Committee previews broad farm-package bill that would expand state purchasing, add exemptions and fund programs

At a March 3 Consumer Protection Business Committee hearing, sponsors and stakeholders described House Bill 2616 as a state 'farm bill' that would require agencies to develop institutional purchasing strategies for Washington-grown food, temporarily exempt certain packaging and refrigerants, change some labor-notice rules, transfer cannabis production oversight and include an $885,000 appropriation for a tree-fruit program.