What’s the matter with Washington?

From the Capital Press

Washington in 2024 ranked No.1 in producing apples, blueberries, hops, pears, onions and sweet cherries. It was No. 2 in grapes, potatoes, raspberries and winter wheat, grapes. And in take-home farmer pay, it ranked No. 50. Despite excelling at growing high-value crops, Washington agriculture actually lost money, according to the USDA. That’s not to say every farmer lost money. Cattle ranchers are enjoying a run of high prices. But as a whole, production expenses exceeded gross cash income. The USDA estimated returns to operators at minus $396.2 million. Read the rest of the article here.