Rep. Gloria Mendoza introduces bill to preserve Washington’s rare and historic apple varieties
CONTACT: John Sattgast, Senior Public Information Officer | 360-786-7257
Rep. Gloria Mendoza introduces bill to preserve Washington’s rare and historic apple varieties
Washington state’s rich agricultural history could soon receive new recognition under legislation recently introduced by Rep. Gloria Mendoza, R-Grandview.
House Bill 2525 would establish a Heritage Orchard Program in partnership with Washington State University, aimed at identifying, registering, and preserving rare and historic apple varieties still growing on small farms across the state.
Mendoza says the bill draws from both history and discovery.
“In the early 1900s, there were approximately 20,000 known varieties of apples,” Mendoza said. “Over time, many were believed to be extinct. Now we’re finding that some small family farms still have trees producing apples that were thought to be lost.”
Under the bill, Washington State University would create and maintain a registry of heritage orchards and provide resources to help protect qualifying trees. The program would focus on older orchards and rare varieties that are no longer produced on a commercial scale.
Mendoza says researchers have already identified dozens of rare apple varieties still growing in Washington, and she believes the program could lead to even more discoveries.
“Once you establish a heritage orchard program, it gets small farms excited to say, ‘We have a rare apple, and that’s why we’ve kept this tree,’” she said. “There may be apples out there that we’re not even aware of yet because they’re not grown on a larger scale.”
Washington is the nation’s leading apple producer, and Mendoza says the bill could strengthen that legacy while honoring the state’s agricultural roots.
“Imagine discovering an apple that we’ve never tasted before and being able to say it comes from a small farm right here in Washington,” Mendoza said. “It gives us another reason to be proud of what our state produces.”
Mendoza, who has a background in farm work in the Yakima Valley, says the legislation is a personal passion and an opportunity to connect Washington’s agricultural past with its future.
HB 2525 has been referred to the House Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee and awaits a public hearing.
