Backroom Tactics Will Be Exposed, Save Family Farming Says

Farmers are demanding transparency from the EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice and a perceived campaign against Washington’s Ag industry.  Dillon Honcoop with Save Family Farming said public records indicate EPA has been pressuring Washington state agencies behind the scenes to assist their attacks on farms, specifically Lower Yakima Valley dairies.  Honcoop added they are looking for transparency, and to know what's actually going on, behind closed doors.

“And part of it is because this whole effort is, is suspect," Honcoop said.  "What are the real motives? It doesn't appear that this is really about protecting public health, is that they, as they would argue, it appears more like it's about some kind of vendetta. Against these dairies and against farming and they seem to be unwilling to stop at anything to to take out who they apparently see as enemies, whether it has any benefit to public health or or environmental improvement at all.”

Honcoop added the biggest problems come from long-time “embedded" employees and staff managers at the EPA Region 10 office in Seattle.

“And so, we've called on the Trump administration to deal with it.  We were disappointed to see that the Trump administration didn't deal with these problems that we brought to their attention last time, in Trump 1.0, so to speak, so we're saying here we're back again with with Trump administration 2.0 a new director of the EPA federally, former Representative Lee Zeldin. We're calling on him and the new director of the EPA Region 10 office to deal with this problem once and for all if.”

Honcoop said more than a decade ago, EPA used falsified science, to bludgeon four Lowe Yakima Valley dairies.  One of those dairies, The Cow Palace, announced earlier this year that is was shutting down its operation.  The final day for the Granger-area dairy is May 9th.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com