02/17/05 Lawmakers to hear about tree fruit

Washington Ag February 17, 2005 Members of the Washington Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee will be learning about the state's tree fruit industry at a committee meeting today. A study recently released by the Washington State Horticultural Association concluded the tree fruit industry has a 5.6 billion dollar impact on the state's economy. Jim McPherson of the Washington State Tree Fruit Commission will be telling lawmakers about that study. McPherson: "And I think what we say is let's treat this group as significant when we make policy, when we make regulations. When we structure any kind of say workplace rules. When we talk about employment rules. When we talk about immigration reform. A whole range of issues I think then puts into perspective that agriculture and the tree fruit industry ought to be at the table." In addition to state lawmakers, the Hort Association is providing copies of the study to regulatory agencies, the governor's office and the state's congressional delegation. There is one more public hearing tonight on the Department of Ecology's proposed draft regulation on the Columbia River Initiative. That will be at seven p.m. tonight in Colville at the Community Colleges of Spokane Colville Center. The initiative, not yet authorized by the legislature, would establish a framework for issuing new water rights from the river while also improving streamflows for fish. I'm Bob Hoff.