11/17/08 Morton says act now to keep a Senate Ag Committee

Washington Ag November 17, 2008 If you believe it is important to continue to have agriculture committees in the state legislature get on the phone and tell the leaders of the Democratic majority. Republican State Senator Bob Morton told the Washington Cattlemen's Association convention late last week that Democrats will meet soon and determine the committees for the next Legislature. Committees could stay the same or agriculture could be combined with something else or Morton said he has heard talk of doing away with an agriculture committee. Morton: "And I am concerned about that of course because ag is such a heavy producer of our revenue in our state. And many times it is just kind of set aside with Boeing and Microsoft getting the headlines. But agriculture is still the biggest revenue producer that we have so I think we need to keep it as a separate committee." So if you agree with Senator Morton's position his advice is to get on the phone. Morton: "Make that known to the leaders of the Democratic party in the Senate and the House." One thing's for certain and that is any Senate agriculture committee would have a new chairman as Marilyn Rasmussen, who has been the chair, lost her re-election race. Morton's guess as to who would be the new chairman is Brian Hatfield of Raymond who has been the vice-chair and who Morton says is a good legislator. I'm Bob Hoff.