Washington state crop growers surprised by opposition to water bill

In Washington state, many organic tree fruit growers and biofuel crop growers across the state are very surprised by the Washington State Horticultural Association’s unilateral opposition of this widely supported legislation that would allow farmers to obtain a small amount of new water from the Columbia River and the Snake River to help increase production of high-value organic tree fruit and other organic and biofuel crops in Washington State.

The bills have received enormous support with 21 co-sponsors in the House and 15 co-sponsors in the Senate.

The reason that HB 2192 and SB 6028 have received widespread support from legislators is because the bills provide some additional irrigation water to help meet the increasing need to produce more biofuel crops and organic crops as a result of the following new laws, rules and policies that have been enacted or implemented by the Washington State Legislature and various Washington State agencies over the past few years which have created significant increases in demand for biofuel crops and organic crops (in Washington State).