New Ag Director & Antibiotic Resistance

Derek Sandison won't officially take over his new post as director of Washington's Department of Agriculture until June 15th but he's already getting set for some challenges that include the statewide drought issue.

SANDISON: That's a problem facing our irrigators this year. That's a huge problem. The level of proration, in other words the percentage of water that will be allotted to some of the irrigation districts - the Yakima Basin right now is about 47% and that's extremely difficult. Our past experience with drought in 2005 and 2001 tell us that it's very difficult to survive under those kinds of conditions. I would want to continue to help deal with the immediate drought as well as looking at longer term stability for water supplies.

The Oregon Senate is tackling the big issue of antibiotic resistance. Senate Bill 920 would allow the use of antibiotics to treat sick cattle, swine or poultry. It would not, however, allow for routine administering such as is the practice now. Critics says the bill would severely curtail how producers deal with sickness and cut deeply into the export profits. On the other side of the fence, proponents say that many of the largest producers and retail outlets have already stopped buying poultry that is routinely dosed. If passed, this would be a first for the United States and could have far-reaching ramifications for the livestock industry.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.