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STATE SENATOR KEVIN RANKER | ||
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Amended Farm Internship bill heads back to SenateSB 6349, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Island, establishes a farm internship program for smaller farms throughout the state. Ranker believes farm internships are a way to inject youth into a pivotal, but aging sector of the state's economy. "With significant help from farmers and labor we were able to create a pilot that will help us ensure we preserve family farms in to the future," Ranker said. "The average age of a farmer in Washington is 57 years old," he 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." In order to qualify for the program, farmers with gross annual sales of less than $250,000 must submit a written application to L&I for certification and include the nature of work and how it will provide the intern with vocational knowledge and skills. SB 6346 passed the house 95-2. Since it was amended in the House after passing in the Senate, it returns to the Senate for concurrence prior to arriving on the Governor's desk. Ranker's farm internship bill for farmers passes Senate 46-0posted 02/16/2010 "After farmers in my district came to me, we saw that red tape was getting in the way of farmers teaching their skills to younger individuals," Ranker said. "This bill ensures Washington farms can continue teaching future farmers for generations to come." 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. "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 interested in employing interns would 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 perform and how the experience would provide them with vocational knowledge and skills. SB 6349 now goes to the House for consideration. Farmers testify in favor of farm internship legislationposted 01/30/2010
State Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Island, is sponsoring Senate Bill 6349, legislation that would provide aspiring farmers with firsthand experience in their future line of work. Farmers offering such opportunities ran into difficulties with the state Labor and Industries Department. This legislation allows the interns to perform work for subminimum wage. "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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