[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6278720,"mediaKeyId","2636706-231768daed8a02cc1c50608b3c5a91b2","parentId",2636706,"title","Panel to House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee urges focus on farm sustainability, water access and food security","audioSeconds",1421,"startMs",149000,"endMs",1570000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2636706-231768daed8a02cc1c50608b3c5a91b2&start=149&end=1570","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2636706-231768daed8a02cc1c50608b3c5a91b2/thumbnail_149000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6278720/Washington/Panel-to-House-Agriculture-and-Natural-Resources-Committee-urges-focus-on-farm-sustainability-water-access-and-food-security","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278720-a132f453bfae396a3d605e75d1b6013c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920993&Signature=k8V5Y8b1HDYD-j8fMhrPtR-YG071ggzx~9VC9i-dpVZHk-ZnKkkfOmmhvWa3f4ztcl3ROB2tdGCRzLWdkvyakqSF0TLWdJEvLGpAWRE3EUeqNGHH7p3fKBnANQZlGD1ADcoEsLzY3Gi488mGSqTgtPi61AnQxm3mdS1~X6WsAddz43datq-ATjG-NbIg~KYQ4ZNAlDQN0VDX759oKj4UKDlZBN1YTOQGHMN02~LBAoXXUHHsxZJVj-cmAK9zt69t-wQVcxOodujIyGKsNIIBDIA0XENAyzxpsNuqDjIBKbmJb6GA1PXVfVjI1MsxC5JsAwhWFTqxYfggMncpvVxyfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washington Legislature","date","2025-03-14T00:00:00Z","article","Pam Lewis, ag research director at the Washington Policy Center, told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee that sustainability in farming is primarily about keeping farms economically viable for future generations. “Sustainability in agriculture is often about more than methodologies and technology,” Lewis said, adding that sustainability looks different for a dryland Palouse wheat farm, an irrigated Columbia Basin crop farm or a Western Washington dairy.

Lewison/Lewis (presented as Pam Lewis) placed the data frame early: modern farms feed about 170 people per acre compared with about 26 people per acre in 1960, a change she described as an approximately 538% increase in people fed per acre over 65 years. She said this reflects efficiency gains in production even as pesticide and water use declined in many operations.

The panel addressed farm ownership and barriers to entry. When Representative Morgan asked about the racial makeup of farm ownership in Washington, Lewis said she could not provide exact percentages in the hearing but described the statewide pattern as “predominantly Caucasian owners of farms in Washington, along with Black and Latino owners following after that, and tribal and Native American owners after that,” and offered to provide specific figures to the committee by follow-up email. She added that entry into farming is “extraordinarily cost prohibitive” and that state policy and costs can make first‑generation farming difficult.

Food security was raised as a separate but related issue. Lewis said Washington is a net exporter of food and that the United States exports roughly 40% of total food production. She cited 2024 food‑bank distribution figures—2,300,000 pounds distributed through pantries statewide—and noted that Ferry County had about 19% of its population food insecure, which she described as one of the highest county rates in Washington. To address food insecurity, Lewis recommended practical measures such as expanding nutrition and home‑cooking education in schools and reducing stigma around shelf‑stable items like frozen and canned foods.

On direct sales, Lewis told the committee that only 11 food producers sell directly to consumers in the state in a way that could meaningfully increase local access. She suggested policy incentives to expand on‑farm direct-to-consumer channels (not limited to farmers markets) as a way to lower costs and increase local food availability.

Irrigation and water‑quantity issues also featured in the discussion. Lewis described her work with the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District and the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program, explaining that Washington has multiple overlapping water jurisdictions including federal irrigation districts. She said irrigation has shifted from furrow systems to center‑pivot systems and that some deep wells in the Columbia Basin are beginning to fail, making surface‑water projects and careful tracking of water rights increasingly important. \"We have to be really, judicious in how we use water because in some cases, it's a finite resource,\" she said.

Committee members asked for follow‑up materials; Lewis and Todd Myers said they would provide the committee with cited studies and data after the hearing.

The session also included an appearance by visiting members of the Washington Youth Academy in the audience; committee members acknowledged the visitors but no formal action followed.

