Port offers support for WSU project

COLFAX – Washington State University recently completed a United States Department of Agriculture grant application to establish an agricultural innovation center and is requesting financial support from the Port of Whitman County.

A motion was placed before the commissioners to authorize a project match of $70,000 and an in-kind match of $10,000 to include 50 percent of six months' of the communication director's staff time for educating Whitman County agriculture producers on the center's services.

The port staff recommends providing a match to fund the project and the in-kind contribution will utilize the port communication director to fill the role as a liaison between the growers and researchers working on the grant project.

The motion passed on a 2-1 vote. Commissioner John Love and Kristine Meyer voted yes, with Commissioner Tom Kammerzell voting no.

The center would provide agriculture produces with access to advanced food processing facilities and expertise, as well as support to enter international markets and have access to micro-grants and entrepreneurial training.

This center will initially begin with a focus on four, regionally produced crops. These crops designated by WSU are grains, legumes, potatoes and onions.

One long-term goal of this agricultural innovation center would be to broaden its activities to serve the needs of Washington State.

“The USDA wants these centers to be statewide resources,” said Brian Kraft, WSU. “I was able to talk them down to make this specifically for our region at this time. We are a state institution and are supposed to support the state.”

Kammerzell said he has concerns with the amount of money that is going into this project as well as the four focused crops the center is looking at. He said he can see the benefit of grains and legumes, but sees it difficult with onions and potatoes in this region.

Kammerzell made the suggestion of postponing the vote for another meeting.

The vote couldn't be postponed because the final deadline for the application was March 20.

“We will get nothing if we invest nothing, and I will not leave that opportunity behind,” Meyer said. “I would hate for us to not start and leave money behind for a minor imperfection in its start-up.”

Meyer said this investment would be a benefitted future value opportunity.

The port is in the position to where it can support this project. In an update on the port's website it says, “helping to shift the producer’s mindset from a 'commodities' mindset to a 'value-added agriculture' mindset directly aligns with the port’s goals.”