Country Life A7 • lyndentribune.com • Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Berry growers eye a fight over imports
4-H • A8 Gardening • A9
Farm Circle for third-graders
Commission will decide soon whether to hire a law firm By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com
LYNDEN — With usual customers not buying their frozen raspberries, growers are ready to pay money to figure out why. They suspect foreign imports of berries possibly in violation of trade laws. Last spring, the Washington Red Raspberry Commission, made up mostly of Whatcom County growers, spent $5,000 to retain the international law firm of King & Spalding for initial monitoring of the situation. Things didn’t improve in six months. “Our fears were more than realized. Markets are evaporating for local berry growers,” said Henry Bierlink, commission executive director. So a second step is being taken. The commission board of directors is evaluating qualifications of law firms, King & Spalding included, for a more significant work assignment. Bierlink hopes a choice can be made by mid-November. It’s a complex issue. For one thing, the way foreign raspberries come into See Growers on A8
A third-grade class from Skyline Elementary School of Ferndale learns about watershed and soil conservation with Aneka Sweeney of the Whatcom Conservation District at one station of the Farm Circle educational event Nov. 1-2 in the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds’ Haggen Expo Building. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)
Berry farmers prod Congress on trade issues ‘Disparities’ give Mexico an unfair importing edge, they say WHATCOM — County berry farmers who see an
unfair trade situation involving Mexico are appealing to Washington’s members in Congress to address the issue. The area around Lynden leads the nation in the cultivation of raspberries that are frozen for processing. Blueberries also are increasing in acreage. But the future has become un-
certain because of inequities in foreign trade, berry growers say. On Oct. 17 the Whatcom Family Farmers organization sent a letter to Reps. Rick Larsen and Suzan DelBene, who both represent Whatcom County, and Washington’s U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. The letter
points out “the very large disparity” in wages and regulations between American and foreign operations that factors into costs of production and should be recognized in trade relations. Mexico especially is targeted in the letter. “Mexican imports of small fruit such as raspber-
ries, blueberries and strawberries have increased fivefold in the last decade. State subsidies and significant differences in food safety and environmental regulations mean that Mexican berries are sold in the United States for well below American See Appeal on A8
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A8 • Wednesday, November 8, 2017 • lyndentribune.com
Appeal: Farmers face Apples, milk lead state’s ag commodities increasing worker shortages Blueberries in Washington lead the nation OLYMPIA — While apples are far and away Washington State’s leading agricultural commodity, milk continues to hold the second position in terms of overall economic value. Potatoes are number three, cattle and calves number four and wheat fifth. The National Agriculture Statistics Service announced Washington’s 2016 agricultural production, totalling $10.6 billion, on Oct. 13. This was the third straight year that apples and milk went one-two on the commodities list. Milk was calculated using average returns per 100 pounds in combined
4H Reports BARN BUDDIES Tabitha Revak, reporter
Barn Buddies’ last club meeting was called to order at 3:10 p.m. on Oct. 7 at club leader Debbie VanderVeen’s home. As I was not able to attend the meeting, Mrs. VanderVeen and Mrs. Teachman, one of our project leaders, filled me in on the discussion that took place at the meeting. The October meeting was our first since the Northwest Washington Fair, and the first that most of us could attend to discuss and review how Small Animal Experience went this year. Those present mentioned some of the improvements of SAE this year, including the new neon yellow shirts for exhibit supervisors and the
marketings of milk and cream plus the value of milk used for home consumption and milk fed to calves, according to a footnote. Dairy held its position even though declining over three years from $1.6 billion in a very strong 2014 to around $1.1 billion in both 2015 and 2016. Apples were calculated as worth almost $2.4 billion to the state in 2016, and rising over the last three years. Potatoes saw a rise of 5.3 percent to a record $813 million while cattle and calves took a 17 percent drop to $704 million. The next five commodities in order are cherries, hay, hops, grapes and pears. Hops especially have been on a strong rise, 83 percent over three years to a record level. The 2016 statistics
show that Washington produced 120 million pounds of blueberries to lead the country with about 20 percent of the national total. The state produced about 80 million pounds of raspberries, 26.4 of the national total and ranking second behind California when raspberries for fresh market sales are counted in. However, both blueberries and raspberries were down in total value from 2015. State records show that blueberries obtained a price of 78.6 cents per pound in 2016, raspberries 85 cents. Other commodities in which Washington leads the nation are hops, spearmint oil, wrinkled seed peas, Concord grapes, sweet cherries and pears. Values do not include government payments.
