D.C. Visit & Farm Walk

D.C. Visit & Farm Walk

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Earlier this month Congressman Doc Hastings met with representatives from the Washington State Farm Bureau during their visit to Washington, D.C. Hastings gives us some insight about what was discussed during his meeting with the WFB representatives.

HASTINGS: Clearly the issues that are on their minds is how’s Obama Care is going to affect them now that we’re getting to the point where it’s going to be fully implemented. Also with the discussion back here (Washington) of immigration reform there’s a discussion regarding a workable guest worker program. There are efforts going on in the Senate and in the House, and to the credit of the agriculture community, which the Farm Bureau is one, they are trying to speak as much as they can and thus far have been successful in their unified voice as getting a workable guest worker bill in place.

Farm Walks is a farmer to farmer educational series where farmers share their innovations, practices and wisdom to enhance the success of farm operations. On April 1 Tilth Producers of Washington and the WSU Small Farms Team will present the second farm walk of the 2013 Season at Plum Forest Farm, a small, integrated livestock and diversified fruit and vegetable organic farm on Vashon Island. Farm owners Joanne Jewell and Rob Peterson along with WSU Puyallup compost specialist Andy Bary will conduct a hands on workshop on producing quality, on farm compost. Participants will learn how to measure physical properties in the field and mix feed stocks in appropriate ratios for quality, hot, compost. For farm walk times and registration information visit tilthproducers.org.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.