A Journey from Farm to State Senate

Perry Dozier, a Waitsburg farmer, was again elected as a Washington State Senator, representing District 16 with 63% of the vote. Agritimes felt privileged to meet Sen. Dozier and is pleased to share his life's journey with our readers. “No one in high school could have imagined I would be involved in politics,” said Dozier. “My love was athletics in school.” After attending college, and his marriage to Darleen, they began farming with his father-in-law and formed the partnership of Double D Ranches. They leased their first, 300 acres in 1986. Today they have farmland totaling 2500 acres, including both dryland and irrigated parcels. In the mid-80s, Dozier pursued obtaining a private pilot's license due to his interest in the profession. After visiting with Bob Collins, a local United Air Lines pilot, he suggested that Dozier obtain a commercial pilot license through an airline program. The Doziers moved to California for six months while he took flying lessons to obtain his commercial pilot license. At that time airline deregulation was underway and airlines stopped hiring new pilots. Dozier went back to college at Whitman at the age of 30, earning a bachelor's degree in economics, which he was hoping would benefit him in being hired with the airlines. While waiting for his job offer, he continued farming for his father-in-law, Kenneth Smith. Alex McGregor, The McGregor Company, Colfax, called Dozier in 1998 and asked if he would consider the opportunity to be involved with the leadership team at Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) Dozier shared, “I quickly said yes. I said yes so quickly that Alex called me the next day to explain the leadership responsibilities. I had not been involved in WAWG leadership at the county level nor had I attended a state convention. Alex asked that I attend the WAWG convention beginning four days later.” Dozier met many wheat leaders at the convention and was later nominated for the secretary/ treasurer position to begin his involvement in WAWG. Two months later, he lobbied for the wheat industry in Olympia, and a couple of months later, he was in Washington, D.C., meeting with congressional leaders. In 2000, while he was acting by Bernt Nelson, Economist Facing tumbling commodity prices and livestock prices that are a mixed bag at best, American farm families are struggling to keep their heads above water; and the farm bill that is supposed to provide a safety net for times like this is not there to protect them. Many aspects of today’s economy have us pointed in a direction similar to the farm crisis Input Costs of the 1980s, but it’s not too late to avoid that. State of the Economy USDA’s September farm income forecast estimates that 2024 net farm income will fall 4.4% from 2023 to $140 billion. More alarming, net farm income has fallen 23%, or $42 billion, in just two years. Overall, states with more crop production are forecasted to have a bigger drop in income compared to states with more livestock production. While livestock prices have been a mixed bag, livestock receipts are expected to rise by 7.1% on the back of stronger-than-expected prices in cattle, eggs and dairy. Row Crops & Grains Spring’s favorable planting conditions and summer’s good growing weather is resulting in robust yields and a growing supply of many U.S. row crops. USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, released on August 12, estimates record-setting and well-above-trend yields for many crops, including corn, soybeans and wheat, pushing prices near 2020 lows. Basis is the difference between a futures price or a standard market point price for a commodity and the local cash price actually being offered for that commodity. Basis varies by geographic region and is sensitive to events that disrupt or increase costs for shipping. Corn and soybean stocks are up 30% over last year, leaving farmers and buyers short of storage space and creating widening and more uncertain basis. These large stocks combined with the monster harvest being brought in could drive grain buyers to slow delivery and reduce the farmers’ price. Supply chain disruptions, including the recent port strike, Mexican rail stoppages, low water in the Mississippi River and the impacts of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, all add even more risk to this scenario, as it upends normal time and distance relationships. Livestock The U.S. cattle inventory is at a 73-year low as result of drought, inflation and high supply costs all driving farmers to sell cattle. This pushed beef prices to record levels in July. Packers have slowed slaughter pace, while lower prices for feed grains have incen See CRISIS, Page 14. Vice-President of WAWG, Save Our Summers, a non-profit environmental advocacy group, filed a lawsuit in Whitman County against the Department of Ecology (DOE). The suit said that DOE failed to regulate smoke generated from wheat stubble burning causing suffering for people with respiratory illnesses. WAWG incurred $300,000 of debt in legal and professional fees that year to provide a base argument for DOE to allow  limited field burning. DOE eventually stated that agricultural burning is reasonably necessary to carry out the enterprise when it meets the criteria of 'best management practices' and no practical alternative is reasonably available. In 2001, Dozier was elected WAWG President. A member said, “Perry, now that you are President, how are you going to reduce the WAWG debt incurred?” Field burning was important in growers' toolboxes. WAWG leadership asked farmers for pledges to help retire the debt, and they generously raised $300,000 during his presidential tenure. Dozier was a member of the Washington Barley Commission (WBC) from 2003 to 2004. The WBC later became part of the Washington Grain Commission, whose mission is to enhance the profitability of wheat and barley growers. Dozier ran for and was elected a Walla Walla County Commissioner in 2008. He served two four-year terms (2009-2016). His education and experience operating a family farm helped guide the County forward. In 2020, Dozier was elected to the Washington State 16th District Senator position. There are only four farmers serving as Republican State Senators in Washington directly tied to agriculture. Dozier has been busy attending in-person and virtual meetings and preparing for the legislative season's start (January 13th). District 16 includes areas of Benton-Frankilin counties, part of Grant County, and all of Walla Walla County. “It is important that our district has a State Legislator with a background of our diverse interests in Eastern Washington,” said Dozier. “I am looking forward to getting back to Olympia as we have a lot of challenges ahead.” Dozier summarized his career experiences over the past few decades. “My first love was flying and farming! I never had any desire to be involved in politics,” said Dozier. “Being involved with WAWG was a great foundation for building leadership qualities. My tenure as a County Commissioner helped me understand that the State Legislature has a huge impact on our counties. Too often, we see legislation that has burdened our counties across the State. Many of us leave high school thinking we know what we want or should be in life. It often plays out very differently, however. Simply put—Continuously gather knowledge and experience because circumstances dictate “ You never know what you will be when you grow up.” Perry Dozier's wide range of work experiences provided him with the background to represent the constituents of District 16 well.