Parrott: State Is Addressing Water Issues

There are several on-farm issues the Snake River Sugarbeet Growers Association is working on this legislative session in Boise.  And for Executive Director Samantha Parrott, no issue is bigger than water.

She said there were several challenges last year in the eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer, which put hundreds of thousands of acres of water in jeopardy.  While an agreement has been met to address needs in the area, Parrott said the meetings and conversations proved that the state needs to step up and help with water projects.

“So Governor [Brad] Little put in $30 million of ongoing water infrastructure funding in his budget and that just made it out of JFAC [Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee] last week. It is ongoing funding for water, which is really important just because, these projects are incredibly expensive, so if it was one time money that doesn't go as far and it provides more certainty to our growers. That money will go to the Idaho Department of Water Resources Board. And they have a project priority list. And right now there's, I think $173 million worth of projects. I just think that's a huge win.”

That budget still needs to clear the state House and the Senate, and then get signed by the Governor.  But Parrott said the state is moving in the right direction when it comes to water funding, which she said is exciting news for growers across the state.

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