The legislature finds that the support of Washington's agriculture industry and its family farms by the citizens of the state of Washington is beneficial to the economy of the state. The legislature also finds that Washington farmers produce a variety of wholesome, quality products and are good stewards of the land.

     The legislature also finds that the from the heart of Washington program, developed by the Washington state department of agriculture with one-time federal grant moneys, is a valuable tool to convey important messages about Washington agriculture and to encourage Washington citizens to buy Washington-grown and Washington-processed food and agricultural products. With the exhaustion of the one-time federal grant funding, the legislature finds that the program would benefit from a new governance structure that will allow the necessary operational flexibility to enable the program to expand and to encourage private investment in the program, and that the continuance of the program as a private, nonprofit corporation is the best method to achieve these goals.

     The legislature further finds that the continuation of the from the heart of Washington program will provide both direct and indirect economic benefits to the people of the state of Washington.

[2004 c 26 § 1.]