Ag Priorities in Olympia
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. The Washington State Tree Fruit Association came into this year’s legislative session with a list of priorities and will leave with plenty of following up to do.
At the top of the list, according to WSTFA Lobbyist, David DuCharme were labor issues, including ag overtime …
DuCHARME … “We’ve been most certainly working on the overtime issue and, you know, we’ve not gotten much traction on that, but we’re going to continue to ask for at least some seasonality provisions, where our farmers will be able to get twelve weeks a year where they can go up to 50 hours before overtime kicks in. That would be very helpful.”
Other major expenses, DuCharme says are included with the gas tax …
DuCHARME … “We need to be able to reduce some of the costs and impacts from the Climate Commitment Act and be able to make sure that we maintain the exemptions that we have. We want to take lubricants off the table. They’re covered currently under the Climate Commitment Act, and we use them quite extensively throughout the industry.”
And, DuCharme says most of those priorities were at least heard, but didn’t get far…
DuCHARME … “I think it’s a talking point for next year, but it also calls for a study of the impacts from a credible, reputable source, probably an academic study, who knows. Could come out of Cal-Berkeley. You wouldn’t think it, but boy, they’ve got studies coming out of there that actually tell the truth, you know, and what the impacts of the loss of the overtime exemption. And, you know, maybe we’ll be able to nudge the ball forward.”
DuCharme urges everyone to contact their legislators and let them know why these are so important for the ag industry.
