairs mean exhibits – which has Sen. Mark Schoesler offering friendly and timely reminders to exhibitors and fairgoers alike.

“We know the local fair is a place to find great food and something fun and interesting to do, but to me the heart of the fair is in the exhibits,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville.

“It’s easy for entry deadlines to sneak up on people, so if you’re planning to enter something in your local fair, take a moment to go online and double-check the information for exhibitors. For the many fairgoers across our state, this is the time to mark your calendars – and if you haven’t been to a fair lately or at all, go see what you’ve been missing.”

The Washington State Fair Association’s list of fairs for 2025 is available at this link. While the majority take place this month, the 9th Legislative District served by Schoesler is home to more fairs in September than any other district in the state.

While livestock exhibits are always popular, Schoesler said, typical categories also include fruits and vegetables, plants and flowers, and other farm-rooted traditions like food preservation, baking, clothing and woodworking. There are arts and crafts galore, and exhibits related to mechanics and machinery.

“Whoever first described fairs as the ‘state’s largest classroom’ sure got it right, because a fair might have everything from A to Z on display. Someone can touch the wool while it’s still on the sheep, or see a stalk of wheat before it becomes flour, and get a sense of how far agriculture – our state’s largest employer – has come in the past century or more.

“But again, that education doesn’t happen without exhibits; check the rules and deadlines so you can be ready to share your efforts for the enjoyment and education of others,” he said.

Schoesler, a fifth-generation wheat farmer, is also Republican leader on the Senate’s capital-budget team. While majority Democrats cut the state fair fund by 35% in the new operating budget for 2025-27, he successfully pushed for a record $9 million in the new capital budget to support health- and safety-improvement projects at fair facilities.

“Many legislators attend their local fair to see constituents. When they see more exhibitors and strong attendance, they can better appreciate how fairs are good citizens and economically important. That can only help to keep the support from Olympia coming.”

2025 session week 12 update

9th District legislators to host virtual town hall on Thursday, March 20

Sen. Mark Schoesler, Rep. Joe Schmick and Rep. Mary Dye are inviting citizens to join them Thursday, March 20 for a 9th District virtual town hall meeting.

The eastern Washington lawmakers will provide an update of the 2025 legislative session and then take questions from participants. Citizens may also submit written questions during the process of registering to participate in the meeting.

During the town hall meeting, the 9th District legislative team will discuss several issues, including:

  • The upcoming two-year state operating, capital and transportation budgets.
  • The likelihood that majority Democrats will impose new and/or higher taxes on Washingtonians.
  • Efforts by Democrats to pass anti-gun legislation.
  • Bills impacting K-12 education and higher education.
  • Bills affecting agriculture in Washington.

The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and conducted using the Zoom platform. Preregistration is required by going to https://tinyurl.com/9thTownHall2025. Those registering will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the meeting.

Schoesler to serve on Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

Sen. Mark Schoesler will return to the Senate committee that addresses agricultural issues when the Legislature’s 2025 session begins next month.

The 9th District senator today learned he has been appointed to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

Schoesler, a fifth-generation farmer who grows wheat, barley and fall peas and raises cattle, is pleased about coming back to the ag panel. For many years, his Senate leadership responsibilities prevented him from serving on that committee. Schoesler stepped down as Senate Republican leader in November 2020 after eight years.

“In addition to being a longtime farmer, I represent and serve a district that relies on agriculture,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville. “Ag remains an important part of our region’s economy. I understand the challenges that farmers and ranchers face. I look forward to again offering an ag-friendly voice on this committee when session starts.”

Schoesler will continue his long streak of serving on the Senate Ways and Means Committee when the Legislature convenes Jan. 13 for 105 days. The 2025 session will mark the 21st straight year Schoesler has been a member of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee since joining the Senate in 2005.

“I take great pride and responsibility in serving on the Ways and Means Committee and I’m pleased to continue doing so,” said Schoesler. “Tax and spending issues have always been among my highest priorities as a legislator. As a Ways and Means member, I watch out for families and businesses in my district and our state by working to keep taxes and spending in check.”

Schoesler will again be the Ways and Means Committee’s lead Republican on the capital budget, which helps fund construction projects for state government buildings, state parks and colleges and universities.

“In this role, I work with my fellow Republicans and lead Democrats on the committee to produce a list of worthwhile projects to include in the state capital budget for the next two years, including those impacting local school districts and higher education institutions like WSU and Eastern,” said Schoesler, whose district includes the Pullman-based Washington State University and Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

Schoesler also will continue serving on the recently renamed Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. He says he will continue advocating for regulatory reform and other issues that will benefit Washington’s job creators and working families.

“My years of experience in the business of farming have helped me understand regulatory issues, which along with workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance are among the key topics this committee addresses. I know how overzealous regulations imposed by government agencies can be as hard on employers as taxes,” said Schoesler.

Schoesler said the Labor and Commerce Committee should focus on shrinking and simplifying Washington’s vast, complex regulatory system.

“Washington’s regulatory code has over 196,000 separate regulations, which is more than all but five states have. That should tell you there is serious need for reform – and this committee is the place to start,” added Schoesler.

Schoesler represents the 9th Legislative District, which covers all or part of Adams, Asotin, Franklin, Garfield, Spokane and Whitman counties.

2024 session week 8 video update