Washington Legislature passes bill making Walla Walla sweet onion the state vegetable
Washington Legislature passes bill making Walla Walla sweet onion the state vegetable
A grassroots measure begun three years ago as a junior high civics class project has been endorsed by both houses of the Washington state Legislature and only awaited the signature of Gov. Christine Gregoire to make it official as of April 6.
The Walla Walla sweet onion will be, barring an unexpected veto by Gov. Gregoire, the Washington state vegetable. Legislation passed the state House on Feb. 13 and the Senate on April 5.
According to Kathy Fry, director of marketing for the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee, the designation is appropriate.
Ms. Fry explained that the history of the Walla Walla sweet goes back more than 100 years to when seeds for the mild, fresh-only globe were brought from Corsica, France, by French soldier Peter Pieri, who settled in the eastern Washington valley.
A few years later, Italian immigrant Joe Locati began working for Mr. Pieri. Eventually, Mr. Locati, whose grandchildren and great-grandchildren make up the area's well-known Locati family of growers, began growing onions from the seed produced by Mr. Pieri, and the sweet onion industry was born in the Walla Walla Valley.
That colorful history was not lost on ninth-grade students at Washington Junior High School in the Seattle-area city of Kirkland and seventh-graders at Eatonville Middle School in Eatonville, WA.
As part of a class project, the young scholars were able to see House Bill No. 1964 conceived and pushed through the legislature.
In the two-plus years of the students' efforts, more than 160 youngsters participated in the effort. Five students actually testified before the state House Government Committee in March 2005.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Maureen Walsh (R-Walla Walla), who said that the students had researched the onion's history thoroughly and "truly put their hearts into this endeavor."
Ms. Fry said that Kirkland ninth-grade teacher Toni Miller launched the original class project, and leading his seventh-grade charges at Eatonville was teacher Alex Hansen.
"They wanted their students to know how lawmaking is accomplished," Ms. Fry said.
The Walla Walla sweet onion will be, barring an unexpected veto by Gov. Gregoire, the Washington state vegetable. Legislation passed the state House on Feb. 13 and the Senate on April 5.
According to Kathy Fry, director of marketing for the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee, the designation is appropriate.
Ms. Fry explained that the history of the Walla Walla sweet goes back more than 100 years to when seeds for the mild, fresh-only globe were brought from Corsica, France, by French soldier Peter Pieri, who settled in the eastern Washington valley.
A few years later, Italian immigrant Joe Locati began working for Mr. Pieri. Eventually, Mr. Locati, whose grandchildren and great-grandchildren make up the area's well-known Locati family of growers, began growing onions from the seed produced by Mr. Pieri, and the sweet onion industry was born in the Walla Walla Valley.
That colorful history was not lost on ninth-grade students at Washington Junior High School in the Seattle-area city of Kirkland and seventh-graders at Eatonville Middle School in Eatonville, WA.
As part of a class project, the young scholars were able to see House Bill No. 1964 conceived and pushed through the legislature.
In the two-plus years of the students' efforts, more than 160 youngsters participated in the effort. Five students actually testified before the state House Government Committee in March 2005.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Maureen Walsh (R-Walla Walla), who said that the students had researched the onion's history thoroughly and "truly put their hearts into this endeavor."
Ms. Fry said that Kirkland ninth-grade teacher Toni Miller launched the original class project, and leading his seventh-grade charges at Eatonville was teacher Alex Hansen.
"They wanted their students to know how lawmaking is accomplished," Ms. Fry said.
