Dunshee deserves credit on ag help

I read your Oct. 11 article, “County program protects nearly 400 acres of Monroe farmland,” on the protection of working farms in Snohomish County with great interest. While the article rightly gave praise to many county leaders, absent was our own state Rep. Hans Dunshee, who also deserves credit.

Rep. Dunshee, as chair of the House Capital Budget Committee, was not only a steadfast leader on the protection of Willie Green’s Organic Farm, but also strongly supports farmland protection across Washington through the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.

Thanks to Rep. Dunshee’s leadership, farmland advocates have seen funding for the preservation of working farms increase by over $12 million, protecting farms like Broers Berry Farm outside of Monroe.

In these difficult economic times, Washington’s working farms are more important than ever before. Each year, the state’s $38 billion food and agriculture industry employs 160,000 people and is responsible for over 12 percent of our state’s economy.

As a farmer and chair of the Snohomish Conservation District, my hat is off to you, Rep. Dunshee. Thank you for keeping Washington working.

Mark Craven

Craven Farm

Snohomish