Dent bill aiming to address ag stress passes through committee

OLYMPIA — A bill sponsored by Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, that aims to reduce regulatory stress in the state’s agriculture community was voted out of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Feb. 4.    

If enacted, House Bill 2619 would establish a joint legislative task force that reviews and recommends ways to streamline, eliminate, or modify regulations that contribute or lead to stress for agricultural producers. The review would focus on regulations related to land use and zoning, stewardship of water resources, grazing and pesticides.  

The task force would also include legislative members from both caucuses and state agencies, including Agriculture, Commerce, Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, Labor and Industries, and the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Innovation and Assistance.  

“Agriculture is not really a profession, it's a culture,” Dent said in a public hearing. “It is a lifestyle, it’s who we are. But what has taken folks…to where they feel the need to commit suicide?”  

The legislation comes as a response to the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s 2025 mental health and suicide report that revealed the number of agricultural suicides are 25% higher than the rest of the state, with farmers experiencing a suicide rate as high as three times the national average.  

The study also finds that economic hardship and regulatory burdens are some of the most significant contributing factors to the mental health challenges the agricultural industry faces.  

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, Washington’s agricultural labor costs have increased from about $64,000 per operation in 2021 to more than $144,000 in 2023, with production expenses per operation 76% higher than the national average.  

“We have to help them do what they do,” Dent said. “What they do is they grow food, but there has to be some profit in it.”  

Kelly McLain, assistant director of the Agricultural Environmental Services Division at the state Department of Agriculture, testified in support of the bill. She said that as farmers reach a precipice of stress related to financial burdens, the department supports identifying opportunities for any type of relief, regulatory or in another space.  

Mark Streuli, representing the Washington Cattlemen, Wheat Growers, and Potato and Onion Association, echoed similar sentiments. He added that newly adopted regulations can be overwhelming, especially for small family farmers, who often lack the time commitment or educational resources to fully understand and comply with the regulations.  

“This isn't a private equity situation. These are family farms,” Streuli said. “They don't have attorneys on staff for that kind of thing.” 

The fiscal note attached to the bill estimates it would cost the state about $59,000 this biennium and increase to about $104,000 the next biennium. The state is currently grappling with a projected $2.3 billion budget shortfall, challenging any legislation that requires additional dollars.  

Dent emphasized he is currently working with the WSDA to lower the fiscal note and that the legislation does not eliminate regulations but creates a collaborative process to evaluate the current regulations.  

“Our goal is balance," Dent said in a press release. "We want strong environmental protections and safe workplaces, but we also want rules that are clear, workable, and fair. Reducing unnecessary stress helps producers stay in business and supports the long-term sustainability of agriculture in Washington, as well as their mental health." 

The bill was passed out of the committee with a do-pass recommendation, beating the policy committee cutoff. The bill is now referred to the Rules Committee for further consideration.