A bill sponsored by Rep. Gloria Mendoza, R-Grandview, to preserve Washington’s rare and historic apple varieties was signed into law Friday afternoon by Gov. Bob Ferguson during a ceremony in Yakima.
House Bill 2525 establishes a statewide heritage orchard program to identify and register historic orchards and catalog rare or “lost” apple varieties across Washington. The bill signing took place March 20 at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences.
The measure received overwhelming bipartisan support in the Legislature, passing the House unanimously, 94-0, and the Senate on a 47-1 vote.
For Mendoza, a second-year legislator, the signing marks a major milestone. HB 2525 is the first bill she has sponsored to be enacted into law.
“This is a proud and emotional moment for me, my family, and the people of the 14th District,” said Mendoza. “This bill is rooted in my own experience growing up in the Yakima Valley orchards, and it represents the hard work and heritage of the families who make Washington the apple capital of the nation.”
The new law defines a heritage orchard as one containing at least five apple trees more than 74 years old or an orchard that includes at least one tree of a rare or lost apple variety. The program will be administered through Washington State University.
Washington produces more than 60% of the nation’s apples, but many historic varieties have disappeared from commercial production over time as the industry has focused on fewer, high-demand apples.
Mendoza said the registry program will help ensure those unique varieties are not lost.
“We are preserving more than trees. We are preserving history, culture, and opportunity for future generations,” Mendoza said. “These apples tell the story of our state, and now we are making sure that story continues.”
She also emphasized the importance of agriculture to communities across central Washington.
“This law recognizes the farmers, farm workers, and families who built this industry and continue to sustain it today,” Mendoza said. “It is an investment in our agricultural roots and in the future of innovation and research that will keep Washington’s apple industry strong.”
House Bill 2525 takes effect June 11.
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Washington State House Republicans