01/25/05 Washington Ag Legal Foundation

Washington Ag January 25, 2005 Major commodity commissions in the state are being asked to help support the Washington Agricultural Legal Foundation. Dana Herron of Connell recently made a presentation to the Washington Wheat Commission. He said the foundation was created in 1995. Herron: "For the specific purpose of protecting the interests of agriculture in Washington state against litigation by environmental groups that typically have an agenda that is counterproductive to the purposes of agriculture in this state. So the Washington Agricultural Legal Foundation is funded to be an industry watchdog on environmental issues." Most of the foundation work the past few years has been with salmon and Endangered Species issues and its involvement in the Columbia River Biological Opinion is among its most important accomplishments. The Washington State Farm Bureau provides most of the administrative services for the Washington Agricultural Legal Foundation. Herron said the Potato Commission provides five-thousand dollars a year for operational costs and budgets 100-thousand dollars each year in discretionary support that can be used on an as needed basis for projects it determines are worthy of support. That's the same request of support Herron made to the Wheat Commission and that is being made to other commissions. The Wheat Commission is checking to see if it can support outside legal representation or must rely only on the state Attorney General's office. I'm Bob Hoff.