12/19/08 "Use it or lose it" water law focus of agriculture

Farm and Ranch December 19, 2008 When the 2009 legislative session convenes in January water relinquishment, the "use it or lose it" law is going to be a major focus for Washington agriculture. Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission, says all of agriculture is united in fixing what he calls bad policy. Voigt: "We are all struggling to get more water. Essentially water for eastern Washington and rural Washington is about rural development. And we know that it is just such a struggle with all the litigation going on to try and get more water out of the river. So it makes sense that we should fix relinquishment, fix that use it or lose it clause, and then any conserved water we might have can go towards agriculture." Under current law the potential of losing a water right is a disincentive to conserve. And as Voigt points out, fixing water relinquishment won't cost the state any money. Voigt: "You know we are faced with such a large budget crisis this is something that really won't cost anything to implement and yet really, kind of stimulate the economy by providing new water for additional agricultural lands for food processing expansion. These types of things." A modification in water relinquishment was made by lawmakers a few years ago to provide an incentive to deep well irrigators in the Odessa Aquifer area to conserve water. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.