OLYMPIA, Wash. – A new bill in the Washington senate would require Washington State University to establish a heritage orchard program.
Senator John Braun introduced the bill to the senate committee for higher education and workforce development on Monday morning.
The bill says that “Washington State University shall establish a heritage orchard program.” The program would be required to maintain a registry of heritage orchards in Washington, provide resources to heritage orchards, propagate “rare and lost apple cultivars” and develop a list of rare and lost apple varieties.
The bill defines a heritage orchard as an orchard with at least five apple trees more than 74 years old and including at least one tree of a rare or lost apple variety.
The intent of the heritage program would be to preserve Washington’s history of propagating apples, especially “lost apples,” according to the bill.
When the bill was introduced to the Washington senate committee, senate analyst Kellee Gunn said a fiscal note for the bill was requested, but was not made available.
Braun, who attended the senate committee meeting to talk about the bill, said the bill was not intended to have a fiscal note because of the association with Washington State University.
“I know that’s a big issue this year. If there is a fiscal note, I’ll keep a close eye on it,” Braun said to the committee.
Washington Senators Steve Conway, Liz Lovelett, Mark Schoesler, Sharon Shewmake and Lisa Wellman co-sponsored the bill.
