06/15/05 Impact of drought; Settlers & sage grouse

Washington Ag June 15, 2005 Several state agencies have compiled a report entitled the Economic Impacts of the Drought in Washington State. That report says this year's drought could affect approximately five to eight percent of the state's total agricultural production. The estimated economic loss could be from 195 million to 299 million dollars with the greatest effects occurring in the lower Yakima River Basin. That decline in agricultural output is equal to about 35-hundred to 54-hundred fewer jobs in 2005 than would have been expected in a normal water year. The report says an additional 700 to 11-hundred jobs are at risk in the near term in food processing, wholesaling, trucking, warehousing and transportation services. The Foster Creek Conservation District is sponsoring an event called Settlers and Sage Grouse at the fairgrounds in Waterville, Washington tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Britt Dudek of the Foster Creek Conservation District says one item on the day's agenda will be the Conservation Reserve Program which he says has been a win-win in Douglas County and for which the sage grouse has become a sort of poster-child. Dudek: "There are other species involved. But, if it were to go away after the 2007 Farm Bill, which we kind of doubt it will but it will probably change in scope and size, it will have an impact on the species in Douglas County as well as in the western United States." I'm Bob Hoff.