State Farm Bill Possible
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. Pushing for policies that recognize the unique challenges of farming in Washington state is nothing new, but there have recently been talks about the possibility of a State Farm Bill to help address the unique challenges farmers in our state face.
I ask Washington State Tree Fruit Association President, Jon DeVaney if he thought that could actually happen? …
DeVANEY … “Yes. When the chair of the agriculture committee in Olympia says that she wants to do a package and call it a “State Farm Bill” then I think there’s a very good chance that that will happen.”
Now having a state farm bill that actually addresses the most pressing needs of our growers, DeVaney says is possible, but …
DeVANEY … “What exactly they will be able to do is another question because the state is looking at a fiscal shortfall with their reach exceeding their grasp financially at the moment. But some of the things that we’re asking for are policy changes and some of them have financial costs associated with them.”
So, when it comes to things like the CCA fuel taxes, or the buffer zone debate, or economic viability and other challenges, DeVaney says we’ll have to wait and see …
DeVANEY … “We can tell them all the things we would like them to do, and we’ll see what they can manage. But just the invitation from the legislature to suggest things they could do to help us is that recognition of our challenges and how they can help, which we weren’t seeing in years prior.”
Again, that is Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.
