Farms in Southwest Washington with annual sales of less than $250,000 are now eligible to participate in a small farm internship program run by the state.
The Farm Internship Project was established in 2010 and is overseen by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). For the past three years, the program has covered 16 Washington counties, but thanks to a new law that took effect late last month (July 23), four previously ineligible counties are now included: Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis and Walla Walla. The new law (HB 1906) also extends the project to Dec. 31, 2019.
“Farm internships are great ways for farmers to mentor young people with an interest in this field – and keep food on our tables,” said Washington Governor Jay Inslee.
According to L&I, the benefits for participating farmers include receiving help from up to three interns per year; the interns being exempt from wage requirements and employment security; knowing and ensuring that vital knowledge is being passed on to a new generation of farmers.
“We want to ensure a quality learning experience for participants while making it easy for farms to take part,” said Kelly Kane, who manages the project for L&I. “We’re encouraged with this first-in-the-nation effort’s expansion across the state.”
To learn more about the program, visit Lni.wa.gov/FarmInternProject or contact Kane at 1.800.509.8847 or kelly.kane@lni.wa.gov.
