Hearing tomorrow on WCA request to intervene in stockwater case
Washington Ag Today September 3, 2009 The Washington Cattlemen’s Association is seeking to intervene in a case challenging the state’s groundwater exemption for stockwatering. WCA Executive Vice President Jack Field says the request will be heard tomorrow in Thurston County Superior Court. Field: “Which, it’s kind of funny. We have a working group meeting on the 3rd and then the court is scheduled to consider the request of the Washington Cattlemen‘s Association and then the Columbia-Snake River Irrigators have filed a request for intervention as well. I believe both of those requests will be heard on the 4th.” The WCA wants to make sure that cow-calf producer interests are represented in the case against Easterday Ranches feedlot near Connell brought by the Center for Environmental Law and Policy, the Sierra Club and others. The plaintiffs claim the stockwater exemption is limited to “family subsistence farming.” Governor Chris Gregoire issued a statement yesterday congratulating Inland Empire Oilseeds on the completion of its biodiesel refining plant in Odessa. She said IEO is the first company in the state that combines oilseed crushing and bio-refining in one operation. Inland Empire Oilseeds took a low interest loan from the state and more than 13-hundred farmers invested their time and resources in the project. The company began making biodiesel last November and recently added oilseed crushing capability. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network. ? ?
