Grants for small meat production

OLYMPIA – During the height of the COVID pandemic, Washington state Sen. Judy Warnick worked to secure funding for a bourgeoning and much needed alternative to large meat processing facilities that were hit hard by the virus. Closures around the country led to shocks in the meat supply, causing prices to spike and supply to plummet. In 2020, industry experts estimated that meat production, particularly of beef and pork, dropped 30 percent.

Warnick, R-Moses Lake, sponsored Senate Bill 5045, which the senate approved, but which died in the house. She was able to work the proposal into the state’...