Wildfires May Get Help & Cider Definition

Washington state. Rep. Mary Dye, a Republican from Pomeroy, has made wildfire suppression one of her top priorities. She has introduced House Bill 2596, bipartisan legislation would create a new account to be used to fund immediate, local fire suppression responses by local suppression entities. The new Local Wildland Fire Suppression Account would allow a local suppression entity to submit a request for an expenditure from the account if a wildfire starts within its jurisdiction.

DYE: It expedites resources from the Department of Natural Resources so that they can get a very effective initial attack on those fires.

The federal government just changed the definition of ciders to increase the alcohol content to 8.5 % and allow a higher content of carbonation. Higher carbonation has been taxed at a higher rate called a high bubble or champagne tax. Washington State Legislature today is considering a couple of bills to change the state definition to match the federal definition so cider will be allowed to have 8.5% or lower instead of 7% or lower alcohol content. Those bills are Senate Bill SB 6325 before the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee and in the House it is HB2581.

And that's Washington Ag Today. I'm Greg Martin, thanks for listening on the Ag Information Network of the West.