Sen. Shelly Short, District 7 Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee

What are your priorities for the 2026 Legislative Session?

Agriculture in our state is at a critical juncture; its viability is a top priority this session. We’ve all watched the impacts on agricultural operations from burdensome and costly labor policies and incessant regulations. I want to focus on alleviating that burden. We see the loss and sale of so many farms in our state, which impacts the food security in our communities and our state. It wasn’t that long ago that store shelves and food bank shelves were empty during the pandemic; it should be a wake-up call and serve as a reminder of the importance of agriculture today and for future generations. 

I’m also working on some bills that would protect landowners from agency overreach. It is important that the state stay in its lane and quit overburdening landowners with regulations that cost the landowner productive use of their land. I appreciate the work that Sen. Muzzall is doing to push agencies to quantify the financial impacts of regulation on agricultural operations and to minimize the impact of the same. The framework is really based on long-standing federal and state laws with respect to small business impacts. 

What budget concerns are at the top of your committee list? How worried should growers be about WSDA funding and cuts to programs they rely on?

Many of WSDA’s programs are fee based and are not reliant upon general fund money. I am less concerned about those programs. One of my biggest priorities specific to Northeast Washington and now to Southeast Washington has been to ensure that the wolf conflict funding continues to be funded and expanded. It’s a relatively small part of the budget, and it’s a program that is critical for those that are at the center of wolf recovery, but it’s success relies on funding for the wolf conflict specialist and the range riders. 

There’s been a lot of talk this year about ag viability. A recent report from WSDA estimates that Washington loses an average of two farms a day, with more than 3,700 Washington farms lost between 2017 and 2022. In September, the House did a work session on ag viability that emphasized the need for proactive and strategic approaches to ensure the sustainability of agriculture in the state, and in an August legislative tour in the Skagit Valley, legislators heard firsthand the economic and regulatory struggles growers in the state are facing. What can the Legislature do to help lessen the burdens farmers are facing?

I share ag’s concerns about the loss of farms and the need to ensure farming will continue. Labor and regulatory costs are at the top of the list of costs that producers discuss that are pushing them towards shutting down. I believe that relaxing the ag overtime requirements and backing off of over-reaching land-use restrictions, as well as permitting costs, would help producers be able to breathe. Ag producers need to be profitable to be sustainable, and the more that they have to spend in order to comply with the ever-changing agency rules, the less sustainable they can be. 

There’s also been much discussion about food security and food distribution issues. Do you anticipate your committee will be addressing these issues? How could growers help solve the problems?

I am hearing that food security is likely to be addressed in the incoming session. Fundamentally, food security and food distribution rely on a healthy grower climate and available markets and a robust supply chain. If growers and producers cannot afford to do business, then food availability suffers. The best thing we can do to promote food security is to lower labor costs, lower fuel costs, and reduce regulation on farmers and ranchers. The more time and money they have to spend to comply with government control, the less they can invest in providing food to the public. I would like to see growers make their voices heard in Olympia by interacting with legislators and participating in the process so that legislators who don’t have ag in their districts can meet growers firsthand and better understand the importance of ag, the environmental commitment ag has and understand the unintended consequences of the policies that have been enacted by the Legislature. Equally important is for ag to speak with one voice and to develop partnerships beyond themselves.

We’ve been hearing concerns that the environmental crimes bill from the 2025 session may resurface, and many of our growers are worried that agriculture may be unintentionally impacted. How do you see that playing out in the 2026 session? 

I completely concur and share your concern regarding unintentional impacts of the environmental crimes bill on agriculture. I believe the way it is currently written will increase the constriction on land and water use that is already hurting agriculture and will give Ecology and others tremendous authority beyond what they have. I will continue my conversations with Sen. Trudeau to see if there are opportunities to help her communities without creating significant regulatory burdens elsewhere in the state. Absent that, I will continue to push back against the bill and do everything I can to ensure it doesn’t pass.

Wheat growers recently joined other commodities in sending a letter to Gov. Ferguson disputing the direction of the Riparian Taskforce put forward by the firm overseeing the process. We stand firm that voluntary efforts, rather than mandatory requirements, are the best way to achieve conservation goals. With the current budget situation, how can the state continue to fund voluntary efforts so we don’t lose the progress we’ve made? Is there a potential that funding could increase to meet demand?

I will continue to work with other legislators to fight for the continued level of funding. It is unlikely that funding will be increased, however, the benefits of voluntary efforts undertaken need to continue to be shared and kept front and center in the meantime. It is possible that money from NRCS could be utilized to supplement that funding. 

Is there anything else you want Washington growers to know about your Ag Committee and the upcoming 2026 Washington State Legislative Session?

Be very vigilant and engaged with your associations and signing up to testify on bills. More importantly, continue efforts to build partnerships within and outside of ag, working together, speaking with one voice, for the benefit of the greater ag community. Ag is in a dire situation, and it’s important that the Puget Sound lawmakers know that the grower community is important and has a voice. Continue to communicate with legislators about how serious this situation is.