Legislative Commentary: Aug. 1, 2019

Dear Friends,

Harvest time has come to my farm and others in the area. Every harvest is at least a little different from all the others before it; as much as I might like to see another record wheat-cutting day like we had a year ago, it would be enough for things to simply go smoothly overall – meaning the weather cooperates, the equipment operates as it’s supposed to, and so on.

Before putting my commentary aside to concentrate on the harvest, I’ll briefly share a few things.

First, past commentaries have mentioned what I call “9th District values” and how those have guided me as I took on the responsibilities of being Senate majority leader and Senate Republican leader as well as being state senator. Those values have a lot to do with being financially responsible and proper stewardship of public resources, but they also include being optimistic, and willing to put in the hours and hard work, being able to adapt and overcome when the ride gets bumpy, thinking long term, and more.

Those are also good qualities to have during harvest, of course, but they came to mind in a different way this past weekend when the National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its new class of members, including Seattle Mariner legend Edgar Martinez. As a lifelong baseball fan, I really enjoyed meeting Edgar in April when the Senate passed the resolution I introduced in recognition of his selection to the Hall of Fame.

It occurred to me that you don’t endure four years in the minor leagues, stay with one club your entire career and overcome an injury to transform yourself from (as the resolution puts it) “an able third baseman into arguably the greatest designated hitter in history” without having some pretty solid values. I suspect Edgar would feel right at home in the 9th District!

Second, and speaking of Hall of Famers, I was happy to learn that Merle Booker was inducted into the National Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame earlier this month. Merle, who founded the Booker Auction Company in 1980 in Eltopia, was recognized at the association’s 70th annual conference. I’ve known the Booker family since I was an FFA member and appreciate not only Merle’s services to agriculture in our region but his strong support for FFA and 4-H. Congratulations on a well-deserved honor!

Meet me at the fair!

Finally, the coming of harvest time also means the agricultural fairs that are such a part of communities in and around the 9th District are almost upon us. Fairs are a great way to get away from the buzz of life and spend a day or even just an evening in a place not far from home, where there’s always great food and something fun and interesting for all ages to do or see.

Going to the fair is like baseball, hot dogs and apple pie to me – a reminder of all that once was good. For people who aren’t lucky enough to grow up on or near a farm, the fair is a place to learn about rural life and where food comes from and about local crops and the importance of agriculture, our state’s largest employer. The variety of exhibits can be amazing, from livestock and crops to art and crafts – I remember being impressed by an exhibit at the Adams County Fair in Othello that featured every agricultural commodity grown commercially in the county, because there were more than I expected.

On top of all that, a fair is a good citizen and a real economic force in the community. Food concessions and support jobs help civic groups, churches and school organizations raise funds, while 4-H and FFA livestock sales show young people the value of their hard work. The state budget includes money to help support agricultural fairs, but I’ll bet that allocation (around $3 million over two years) hasn’t increased in 20 years. If there’s another area in the budget which has stayed flat for that long, I can’t think of it – so clearly the fair organizers around the state are managing to get the most out of every penny.

The Benton Franklin Fair, which starts August 20, leads off the parade of agricultural fairs in our region – a run that goes all the way through the second half of September (concluding with the SE Spokane County Fair in Rockford, which starts September 20). I usually manage to visit a good number of local fairs between post-harvest chores, so if you see me say hello!