Snohomish County executive Dave Somers, during his annual State of the County address, announced two new Executive Orders on tourism and agriculture.

Somers’ focus on economic development and county reform efforts are part of a broader strategy to diversify the economy and make the county more efficient.

The Executive Order on Tourism and Outdoor Recreation focused on the following actions:

• Creation of a Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Initiative.
• Conduct an inventory of tourism and outdoor recreation infrastructure.
• Facilitate a tourism summit.
• Build new iconic trails and maintain existing trails.
• Support the development and maintenance of priority parks and trail systems.
• Improve the economic impact of sustainable tourism.
• Reduce barriers to access,
• Cultivate a culture of stewardship of natural resources.

The Executive Order on Agriculture focused on the following actions:

• Maintain prime acreage for growing crops and animals.
• Augment production of raw food products.
• Increase connections between local producers and regional consumers.
• Involvement in agricultural communities.

“Our economy has gone through episodes of boom and bust, particularly when we were dependent on single industries,” Somers said. “We can lessen the impacts of that cycle and make our community more resilient by diversifying our economy and using our assets to their fullest. Tourism and agriculture are parts of our past but very important elements to ensure our future prosperity and quality of life.”

Working with the County Council and other stakeholders, Snohomish County will strengthen these already dynamic sector of our economy, benefitting both residents and our natural resources.