District 20 Representative Peter Abbarno
By Peter Abbarno
For the C-C Chamber of Commerce
Machines loading grain into rail cars is a common sight at 207 Maurin Road in Chehalis, a lot set aside by the Port of Chehalis for the Southwest Washington Grain Project.
Established via a collaboration between the Port of Chehalis, the Southwest Washington Growers Cooperative, and other regional agricultural partners, the Southwest Washington Grain Project is an initiative to construct a public grain storage and transloading facility intended to help local farmers sell wheat and barley to distributors.
The idea to build the facility began to form in about 2017, when producers with the Southwest Washington Growers Cooperative and representatives of the Northwest Agriculture Business Center and WSU Extension found that grain, especially malting barley, could serve as a viable crop for both growers and buyers. This could help them recover from issues such as flooding, natural disasters, and big companies terminating contracts for sweet peas and corn.
“They started talking and doing some feasibility stuff with WSU, and kind of determined that one of the things we could look at is wheat and barley production in Lewis County,” said Port of Chehalis Operations Manager Bill Teitzel. “But one of the things we’re going to need is we’re going to need a way to get that product where it needs to go.”
Thanks to a successful petition to the Lewis County Commissioners, the Port of Chehalis and the Southwest Washington Growers Cooperative received $800,000 for the installation of a rail spur on the port’s property.
“We want to support the ag industry in Lewis County because it’s important to what Lewis County has been and what Lewis County is going to be. It fits all the conditions we have at the Port of Chehalis and meets our mission,” Teitzel said.
The rail spur was completed in the spring of 2020. The next phase of the project involves building an on-site grain storage facility so growers can store their products while waiting for train cars to arrive, then load the product immediately once the rail cars are on site.
The greatness of our local agriculture community was evident within the same week as the farm tour when Lewis County was treated to a display of our region’s agriculture at the Southwest Washington Fair. From end-to-end, the Fair was filled with livestock, fruits and vegetables, animals, horses, rabbits, chickens, goats, sheep, and much more. Many of the entries and displays were from 4-H and FFA students—the next generation of farmers and ranchers preserving their history and tradition.
The spark of interest in farming and ranching often begins at fairs like the Southwest Washington Fair, which got its start in 1877 to promote “the advancement of agriculture.” Agriculture is woven into the fabric of communities in Lewis County, Southwest Washington, and Washington state. We must continue to keep that important history, tradition, and economy thriving by supporting farming and ranching. The more educated we are about the food we eat, the better prepared we are to make good decisions to support an industry that supports us.
Our state delegation continues to advocate for farmers and ranchers, with Sen. John Braun on the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Ed Orcutt on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and myself as the Ranking Member on the House Capital Budget Committee. Each of these committees addresses the issues facing farmers and the business community.
This year, it was an honor to be recognized as a “Friend of the Farm Bureau” for my ‘exceptional voting record’ supporting our agriculture community. Still, Washington can do better. In the coming legislative session, issues to protect and promote farm and ranch land will be very important. So will expanding the vocational and educational opportunities for students wanting to work in the agriculture industry. I will continue to advocate for protecting farmland, mitigating labor costs, opening new markets, eliminating overburdensome regulations, and reducing fuel and transportation costs for agriculture-related vehicles.
To stay connected with agriculture-related issues in the Washington State Legislature, visit www.RepresentativePeterAbbarno.com or www.Leg.Wa.Gov.
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Rep. Peter Abbarno represents the 20th Legislative District and is the Ranking Member on the House Capital Budget Committee. This article appeared in Fireline, an official publication of the Washington Fire Commissioners Association.
