Monday is the first day of the Washington legislative session, and it already appears water will be one of the top agricultural issues discussed in Olympia over the coming months.  State Senator Jim Honeyford told the Washington Ag Network decisions like the Hirst ruling, or other recent court decisions have led him to the conclusion that there is a war on rural American in the Evergreen State.

 

“They don’t seem to understand the impacts that has on rural Washington, and future wise and the Growth Management Act is really designed to force people into cities.  And I don’t see how we can have a rural agricultural community with that kind of a standard.”

 

Honeyford says regardless of commodity, it’s important the agriculture community speaks with one voice about the importance of water.

 

“As I see it in the legislature there are very few people left who understand really the importance of water and the impact that it has on agriculture.”

 

Honeyford closed his thoughts with a Mark Twain quote: Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting

 

 

 

 

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