Ecology to Review Best Ag Management Practices

Ecology to Review Best Ag Management Practices

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I'm Bob Larson. Washington food growers and environmentalists will meet with the state Department of Ecology this Spring to better catalogue "Best Practices" for maintaining water quality and avoiding pollution.

Evan Sheffels with the Washington Farm Bureau it doesn't mean that producers are doing anything wrong ...

EVAN SHEFFELS ... "So first off, our members, Washington Farm Bureau members, are very committed to being good stewards. We don't mind being held accountable, but we do want regulators to also appreciate the importance of food producers being able to stay in business. And if we get over-regulated, the problem is your food comes from somewhere else. We think it's best, and legislature thinks it's best that our food is grown by Washington producers if that's possible."

Sheffels says from the perspective of the Farm Bureau, it's all about finding the right balance ...

EVAN SHEFFELS ... "We've got the voluntary stewardship program that is just getting implemented in counties and that's a way to recognize and reward the good stewardship that producers have been doing. And it also makes sure that agriculture does its part to make sure critical areas are protected and water quality is one of the elements of a critical area. But it also recognizes you have to keep ag on the land and that agriculture is good for the environment and better than competing land uses."

Sheffels says he's not sure why Ecology feels the need for the gathering.

Listen tomorrow and hear more on why meetings like this are worrisome in the eyes of Farm Bureau members.

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