efficiency of setup and takedown. I overlooked these details when previously writing about SAE, although they definitely played a role in helping SAE to run smoothly. The yellow shirts were a seemingly small detail that made a surprisingly large improvement in workers’ ability to quickly locate SAE supervisors when the exhibit was crowded. Also, the process of setting up and taking down the exhibit was much less time- and labor-intensive than before. Barn Buddies also discussed a number of other topics. At the Washington State Fair, Kara Teachman showed her two goats and competed in Public Presentations, Anna Teachman showed her dairy heifer and Kelsie Visser entered two of her photographs. Club members were informed of the dues increase
for Whatcom County 4-H membership. The cost has been $5 per member, but now it is going to $28.50 per member. Following lengthy discussion on these and other topics, a decision was made to hold club officer elections at the next meeting on Nov. 11. Mrs. VanderVeen noted several upcoming events pertaining to Barn Buddies. 4-H Achievement Night is on Nov. 10. 4-H members who have submitted applications will be recognized for their achievements in 4-H projects, work as club officers, and community involvement. 4-H leaders and alumni, nominated by 4-H members and volunteers, will be recognized as well. The following week, Barn Buddies will make a 30-minute presentation at the Lynden Noon Kiwanis Club on Wednesday, Nov. 15.
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For six weeks each summer, the commercial raspberry harvest is going strong in Whatcom County. (File photo) Continued from C7 production costs,” the letter states. “Farmers in our state pay approximately $200 per day for labor while in Mexico farm workers earn about $11 per day. Other countries such as Serbia and China also pay farmworkers considerably less than U.S. domestic and guest workers are paid.” Farmers across Wash-
ington and the country face increasing shortages of available workers, particularly during the harvest season when competition for labor is strongest. Pay rates have been increased as one way to retain seasonal employees. But, the farmers say in the letter, they are losing competitiveness through high labor costs and because union organizers try to win public opinion by claiming abuse
and low pay. The letter states, “Farmers are very concerned about providing good pay and working conditions for our farmworkers as well as caring for the environment and ensuring safe, high quality food.” But farmers are up against various pressures, including critics’ attacks on the federal H2A guest worker program that some use.
Growers: Better data needed Continued from C7 the United States can be hard to track. Import data isn’t clear. Might fresh fruit be entering from Mexico and then diverted into frozen form? Could Canada be creating triple berry blends with raspberries from all over the world? “We need better data to identify the source of the problems,” Bierlink said. “A large portion of the next phase is to bet-
ter understand the nature and source of our imported competition.” Also, law dealing with imports is complicated. In general, three legal avenues can be pursued, depending on the nature of the import activity, Bierlink said. Those approaches are: an anti-dumping protectionist tariff imposed by a government, similar countervailing duties and a “safeguard” action through the World Trade Organiza-
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tion. The grower-directed Washington Red Raspberry Commission is far from deciding any of that yet. In 2002 the commission spent about $600,000 to win an “anti-dumping” tariff on Chilean imports of high-grade IQF raspberries. “Dumping” means product is exported at a price that is lower than on a country’s home market. Other world producers of red raspberries are Serbia, Poland and Peru. Whatcom County is the epicenter of United States’ production of red raspberries for processing. The numbers for the 2017 harvest are just in, showing again a strong year. The 68.3 million pounds harvested locally are down 7.6 percent from the record crop of nearly 74 millon pounds in 2016, but still third-best ever for the county. Whatcom County accounts for 97.6 percent of the statewide harvest and typically about 80 percent of national red raspberries for processing. California leads for fresh marketing. Virtually all of the raspberries of about 90 local growers go into frozen packs.
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Wednesday, November 8, 2017 • lyndentribune.com • A9
Honcoop to speak for Save Family Farms Lynden-raised ‘farm kid’ switching roles from KGMI By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com
LYNDEN — Locally raised Dillon Honcoop, after nearly 12 years with KGMI Radio, is taking his journalist skills and “farm kid” background to the statewide Save Family Farming organization. Effective Nov. 1, Honcoop, 34, became communications director for the family farm advocacy nonprofit that is headed by executive director Gerald Baron. “Anyone who has heard me on air knows that my whole life I’ve been passionate about farming and the community that I grew up in,” Honcoop said. “I want to tell the real story of the farming community, because it’s my community,” said Honcoop, who grew up on his father Randy’s Lyndenarea raspberry farm as well as around the dairies both sets of grandparents operated until their retirement. Honcoop has been a reporter, producer and morning talk-show host, notably of the all-topics weekday “Morning Show” and a Saturday “Farming Edition.” “At a time when the general public knows very little about where their food really comes from, I think it’s so important that someone stand up and say
that the attacks anti-farm activists routinely throw at our family farms are simply not true,” he says. “Now I have the chance to give back and stand up for that community, so while I’ve enjoyed my time in radio, I’ve decided to put my money where my mouth is.” In making the announcement, Baron says it will be very valuable to have someone on board with Honcoop’s public communication experience as well as his background in agriculture and deep passion for the future of farming. “The need for the advocacy work we do in pushing back against antifarm activists just seems to keep growing,” Baron said. “We are looking to redouble our efforts to set the record straight against the lawyers and their anti-farm partners who are harming our farms.” Baron continues as communications director for the Whatcom Family Farmers group that was launched in September 2015 and has its own board of directors and executive director. Save Family Farming came about in early 2016 and is best known for its work countering the taxpayer-funded What’s Upstream political campaign implicating farmers in stream pollution. Save Family Farming has Skagit Family Farmers and Yakima Family Farmers as affiliates, and coordinates with Whatcom Family Farmers, Baron said.
