Andy Juris
Candidate for Barley District 6 (Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Klickitat, Walla Walla, Whitman, Yakima)
Hometown: Bickleton, WA
Education: B.S. University of North Dakota
Years of farming: 17
Affiliations: Past President, WAWG
Candidate Statement
I would be honored to be chosen by the barley growers of District 6 as your commissioner. As your commissioner, I would take your trust in me very seriously. The grain farmers of Washington are among the very best in the world, and YOUR concerns, goals, and future success would be the guiding principles I would strive to apply to the challenges presented to agriculture today.
Why do you want to serve on the board of the Washington Grain Commission?
“Want” is probably not an accurate word for me. I am concerned about barley’s ever shrinking acreage, I am concerned about our markets as they also shrink, I am concerned about the world we are leaving the future generations of Washington farmers. What do I want? I want your voices, ideas, concerns, and goals to be represented on the Washington Grain Commission as we grapple with these issues. This is your money, and your commission. I will ask the farmers, what do YOU want to do? That is what I want, and that is what I will do my utmost to bring.
What experience and strengths would you bring to the Washington Grain Commission?
Prior to returning to the family farm where I grew up, I spent several years teaching at the University of North Dakota in their aerospace program and later went on to become an airline pilot. Eventually, I became an instructor for the airline and worked in pilot safety advocacy. These experiences gave me an appreciation of people. Good people are the greatest resource of any industry. I firmly believe empowering them is the driving force to overcoming any challenge. My experience as an airline captain tells me that enabling the farmers of Washington to participate in being the engine of their success is what I should bring to the this job.
What challenges being faced by the small grains industry would you focus your attention on?
These challenges include protecting and expanding market access, this will be very important in order for farmers to export the highest quality grain in the world. In order to export their crops, they will need our transportation infrastructure. Thus, protecting the lower snake river dams must be non-negotiable. Farmers not only need markets, but also new technology, so we must have a plan for expanding University research.
What else would you like the growers and landlords of your district to know about you as a candidate?
Grain Commissioners are elected by the farmers, the assessment paid by the farmers funds the Washington Grain Commission. Thus every farmer or landlord that walks in the door of the building is one of the bosses. What you have to say matters, and should be taken seriously when making decisions. And those decisions must be made with the transparency the law dictates and the farmers deserve. That will be my approach to this job.
Additional candidate information
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