Farmer Jim Sesby of Heritage Farm on San Juan Island speaks to the State Senate on behalf of Ranker's farm internship bill

Farmers come out in force in support of Sen. Ranker’s farm internship bill

Dylan Johnson said he has learned more about farming during his short time as an intern at Synergy Farm in Friday Harbor than he could during a lifetime in the classroom.

Senator Kevin Ranker, San Juan County resident and former County Councilman,  is sponsoring Senate Bill 6349, legislation that would provide aspiring farmers with firsthand experience in their future line of work.

“The average age of a farmer in Washington is 57-years-old,” Ranker said. “If we’re serious about promoting agriculture in Washington we’re going to have to encourage younger people to get into the farms and get their hands dirty.”

Farmers from throughout the 40th District arrived in Olympia on Thursday to testify on behalf of Ranker’s farm internship bill. The measure would allow farms with gross sales of less than $250,000 annually to establish internship programs for future farmers who are not enrolled in classes to work on farms throughout the state.

“Those that weren’t going to a university, they wanted to learn a trade. They deserve an opportunity as well,” Ranker said. “We must encourage young folks to get onto the farm. We must develop a way for these internship programs to take place.”

Farmers interested in employing interns would be required submit a written application for certification to be reviewed by the Department of Labor and Industries. The farm would be required to specify the nature of the work interns would do and how the experience would provide them with vocational knowledge and skills.

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