Farmers and hunger relief organizations across the state rely on programs such as WSDA Food Assistance to ensure access to healthy food for all Washingtonians.

Hundreds of hunger relief organizations, including the members of the Meals Partnership Coalition (MPC), rely on this funding to be able to provide nutritious and culturally uplifting meals and groceries at meal programs, food banks, food pantries and food box programs across the state. For many small farms, farm to community funding and infrastructure grants provide vital investments into their businesses to operate and grow, ensure greater predictability, and the ability to plan a business opportunity that supports the community. This sustainable funding ensures we have a resilient economy with local food available to all, now and in the future.

State lawmakers need to hear your support for these investments

The House and Senate have each passed their respective budget proposals and will spend the next couple of weeks reconciling them into one final budget. Thanks to advocacy from people like you, the House and Senate budgets both fully fund the WSDA Food Assistance Program at $93.25 million! Both budgets also provide some funding for Summer EBT for school age kids, and DOH’s Fruit & Vegetable Incentive Programs that help SNAP and Medicaid participants buy fresh, local produce.

However, only the House budget fully funds these programs – the Senate budget includes some cuts to WSDA’s Farm to School program and Local Food Infrastructure grant program. We want to thank both chambers for strengthening food security across Washington state in their budget proposals, AND we want to encourage them to adopt a final budget that includes the House investment levels in our food system (rather than the Senate ).

These investments are possible only because both chambers have introduced stable, sustainable new revenue sources that would provide enough funding to avoid the worst case scenario of cutting $12 - $15 billion from our state budget. We urge lawmakers to vote YES on these revenue proposals that help balance our tax code, provide critical infrastructure for meal programs and hunger relief organizations, and support local food systems capacity for farmers. Without full funding, business viability is threatened for hundreds of small farm businesses who rely on these resources to grow and sustain their operations.

We need YOU to tell your lawmakers to pass a final budget that invests in our food system.

Customize your message! The default text is a starting point, we encourage you to share how the WSDA Food Assistance program has impacted your business or nonprofit. We also encourage you to explain what will happen to your organization and your ability to serve community if this support goes away.