Sustaining Washington Agriculture in a Shifting Trade Landscape

Washington’s agriculture industry — from apples and cherries to wheat and seafood — has long relied on robust export markets, with China among its most important trading partners. In recent years, shifting trade policies and evolving tariff structures have reshaped market access, supply chains, and pricing, creating both challenges and opportunities for growers, exporters, and consumers.

Join us on Thursday, September 11, for a panel of experts from government, trade associations, and the business community as they explore how changes in U.S.-China trade relations are impacting Washington’s agricultural economy. Our panelists include Rianne Ham, Manager of International Marketing Program at the Washington State Department of Agriculture; John Melin, President and CEO of Brown & Haley; Mark Powers, President of the Northwest Horticultural Council; and Lawrence Ward, Chair of Dorsey & Whitney LLP’s National Security Law Group and head of the firm’s Seattle office. They will discuss the real-world effects of tariffs, strategies for adapting to policy shifts, and what the future may hold for one of the state’s most vital industries.

Host or Publisher Washington State China Relations Council