Wolf Update & Tilth Producers Conference

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Thanks to a recently adopted rule by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission animal owners in the eastern one-third of the state can now kill a wolf that is attacking their animals. The new rule applies to eastern Washington animal owners only, as the gray wolf is no longer protected under the federal Endangered Species Act in that portion of the state due to successful recovery. Livestock owners must now report any wolves killed to the state within 24 hours and must allow access to the property where the wolf was killed in order for the state to investigate.

Tilth Producers of Washington's largest educational event of the year, their annual conference, will be held at the Yakima Convention Center November 8 - 10, and Tilth Producers' Michele Catalano says this year's conference theme is "Nourishing the Future: Cultivating Our Farming Legacy."

CATALANO: When we look back and we look at some of the growers who've been involved with Tilth since the beginning we really amassed a lot of knowledge over the changing landscape of sustainable and organic agriculture. So our keynote speakers speak to that quite well.

The keynote address will be by fourth generation certified tree fruit farmers David Mas Masumoto and his daughter Nikiko Masumoto of California's Central Valley.

CATALANO: They'll be conveying their philosophy of how they've been nurturing the land of their family for now four generations. It's been quite a journey. From what I understand it was organic in its roots - there was an experimentation with conventional ag, then a return back to certified organic practices.

Monday Catalano will be discussing the numerous workshops and social events planned during the three day conference.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.