“Farming On The Brink” launches Dec. 12, shares intimate conversations exposing true nature of family farming’s dire outlook in Washington state

(WAPATO, Wash.) An immigrant farming family in the heart of Washington state is sharing an intimate look at their ongoing battle to save their fresh-market fruit and vegetable farm from going under, in a brand-new documentary film coming out this week.

“Farming On The Brink” gives an inside view of the Imperial family’s struggle, as the first- and second-generation immigrants manage their farm, Imperial’s Garden in Wapato, WA, while it teeters on the brink of bankruptcy.

Save Family Farming has again partnered with filmmaker Jayson Korthuis to deliver an up-close-and-personal perspective on the growing crisis facing family farming in Washington and across the country, as mounting costs outpace what farmers are paid for their produce.

“I wanted to capture the very human aspect of the hard job of growing food,” said Korthuis, “but also show the big picture. The story isn’t just about one farm. What’s happening to the Imperials is happening to family farms all over, both small and large.”

The film includes the voices of numerous farmworkers whose livelihoods depend on the stability and survival of farms, underscoring how this crisis reaches far beyond farm owners. It also features the perspectives of several top experts on family farming in Washington, connecting the Imperials’ story with the larger trend that has pushed countless other family farms to the edge. 

“The Imperials’ willingness to be this open about their situation is inspiring,” said Markus Rollinger, Sunnyside, WA-area dairy farmer and President of Save Family Farming. “Sharing the real story of what’s happening to farms here is what Save Family Farming is all about. People need to have the chance to see this reality.”

Manuel Imperial, General Manager of Imperial’s Garden, will join Ben Tindall, Save Family Farming Executive Director, and longtime regional farm cooperative manager Erik Zavala for a live online press conference and public conversation on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 2:00 pm on Save Family Farming’s social media platforms. They will discuss the Imperials’ family story, the wider crisis facing family farming, and the making of “Farming On The Brink.”

Press Contact: Dillon Honcoop, dhoncoop@savefamilyfarming.org