Washngton Wheat Growers in D.C. working issus like ESA and spray buffers
Washington Ag Today January 19, 2011 Officers of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers went to Washington D.C. this week for a meeting of the National Association of Wheat Growers. State president Ben Barstow says the farmers will also be meeting with agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and NOAA Fisheries. Barstow: “To talk with them about the Endangered Species Act consultation requirement that there is a pending lawsuit out there that could pretty well eliminate all uses of pesticides. We think that is kind of a big a big deal.”14 Of specific concern to wheat growers and others in Washington agriculture are buffers that could be imposed to protect salmon that would restrict the application of crop protection chemicals. Barstow: “The minimum buffer is 50 feet. You could go out there with a paint brush and apply it to individual leaves and you still couldn‘t legally be within 50 feet of anything that has water in it ever.” That includes intermittent streams. The wheat growers will be working on numerous other issues while in the nation’s capitol including transportation and free trade agreements. Back to the ESA consultation process, the EPA is taking public comment on a petition calling for the establishment of more transparent procedures and stakeholder input. Comments will be accepted until February 22nd. That petition was submitted by Growers for ESA Transparency which includes Washington Friends of Farms and Forests. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.
