House Democrat's budget proposal would have more fees at WSDA; spring planting progress
Washington Ag Today April 6, 2011 Many of the programs run by the Washington State Department of Agriculture are fee-based. The new biennial budget proposed by House Democrats this week would extend the use of fees. Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee Ross Hunter: Hunter: “And we are trying to make some of the programs, particularly in agriculture and other parts of DNR, fee supported. Where we are doing marketing assistance for a particular crop, or we are trying to do services that are very business focused and enable a business to succeed, we don‘t want the taxpayer subsidizing that.” The House Democrats do not yet have a bill drafted detailing those fees. Planting progress of spring crops in Washington is a mixed bag. The Washington Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistical Service reports that 25 percent of the potato crop has been planted, well ahead of the five year average pace for now of 15 percent. Sowing of cereal grains is running behind. Just 16 percent of the state’s spring wheat had been planted at the start of this week compared to the five year average of 33 percent. Barley planting is a four percent complete. The five year average for now is 22 percent. The agency reports that topsoil and subsoil moisture are mostly adequate to surplus as are irrigation water supplies. Information on more than 230-thousand active water right and claim record in Washington State is now available on the Department of Ecology website. It provides access to all water right records in the Water Resources Program database. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
