02/01/05 Farm Bureau Legislative Days

Washington Ag February 1, 2005 Members of the Washington Farm Bureau gather in Olympia tomorrow and Thursday for the general farm organization's Legislative Days. Spokesman Dean Boyer says the event is the second largest of the year for the Farm Bureau next to the annual convention. Boyer: "Farm Bureau members do gather in Olympia to meet with Farm Bureau staff to get updates on key issues before the legislature. They also have an opportunity to hear from a number of key lawmakers and other officials. This year for example, we are very excited to have new Attorney General Rob McKenna as our guest speaker for our opening luncheon on Wednesday." One of the top issues members will address are legislative efforts to limit the amount that associations, such as the Farm Bureau, could charge to provide Retro/Safety programs to employers. Boyer says the proposal would cut the funds available for Farm Bureau's Retro program in half. Boyer: "Which would mean we would not be able to offer our members the same level of service that we have in the past." Boyer says all Retro programs are voluntary between associations and their members and Farm Bureau does not believe the legislature has any right interfering in that voluntary association. I'm Bob Hoff.