WSDA outlines overtime-reimbursement grant for local farms; 24 operations awarded nearly $214,000
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Summary
Katie Raines of the Washington State Department of Agriculture told the Senate Ag & Natural Resources Committee that a 2024 grant proviso reimbursed qualifying overtime wages (up to $20,000) to 24 eligible farms, awarding nearly $214,000 total and producing lessons on outreach and eligibility for future programs.
Katie Raines, director of food systems initiatives at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, briefed the committee on a 2024 legislative proviso that funded a one-time grant program to reimburse qualifying overtime wages paid by eligible farms.
"This grant responded to that reality by providing a measure of relief for a very specific segment of farms by reimbursing up to $20,000 in overtime payments to workers during peak harvest," Raines said. She told the committee that eligibility required farms to grow handpicked specialty vegetables sold to local markets and schools, to have paid overtime wages to domestic employees during the 2024 season, and to be owned and operated by a Washington resident with a unified business ID and required certifications.
WSDA implemented the program as a first-come, first-served reimbursement over a six-month application window; 24 farms received a total of nearly $214,000, and the average award was under half of the $20,000 maximum. Raines described the application as a simple online self-attestation form and said WSDA used targeted outreach and cross-agency coordination (including Labor and Industries' coding help) to narrow potential eligible applicants and reduce administrative barriers.
She acknowledged constraints: limited funds meant the program could only serve a fraction of interested producers, some producers had already adjusted labor plans for the 2024 season before knowing the opportunity existed, and first-come, first-served reimbursements can favor producers with greater administrative capacity. To mitigate that, WSDA used repeated outreach, an application-preparation worksheet and targeted contact lists drawn from partner agencies and program contacts.
Raines also referenced recent research: WSDA commissioned an agricultural competitiveness study conducted by the WSU Impact Center and published an initial baseline assessment of agricultural viability; a more comprehensive ag viability study is planned for release in July and will inform recommendations to address sector challenges. Committee members asked whether lessons from this one-time program could be applied to ongoing grant programs; Raines said the department is positioned to support outreach and share lessons for future program design.
The committee concluded the day's work and adjourned for the 2026 session.