MOSES LAKE -A late agricultural season inflated job figures for Grant County in September.

September's unemployment rate was 7.7 percent, eight tenths of a percent less than August and two tenths of a percent below September 2010, according to figures provided by the state Employment Security Department this week.

In Grant County, the unemployment rate dropped for 12 consecutive months and "continues to show a stronger labor market," stated Mark Berreth, a state regional labor economist.

A "small spike" was seen in the area of food manufacturing, which includes potato production and apple processing, he said.

"It ends up being very weird because of the late harvest," he commented. "Those jobs came along in September and make the numbers look really big. Grant County would normally be strong employment with good improvement but is a little bigger than otherwise."

Grant County seems to be one of the booming areas throughout the state with all of the manufacturing, Berreth said.

"It's one of the best counties right now," he said. "We're kind of seeing that retail trade growth. Essentially things are starting to build off themselves."

He pointed to examples of strip mall construction and improvements to manufacturing plants in Grant County.

"We're starting to see people buying goods in the area increase service, it's kind of trickling down," he said.

Job seeker Chris Nading, of Moses Lake, worked during the potato harvest driving a truck. She's looking for work now.

"It was a neat experience," Nading said.

She would like to pursue a commercial driver's license.

"I'm open to anything," she said. "I need money, I have grand babies coming, twins."

She is considering other jobs and just completed a second interview to work as an assistant manager at a restaurant.

Nading also spoke about the benefits of WorkSource and said there were "good people" working there.

The help she's received there goes deeper than the computers and services.

She called her case worker, Mary, her "personal assistant," who does a lot to help her.

Nading said Mary helped her obtain clothes and gas.

The state's unemployment rate is 8.5 percent, which is five tenths of a percent below August 2011 and four tenths of a percent less than September 2010.

Statewide, the civilian labor force is lower than last year, meaning "discouraged workers are leaving the labor force," Berreth, of the ESD, stated.