House Ag Committee Hears Broad Support for Bill to Create Statewide Food‑security Strategy

The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee opened public testimony on House Bill 2,238, a proposal to charge the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) with coordinating food‑security efforts and developing a statewide food security strategy by Dec. 1, 2027.

Rebecca Lewis, research analyst and staff to the committee, summarized the bill and told members it “adds food security coordination and food system performance monitoring to the current powers and duties of the director of the Department of Agriculture” and requires WSDA to convene state agencies, nonprofit hunger‑relief organizations and federally recognized tribes while developing the strategy. Lewis said a fiscal note has been requested but had not been received at the time of the hearing.

Sponsor Representative Christine Reeves (30th Legislative District) told the committee the bill is intended to codify and coordinate work WSDA and partners…