Kristine Reeves — Chair Reeves closes the exchange by thanking the presenters and noting that committee members would welcome more robust data analysis, and Dr. Roof responds by thanking Chair Reeves for inviting her to participate in the meeting.
Kristine Reeves — Kristine Reeves and others participate in a continuous discussion centered on thanking Dr. Roof for his time and expertise, acknowledging the committee’s collaborative work on food policy recommendations, and noting Chair Reeves’s broader food security efforts that are being connected with the forum’s work.
Kristine Reeves — Kristine Reeves is addressed as Chair and praised for her leadership in advancing food security and broader food systems work. The speaker thanks her for the committee’s robust efforts and specifically notes her encouragement in developing a systems map as part of that work.
Kristine Reeves — Identified as the person who would receive the detailed recommendations.
Kristine Reeves — Referenced as part of the committee's broader work on a comprehensive state food security strategy.
Kristine Reeves — Greeted by Bryce Montgomery in his opening remarks.
Kristine Reeves — Addressed as Chair Reeves by Karen Mullen.
Kristine Reeves — Addressed as Madam Chair.
Kristine Reeves — Addressed as Madam Chair.
Kristine Reeves — The committee chair is speaking in response to the request.
Kristine Reeves — Chair invites the next witnesses and notes the committee will discuss the 2026 session.
Kristine Reeves — Thanked by David Bobanick for chairing the hearing.
Kristine Reeves — Addressed jokingly about liking visuals.
Kristine Reeves — Thanked as Chair Reeves.
Kristine Reeves — Addressed as Chair Reeves.
Marie — Referenced as having made an earlier point about higher-income households needing food assistance.
Grace — Noted as being present in the audience from the governor's office.
Adison Richards — Called on first to ask questions.
Adison Richards — Representative Richards asked why farms matter to constituents and requested a specific list of policy recommendations, including whether the panel could work with the committee on developing them. The response indicated that the policy list would be shared with Representative Richards once it was available.
Ed Orcutt — Representative Orcutt is called on and asks about the presentation’s finding that 32% of households earning $75,000 to $150,000 were food insecure, raising a question about whether household size explains that result. His questions remain part of the broader discussion of the data analysis.
Ed Orcutt — Representative Ed Orcutt was recognized for a question and asked how Washington’s 11.2% SNAP enrollment rate in 2024 compares with the enrollment rates of other states.
Ed Orcutt — Representative Orcutt was noted as having a question and then asked whether there was a statewide resource to locate food banks so constituents could be directed to available help.
Ms. Stryker — Ms. Stryker is referenced as the presenter whose data is being questioned.
Tracy Roof — Tracy Roof is introduced as an associate professor and chair of political science at the University of Richmond and recognized as one of the few academics doing this kind of analysis. She then thanks the committee and Chair Reeves, shares her screen, notes that the topic brings her back to the pandemic, states her name and title for the record, and begins her presentation on the history of the food stamps program and its connection to agriculture and the social safety net.
Dr. Roof — Chair indicated Dr. Roof's contact information is available for follow-up questions.
Danny Madrone — Danny Madrone presented an overview of the Food Policy Forum, explaining that it is co-convened by the State Conservation Commission and WSDA, was created by budget proviso and later codified into statute, and operates through a consensus process that vets recommendations before they reach the legislature. He described the forum’s diverse membership and its use of an equity filter to evaluate recommendations, then outlined the forum’s five topical priority areas. He highlighted recommendations related to food insecurity, including producer purchasing initiatives, nutrition assistance access, and reducing barriers at farmers’ markets; climate change and water access, including a Western Washington water office, coordination with the Office of the Columbia River, and proactive statewide water planning; regional food infrastructure and rural economic development, including processing, storage, distribution, financing, and statewide coordination; and began discussing agricultural land protection and next-generation farming, including urban infill and agricultural impact review.
Chris Elder — Chris Elder, joining remotely from Bellingham, introduced himself as the Administrative Chair of the Washington State Food Policy Forum. He briefly described his background with the forum and related work in county government and farmland preservation, then framed food insecurity as part of the larger long-term challenge of food security, emphasizing the importance of land, water, and market access for farmers. He also praised the forum’s diverse participation across government, NGOs, and agriculture, and thanked those involved in developing comprehensive food system recommendations.
Chris Elder — Noted as being on the line and available to answer questions.
Rebecca Saldaña — Named as one of the legislators serving on the Food Policy Forum.
Danny — Thanked for the presentation.
Tom Dent — Tom Dent is identified and addressed as the Ranking Member during the transition to the next panel, with the chair moving on after the previous panel and greeting him by title.
Tom Dent — Tom Dent is addressed and acknowledged as Ranking Member Dent in a brief, continuous exchange.
Bree Elsie — Bree Elsie of the Washington Farm Bureau is introduced and then identifies herself as the Director of Governmental Affairs, beginning a joint systems perspective presentation.
Crystal Leatherman — Introduced as a witness from the Washington Retail Association.
Crystal Leatherman — Introduced herself as Director of Policy and Government Affairs for the Washington Retail Association and described the retail sector's economic importance.
Molly Faffneroth — Introduced as a witness from the Washington Food Industry Association.
John Devaney — Identified as working with the speaker on the systems map, representing the Washington Tree Fruit Association.
Chris Voight — Identified as working with the speaker on the systems map, representing the Potato Association.
Melanie Morgan — Likely not mentioned here; no direct member reference in text. No member ID assigned.
Melanie Morgan — Representative Melanie Morgan asks the panel for data on how WIC participation and fresh fruit and vegetable usage changed after the Fred Meyer closure in Tacoma, including where participants are going instead. The discussion then broadens to include related grocery closure and food desert impacts.
Melanie Morgan — Melanie Morgan is addressed and thanked as Vice Chair Morgan in a brief, continuous exchange.
Molly Poffenroth — Molly Poffenroth is introduced as the next speaker, then she begins her testimony by identifying herself as Director of Government Affairs for the Washington Food Industry Association and explaining that WFIA members play an important role in food access.
Adam Bernbaum — In a brief exchange, the speaker asks whether there is a follow-up question or whether Representative Birnbaum should ask, and the response indicates that Representative Birnbaum has already received the question.
Bryce Montgomery — His presentation on SNAP and food assistance eligibility is being concluded, and the chair thanks him for the demographic detail he provided.
Karen Mullen — Karen Mullen, a senior policy analyst at the Department of Health and a registered dietitian, introduces herself and later concludes her testimony, after which the chair thanks her.
HB1587 — Karen Mullen says the fruit and vegetable incentive program was established by Substitute House Bill 1587 in 2019.
Katie — Katie was thanked for her remarks before the question period, and her earlier comments were later referenced as part of a discussion about the challenges facing small-scale farmers in Washington State.
Mr. Montgomery — Named as a possible target of Representative Morgan's question.
Ms. Mullen — Named as a possible target of Representative Morgan's question.
Erin Chiswes? — Invited to the testimony table; name is uncertain and repeatedly corrected by the chair.