(The Center Square) – An agriculture group bought print and digital advertisements in the weekend edition of the Seattle Times, asking Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee “Why are you trying to destroy our family farms?”
The ad buy was done by Save Family Farming, a nonprofit group based in Everson that bills itself as “the unified voice of Washington’s family farms.”
The controversy surrounds Inslee’s proposals to help the health of the state’s salmon populations. At issue in the legislation is a requirement for landowners to create buffer zones up to 250 feet wide and plant trees along waterways that cross their property. Those who do not comply could face fines of $10,000 a day.
“Perhaps when you introduced your stream buffer bill, you didn’t realize it would take up much of the remaining farmland in Western Washington and destroy our farms and farming communities,” the ad begins.
It also contains aerial images of farmland in Lynden, north of Bellingham, and shows how much would be left if the buffers were put in place and questions why urban areas are not being similarly targeted due to runoff pollutants caused by paved streets.
One large chief complaint among the farmers is that they were not consulted regarding the legislation.
Inslee announced his plans in mid-December, which includes $187 million for clean water infrastructure, correcting fish passage barriers and strengthening monitoring, at an event on the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community reservation.
“Healthy salmon populations mean healthy water systems,” Inslee said at the time. “We are updating our salmon strategy to provide a comprehensive, statewide foundation for salmon recovery.”
The buffer plan and other elements are contained in House Bill 1838, also known as the Lorraine Loomis Act and named for the late chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.
The bill has been stalled in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and its companion bill in the Senate has yet to receive a hearing.
“I don’t think there is cause for optimism on that bill as currently drafted because there is opposition to it — on the ability to save salmon by making sure the water is cool enough,” Inslee recently told Capital Press. “There’s opposition to the bill because not enough people have embraced the mission yet.”
Several people from the agricultural community spoke against the bill during a virtual committee hearing on it last month.
“You know, the biggest problem for us as farmers and landowners was zero input from anybody asked when they created this bill,” said Darrin Morrison, a fourth-generation farmer from Skagit Valley. “The act’s going to come at a huge loss of farmland. If we lose our farmland, we’re going to lose our local food system. You guys need red potatoes with this salmon on your dinner plate.”
