RSSAg economy remains a bright spot for Valley
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The following was printed July 29, 2009.
Economists have long considered the Yakima Valley's bountiful harvests a strong antidote to a recession. Studies have shown the Yakima Valley's economic engine is late to enter a national recession and slow to exit when conditions turn around.
However, for this recession, it's quite possible the Yakima Valley will come into and out of the economic downturn considerably less bruised than most of the nation.
That's certainly what's happening with regards to planned expansions proposed by a number of fruit companies. As many as five fruit companies are planning to expand their facilities in North Yakima for fruit packing and controlled atmosphere storage, adding some 500,000 square feet over the next few years.
That looks like a resilient economy to us.
The reason for the expansion is a particularly rosy outlook for apples, where world demand continues to put pressure on the industry to provide more fruit.
Though Yakima County will soon -- perhaps in the next two years -- see its national ranking as the No. 1 producer of apples usurped by neighboring Grant County, that doesn't mean the Valley has also yielded ground with respect to packing houses and storage facilities. About two-thirds of the state's apple crop is packed in the Yakima Valley.
Jobless figures also provide further proof that Central Washington's economy is weathering the deep troughs of the nation's recession. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Yakima County's jobless rate in June was below that of the state's.
Encouraging economic news is also occurring statewide. The head of the Washington Restaurant Association said Monday most of the group's members expect business to improve.
"The feeling is, 'All right, we can get through this,' " proclaimed the association's president, Anthony Anton.
Another indicator of economic growth is the housing market. Even here, signs are trending higher.
For the fourth consecutive month, there was a modest improvement for housing prices in May compared to the same month last year, according to national figures released Tuesday. The index of 20 metropolitan areas declined 17.1 percent in May from the same month in 2008. That's an improvement over April's dip of 18.1 percent. The index also revealed for the first time in three years a very small half percentage point increase in house prices.
Housing prices improved in May for 13 of the 20 metropolitan centers. Seattle, though, was among five that continued to show a drop.
In the Yakima area, the drop in home prices was not as steep, falling 5.2 percent in the first three months of 2009 to an average of $152,239.
Sales of new homes across the nation also are showing signs of a rebound, posting their largest monthly gain in nearly eight years in June. The Commerce Department on Monday said sales of new single-family homes rose 11 percent. Experts had predicted just a 3 percent increase. However, these encouraging sales figures are still down 21 percent from June 2008.
While economists try to decipher just when the national recession will actually bottom out, Yakima Valley's economy continues to show resiliency.
Those leading our agriculture-based industry also continue to exude a quiet confidence in the future. It's a fact of life here. We simply don't go wild when things are booming nor do we panic when things go awry. That's the way we would like to keep it.
* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.
Didn't I read just last week that we are the second-lowest county in America for wages? Maybe the farm owners are doing alright, but one look is all it takes to see that most other people around here are not doing so well at all.
I don't see much reason to brag about the economy in a place where grown men peddle around on bicycles selling ice cream and half the city has basically turned into a slum. Let's try some honesty instead: things have never been worse here. The county is broke, the city is broke, the roads are falling apart and the buildings are covered with gang graffiti. The quality of life here has fallen steadily for many years, with no end in sight. Putting lipstick on a pig doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose.
DerekTyler - I agree with you in part - I believe that Ag may be doing well, but that is just one piece of the economic picture and you do well in pointing out some of the bleaker aspects. What I don't agree with is the concept that this is the worst of times for the Yakima area - I think that happened when all the business moved out of the downtown core. The rehabilitation of the downtown core and influx of new and creative ideas and approaches to the needs of this community are reasons to be hopeful, however, as long as there continues to be an entrenched conservative power base exerting it's narrow and moralistic views, those of us who offer a broader view, but not part of the power grubbers, will be marginalized and dismissed as liberal westsiders, and this City will continue to inch it's way into the future - scared and protective in it's approach to the many issues that need to be solved.
Report ViolationAs the two post said, that we still have trouble in this valley. But, actually agriculture is the foundation of the Yakima valley. But, Hanford has a big impact on the valley as well. In all actuality this valley is doing great per the recession. Property values have not fallen as in other parts of the country. But, unemployment is high. But unemployment is not caused by lack of jobs. It is caused by our state and federal governments. Being that agriculture in the valley is so labor intensive. That agriculture says there is a shortage of legal laborers. When in truth, there is just a shortage in people who want to work. Unemployment and welfare is paying out such a large volume of cash to people who do not want to work. But there are many who need it also. But, if people are made to work to draw unemployment or welfare, then we would not see a shortage of workers and neither have a high unemployment rate. And of course the people that have handicaps must be excluded. This valley will not be let down because of recession. It will be let down because of government intervention!
Report ViolationCertainly corporate agriculture is making a lot of money but at what cost to the community at large?
Derek tyler has this one right.
The owners and investors in these massive agriculture operations are benefiting from the tens of thousands of illegal immigrants they employ with impunity while our cities are being destroyed by Mexican gangs, our hospitals are being bankrupted by illegals using the system and the honest citizens of Yakima county can't even take a walk in the parks after dark.
I'm sure the only ones that believe that the corporate agriculture economy is a "bright spot" are living far away from all the filth and danger that now is ruining our cities.
How much longer are we going to allow our mercenary county officials to protect the "good ol' boy ag network" while our cities fall apart and start to resemble Mexico?????
Mr. Tyler, please take note that you are only right on "one " thing. Only those who rattle on about everything are right all the time.
Report Violationif you think yakima is bad, why not take a trip and actualy experience the world for once. We have no more crime than the next city, WE have the same issues as everyone else. we are not the alone in our strugles.
Countryvet I encourage you to stop eating produce, especialy if it is local as you would be supporting business that hire illegals.
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