Avsnitt
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When activists gathered recently to protest newly-remodeled housing for farmworkers in Mt. Vernon, they didn't expect what would happen next.
Enrique Gastelum, leader of the farm labor non-profit that's remodeling the housing facility for farmworkers, joins Dillon with the story of how he responded to the protesters, and the surprising conversations that ensued. -
Washington farmers and truckers who transport farm products have been paying more for their fuel thanks to the state's new cap-and-trade law, despite promises that agriculture would be exempt.
This spring the state legislature earmarked money to refund some of those extra costs, directing the Washington State Department of Licensing to manage the program delivering refunds to those who qualify.
Jennifer Clawson with WA DOL joins Dillon with the details on the new Agriculture Support Program they've created as a result, and explains how farmers and truckers can apply for refunds this fall for fuel they purchased in 2023. -
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Money-hungry lawyers in California are shaking down farms for millions over incredibly minor labor law mistakes such as record-keeping discrepancies.
Fresno attorney Kevin Piercy joins Dillon with details of the scheme, how farms can protect themselves, and why Washington farms are likely the next stop for the profiteering lawyers he's been battling. -
The Washington State Department of Health is proposing water well policy changes that threaten the affordable housing farmworkers have depended on for decades.
Jay Gordon, Washington State Dairy Federation Policy Director, joins Dillon with more on how the troubling change in state policy that would harm farmworkers and farms is now out for public comment.
You can send the Department of Health a message here: https://p2a.co/3PM8Byl -
Although she is retiring from lecturing and university research, Lynden-area farmer Karen Steensma didn't want to stop helping farmers solve problems.
Karen joins Dillon to talk about the kinds of environmental work she's doing through her new consulting business to help farmers protect crops, livestock and the environment with research-based natural strategies. -
As Washington state continues to lose farms at an alarming rate, the public is becoming aware of the growing crisis that affects our food system, our economy and our communities more and more all the time.
Pam Lewison, Director of the Washington Policy Center's Center for Agriculture, joins Dillon to talk about the reaction to her recent Seattle Times editorial on WA's farming crisis, and the increasing challenges that continue to worsen the trend. -
A state task force considered using the courts to take land away from farms for stream buffers in draft recommendations for riparian restoration.
Kara Rowe, policy director for the Western Washington Agricultural Association, joins Dillon to talk about the problematic proposal, as well as a visit the task force made to a Skagit farm that would be decimated by the plan. -
Despite their huge efforts, three Yakima-area dairies are being accused by the US Environmental Protection Agency of not doing enough to protect groundwater from nutrient contamination.
Gerald Baron, former Save Family Farming Executive Director, joins Dillon and says the nature of the legal attack and its threats of massive fines bring up troubling questions about EPA Region 10's true motives, especially considering its long track record of dishonesty on this issue. -
As local farming advocates have predicted for years, the state's water lawsuit in Whatcom County is already facing big delays from legal challenges and the state Department of Ecology's inaccuracies.
Fred Likkel, Whatcom Family Farmers' Executive Director, joins Dillon with details from the first court hearing since Ecology officially filed the case in May. -
In a new editorial, Whatcom County farmers and realtors are collaborating to voice deep concern about how the state's massive water lawsuit is beginning to unfold.
Perry Eskridge with the Whatcom Association of Realtors joins Dillon with more background on why they're troubled by the process so far, and what they would like to see instead. -
With water supplies lagging far behind targets, irrigators in the Yakima basin are facing the likelihood of having their water restricted and even shut off later in this growing season.
Scott Revell, manager of the Roza Irrigation District, joins Dillon with the details on the crisis and the emergency measures officials are taking to try to minimize the harm it can cause to agriculture there. -
A group of labor activists is asking a judge to block all foreign guest workers for farming in Washington state, as part of a lawsuit disputing pay rates for farmworkers.
Enrique Gastelum, CEO of wafla, joins Dillon with the details on the lawsuit and what it could mean for the future of WA farming. -
An advocate for agriculture with extensive experience in both the political and non-profit realms has been named Save Family Farming's new leader.
Ben Tindall, new Save Family Farming Executive Director, joins Dillon to share his passion for advocacy and protecting the future of family farming in Washington state.l -
In an extreme example of government overreach, the WA Department of Ecology is seeking harsh penalties and even possible criminal charges against a ranch that had used a common practice to provide water for their animals.
John Stuhlmiller, farming advocate and consultant to the ranch, joins Dillon with the stunning details. -
Experts from the State of Washington and Washington State University are studying what factors currently hinder the competitiveness of farming in the state.
Derek Sandison, Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, joins Dillon with details on the study and the Agricultural Viability Conference his agency recently hosted to gather information. -
Whatcom and Skagit farmers faced a slow start to spring and are now working toward finishing up planting season. John Vander Veen, an agronomist with Skagit Farmers Supply, joins Dillon with the latest updates from local fields and farms.
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Many local water users' questions remain unanswered even as the state's Nooksack water rights adjudication lawsuit gets underway across Whatcom County.
Gavin Willis, Executive Director of the Ag Water Board of Whatcom County, joins Dillon to let people know about an opportunity they're offering to allow local ag water users to meet with water rights experts for free to get some of their questions answered. -
Seattle water rights attorney Rachel Roberts estimates as many as 37,500 water users may be implicated in the water adjudication lawsuit the Washington Department of Ecology just filed in the Whatcom County courts.
She joins Dillon with her perspective as someone who was involved in the state's last big water rights adjudication, which was in Yakima. -
A new draft report is out from a task force formed by the WA Governor's Office looking at requirements for forested buffers along streams to aid salmon recovery.
WA state Sen. Ron Muzzall joins Dillon with his concerns about the Riparian Task Force's Preliminary Recommendations, and what they could mean for the future of food and farming in Washington state. -
Food consumers can get a transparent look at how their food was produced via a new system spearheaded in part by an Eastern Washington farmer.
Austin Allred of Royal Family Farming joins Dillon to share how the FarmTracer system allows consumers to see exactly how their food was raised.
He explains how they're using blockchain technology to overcome past hurdles to sharing farmers' information about the food they grow. - Visa fler