Farm Resources
2019 Handbook for Small and Direct Marketing Farms: Regulations and Strategies for Farm and Food Businesses
Last published in 2019 by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), this is your one-stop-shop on information for running your farm business, marketing, voluntary certifications, and regulations.
- PDFs of all sections are available through the WSDA website.
- Hard copies can be ordered from the WSDA for the cost of shipping.
- Limited numbers of hard copies are available at the WSU Extension Mason County office – ask our Program Coordinator if there are some available!
Mason County Resources:
- Mason County Community Development – building permits, planning department, site inspections, cottage industry permits.
- Mason County Assessor’s Office – property and parcel information search
What is agritourism? Agritourism allows farmers to diversify their revenue streams by linking commercial production and/or processing with tourism to attract visitors to a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business to generate additional income.
Examples include:
- Farm stands or stores
- Farm stays
- Wedding and event facilities
- Farm tours and classes
- U-pick
- Pumpkin patches, corn mazes, Christmas tree farms
- Tasting events and farm to table dinners
Shellfish have been cultivated and harvested in Mason County since time immemorial. Currently, Mason County is the largest producer of shellfish in Washington State; in 2016, shellfish farming was the second largest employer, with over 70 farms generating $32 million in revenue annually.
- Pacific Shellfish Institute
- Washington State Department of Health – Shellfish
Apply for permits and certifications, get information on shellfish-related illnesses, current water quality maps, and more. - Washington State Shellfish Safety Map
- Washington Sea Grant
Recreational Shellfish:
- Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife Shellfishing Regulations
- Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Clam, Mussel, and Oyster Harvest
Invasive Species:
Soil Testing:
Publications:
Web Resources:
Mason County:
Thurston County:
Lewis County:
Pierce County:
Western WA Forestry Staff & Faculty:
- Patrick Shults, Lewis County WSU Extension County Director & Extension Forester
- Phone: 360-740-1213
- Email: patrick.shults@wsu.edu
Mason Conservation District Stewardship Foresters:
- Margaret Kreder
- Phone: 360-427-9436 ext. 102
- Email: mkreder@masoncd.org
WA State Department of Natural Resources Service Forestry Program:
Wildfires:
- Washington State Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network
- Northwest Interagency Coordination Center
Forestry:
- WSU Forestry Program
- WSU Forestry Resources by Topic
- Washington State Department of Natural Resources
- Washington Forest Protection Association
- Washington Farm Forestry Association
Christmas Tree Production:
Western WA Animal Agriculture Staff & Faculty:
- Gary Fredericks – Cowlitz County WSU Extension County Director
- Phone: 360-577-3014 ext. 3
- Email: garyf@wsu.edu
- Joan DeVries – Skagit County WSU Extension Livestock Advisors Program Coordinator
- Phone: 360-395-2370
- Email: joand@wsu.edu
- Stephen Bramwell – Thurston County WSU Extension County Director & Agriculture Faculty
- Phone: 360-867-2161
- Email: bramwell@wsu.edu
Mason Conservation District Farm Assistance Program:
- Nick Schneider, Agricultural Resource Technician
- Phone: 360-427-9436 ext. 111
- Email: nschneider@masoncd.org
- WSU Livestock Nutrient Program
- WSU Animal Agriculture Website
- WSU Regional Small Farms Program Animal Agriculture Resources
See the ‘Food Safety’ section for links to resources on the processing and selling of livestock & dairy products.
South Sound Fresh: South Sound Fresh is an online marketplace of locally grown and produced food. We make it possible for farmers to work together to meet the growing demand for local, sustainable food in your area. Farmers benefit from the marketing, selling, packaging and delivering of their produce and prepared foods. Our marketplace brings fresh, healthy, locally grown and produced food to you, the buyer, in a cost-effective manner on a weekly basis.
Evergreen United Food Hub: Primarily provides fresh, local, unique produce to restaurants in the South Sound area. All of their produce is grown and delivered within 100 miles of Seattle from farms that are long term partners. Most are Certified Organic. They pick up product at the farm and deliver straight to our customers from Seattle to the South Sound.
Evergreen United Food Hub Website
Southwest Washington Food Hub: The Southwest Washington Food Hub is a farmer-owned cooperative food aggregation, distribution, and marketing service currently operating in Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Mason, and Pacific Counties.
- Washington Farmers Markets
- Tilth Alliance
- Washington State Department of Agriculture
- Washington State Farm to School Network
- WA Center for Women in Business
- WSDA Farm to School Toolkit
- Washington State Grange
- Washington State Farm Bureau
- Young Farmers Coalition
- Washington Beekeepers Association
- Mason County Conservation District
- Washington Natural Resources Conservation Service
- USDA Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- USDA National Agricultural Library
- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Conservation District Poultry Processing Equipment Program:
The Mason Conservation District has two Poultry Processing Units that include scalder units, pluckers, and kill cone stands for holding up to 8 kill cones at a time. We also have a Poultry Processing Trailer that can handle larger flocks. The units are available for rent to minimize schedule conflicts and help poultry producers be more efficient.
Cost:
- $35 per day or $70 per weekend Featherman Units
- $50 per day or $100 per weekend for larger Poultry Man Poultry Processing Trailer
Click Here for More Information about Poultry Processor Rental
Eggs – Farmers Markets & Direct to Retail
Farmers selling eggs (from a chicken, goose, turkey, duck, guinea, or any species of fowl) at farmers markets and through direct to retail sales (i.e. restaurants and grocery stores) must comply with the requirements of RCW 69.25 and be licensed through the Washington State Department of Revenue (WSDOR) as an Egg Handler/Dealer. Local health districts have jurisdiction over farmers markets in their areas and may conduct market inspections to assure vendor compliance with local rules and regulations.
Direct to retail sales also require obtaining Egg Seals from the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Eggs – On-Farm Sales & CSA
Poultry or egg producers may sell eggs from their own flocks directly to the end consumer from the place of production without the purchase of an Egg Handler/Dealer License or Egg Seals from WSDA
Shell eggs are a perishable food and must be handled properly with care under cold and sanitary conditions to assure consumer safety.
Resources:
- WSDA Meat & Poultry Assistance Program
- General WSU Poultry Resources
- WSU Pasture Poultry Resources
- Avian Flu Resources
- American Pastured Poultry Producers Association (APPPA)
- Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network
See the ‘Food Safety’ section for links to resources on the processing and selling of poultry & egg products.