In Bloom
Tips to get your lawn and garden ready for winter Although we’re officially only halfway through autumn, the weather we’ve experienced in the last week has felt decidedly like winter. And, if long-range forecasters are correct, this could be just the beginning of another long winter here in the Pacific Northwest. This month, take some time to wrap up the last of your yard projects for the season and prepare your lawn and garden for the wintry weather ahead. First, now is the time to put your yard to bed for the season. With several nights of frost, your lawn will drastically slow down its above-ground growth to direct energy into building strong roots. Throughout this month, rake your lawn as needed to prevent a build-up of leaves, keeping in mind that leaves left to lay on your lawn for extended periods can smother your grass and harbor insects and diseases as they rot. To save yourself the effort of raking, mowing over leaves with a mulching attachment on your mower can grind up fallen leaves and speed their decomposition, adding nutrients to the soil and preventing them from choking out grass. This is easiest to do in dry weath-
By David Vos
er, though, so watch the weather forecast when planning your yard clean-up. If you have evergreen trees that dropped needles or dead foliage in the windy weather, it’s best to remove this residue from your lawn by raking or mowing, as the acidity of fallen evergreen foliage can exacerbate moss issues later this winter or next spring. Once you’re done with cleaning up leaves later this month, take time for one last pass over the lawn with your mower. If you typically keep your grass short, keep your mower at the same height as usual for this last mowing. If, however, you tend to mow your lawn fairly long through the spring and summer, mowing slightly shorter for the last mowing can reduce the chances of grass molding under a blanket of snow. If you haven’t yet fertilized your yard one last time for winter, it’s not too late. In fact, feeding your lawn sometime in the next few weeks will allow your turf to take up the nutrients and store them for spring without having to use up the food for growing above-
ground yet this fall. Next, turn your attention to cleaning up flower beds. By now, most perennials and deciduous shrubs have lost their leaves or will soon. Clean up dead foliage around the base of your plants to prevent slugs and other pests from overwintering in your flowerbeds. Also, prune your rose bushes back halfway to reduce the amount of “sail” in a windstorm and prevent broken branches. And finally, add a fresh layer of bark mulch to help to insulate any tender plants you may have in the ground and prevent weeds from growing through our wet winter. Finally, show your garden tools a little love. You’ve gotten a full year’s worth of work out of that pruner, rake and your shovels — now show them some appreciation. Before you put your tools away for winter, give them a good cleaning, oil them to prevent rust and sharpen your tools as needed. For pruners, use a sharpening stone to keep the blade razor-sharp; shovels are best sharpened with a bastard file to keep a good edge. Next spring, when yard work beckons once again, you’ll thank yourself for the effort to keep your tools in good working order! Enjoy the change of pace in gardening as your work outdoors — at least when it comes to playing in the dirt — draws to a close once again. David Vos is general manager of Vander Giessen Nursery Inc. of Lynden.
Deadline to get USDA blueberry insurance for 2018 is Nov. 20 SPOKANE — The USDA Risk Management Agency reports that Monday, Nov. 20, is the closing date to buy 2018 Federal Crop Insurance Corporation blueberry coverage. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until that date to do so. Producers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent to learn specific details for the 2018 crop year. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at the USDA Service Center at 6975 Hannegan Rd., Lynden, and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Growers can also use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs. Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Information on available coverage for blueberries can found on the RMA Information Browser. Whatcom County is approved for Blueberry Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) coverage. For more details, visit www.rma.usda.gov.
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Whether it is healthy eating, sustainable businesses, or organic farming, there are so many ways to embrace the green lifestyle in north Whatcom County.
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Keep Your Footprint Small During Big Holiday Celebrations
• Compost your kitchen scraps. Keep decomposable materials out of landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the process. • Shop local and organic. Check out your local farmer’s markets to support our rural and urban economies and improve the enviroment at the same time. • Decorate lightly. Better yet, get creative and decorate with nature! Pinecones, acorns, leaves and local flowers are all great alternatives to expensive plastic decor.
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