Water issues added to state Senate Ag Committee; worker's comp rates for 2012

Washington Ag Today December 2, 2011 What is now the Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Committee in the Washington State Senate will become the Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development Committee when the regular legislative session begins in January.

Water has been part of the Senate Environment, Water and Energy Committee but the majority Senate Democrats decided to devote a committee to environmental issues and move water and energy to other committees.

As a result of this change, Yakima Senator Jim Honeyford has been appointed the Republican leader of the Senate Ag committee where he can continue to work on water issues. He has been the Republican leader on the Environment, Water and Energy Committee.

Of course the Legislature is in special session now to deal with the state budget deficit. Farmer and Republican state Senator Mark Schoesler sees the last session as a guide to this one.

Schoesler: “Well, I think there is a lot of heavy lifting in putting this budget together and the model of last session, of bipartisan bills and cooperation, should be the model of this session because I believe that is what the public is looking for.”

Schoesler says reforms should be considered before new revenues to balance the budget.

Governor Gregoire and the Department of Labor and Industries have announced there will be no overall increase in workers compensation insurance premiums for next year. That is true for Agriculture overall too but some sectors in that risk category will see increases and Food Processing and Manufacturing overall will see a two percent increase.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.

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