Farm Bureau Suit Aimed at Min Wage Initiative

I'm Bob Larson. A lawsuit filed by the Washington Farm Bureau and a host of Ag employers is taking aim at an initiative passed by voters in November that raises the minimum wage and institutes a new paid leave requirement.

The Farm Bureau's Mark Streuli says the suit address the way the initiative was written ...

MARK STREULI ... "And especially the two-subject rule. I mean, that's exactly what this lawsuit is about. Frankly, even those folks who wanted to support a higher minimum wage ended up kind of being held hostage to support two subjects instead of just one. And that's why the constitution is what it is. I'm not an attorney, but for sure I can tell you initiatives need to stay at one subject."

I asked Streuli what the Farm Bureau would like to see happen as a result of the lawsuit ...

MARK STREULI ... "Well, you know, it's really no secret that we did not support the initiative Bob. Bottom line is, we'd like to see the initiative overturned. This higher minimum wage and state family leave, all these regulations are piling up at a time when commodity prices are going down. It's getting harder and harder for farmers out there as it is."

Listen tomorrow and we'll hear more on why the initiative is a bad fit for the Ag industry and what happens with the lawsuit moving forward.