Ending: The committee accepted the presenters' offer to provide follow‑up materials, and Chair Reeves adjourned the hearing after thanking staff and presenters.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee. Today, March 14, 2025 Time: 10:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Pam Lewis, ag research director at the Washington Policy Center, told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee that sustainability in farming is primarily about keeping farms economically viable for future generations.","taxTitle","Agriculture and Natural Resources, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20253,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6278709,"Panel urges local priority setting, science‑based grants and regulatory flexibility to accelerate salmon recovery",272,3186000,3458000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2636706-231768daed8a02cc1c50608b3c5a91b2&start=3186&end=3458","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2636706-231768daed8a02cc1c50608b3c5a91b2/thumbnail_3186000.jpg","/articles/6278709/Washington/Panel-urges-local-priority-setting-sciencebased-grants-and-regulatory-flexibility-to-accelerate-salmon-recovery","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278709-1ffee86d5de8abd5b70ee152e0952bf2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920993&Signature=hnpDpe6zAH5rkeHktO4yA9FFV0mW5WpySpm0JdpjusksG845PcV2KcurmjP0roD3Ov~XPAyTCUROuliQKeITSjsIGB1gbOQD2WeeLBPORc2A6e5j3o5yQmxeo2jUDkpFJi5d3vHcErd8Mnh2FctLudFEwptit8McdqIbOryOArNZeCX7r0AEw9EzIpFkRg2zMOdwzjeSFrTXY6WLbkglbeoQs5Wh0dYIAwo93k024EdZKEHJHDmILCMNqLjdYnvvoMmSuy~2gBU2x-5CvJDeN031DsU0Ex6U2Gzm10sW2JOTEaD9r5cIKu3Kf0qoKXk-tCc1qJK6BC5thpLEG1GNEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Todd Myers, vice president for research at the Washington Policy Center, told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee that salmon recovery has not met targets and that three changes could speed progress: prioritize locally, base grants on science and reduce regulatory barriers that slow habitat projects.

“My hope is that the people on the ground who see those barriers to salmon recovery up close are empowered to set primary decisions,” Myers said. He argued that state funding should be directed to regional priorities where the money can have the greatest biological impact rather than “spread everything like peanut butter.”

Myers proposed using tools that grant agencies flexibility to speed projects, including encouraging use of the Office of Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA) and piloting a regulatory sandbox already used by about three dozen states. He described the regulatory sandbox as a mechanism that lets regulators and innovators test approaches that meet regulatory objectives without imposing standard, potentially obstructive procedures.

Myers also noted positive local results—he highlighted the Nisqually Tribe’s recent report of increasing wild Chinook numbers following habitat restoration partnerships—as examples of success that could inform other regions. He offered to provide the committee with his analysis “Getting Salmon Recovery Back on Track” and other materials.

Ending: Committee members signaled interest in exploring regulatory changes and interim follow‑up; presenters agreed to provide research and case studies requested during questioning.
","Todd Myers told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee that salmon recovery needs regionally focused priorities, science‑based grantmaking and reduced permitting barriers, including consideration of regulatory sandboxes and expanded ORIA support.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6278713,"Experts tell committee tribal stewardship and Good Neighbor Authority can speed forest restoration and reduce wildfire risk",1612,1576000,3188000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2636706-231768daed8a02cc1c50608b3c5a91b2&start=1576&end=3188","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2636706-231768daed8a02cc1c50608b3c5a91b2/thumbnail_1576000.jpg","/articles/6278713/Washington/Experts-tell-committee-tribal-stewardship-and-Good-Neighbor-Authority-can-speed-forest-restoration-and-reduce-wildfire-risk","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278713-c711e16e79e8802a3005cc7469c53f41/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920993&Signature=J3aWizmPkr5sCY9S-Sqr7b1yRCi9BOO3qj3kn-GcMvuVHCtsOqnaQON~pLXCCk2RpdcI1kqowklWwUqNGnoQOWchIjK4g6qKB-XkiaZkk7mldHrquyYM1JFUFplUzjSqxYYl3bm2dsfdpGqxpRqPgWh9z7xX8n1xh5uifbfPtncR1KzN-oA4D6VYGwpEpU4v9Fh~3Ug9MrGKc0vr4BHOGSVDfy3oROL~zwvDNW2Rcl6aDt9UWgZWaBWeY6jU5oDVn1iNWELeijGg7Fw2icW06YSAidAfkzMontMgibr4MjEWupRXem7JuV8FGM0hsDXctANsOB3vwmgMFM~J0McKpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Todd Myers, vice president for research at the Washington Policy Center, told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee that well‑executed local stewardship—including tribal forest programs—provides models for healthier, fire‑resilient forests. \"The managers in Washington, D.C., could not match the knowledge and accountability of the people who are on the ground,\" Myers said when describing Quinault and Colville tribal stewardship arrangements he has worked on.

Myers told members the state has roughly 1,200,000 acres categorized as needing treatment to address forest health problems; about 42% of that acreage is on federal land. He described common treatments—controlled burns, mechanical thinning (sometimes called “firewising”), and selective or regeneration harvests—and said these approaches reduce overstocking that creates the standing‑kindling conditions that fuel catastrophic wildfire.

Myers emphasized Good Neighbor Authority (a federal mechanism used by states, counties and tribes) as a practical tool to accelerate work on federal lands. Under that authority, he explained, a non‑federal partner signs an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service, the Forest Service completes NEPA review, and the partner can manage stewardship operations; revenues from harvests can be placed in a revolving account to fund further projects. \"Good Neighbor Authority is a really fantastic tool to do that,\" Myers said, noting that Congress expanded access to revolving accounts for tribes in recent action.

On carbon storage, Myers summarized research showing managed forests can produce net greenhouse‑gas benefits while also generating social and economic returns; he cited a California state analysis and work by the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station showing actively managed forests often store more carbon over time than unmanaged stands that are subject to high‑severity fires. He cautioned that old growth forests are valuable habitat but are not optimal as carbon‑storage projects because their slow carbon flux and risk of decay/fire change the accounting picture.

Committee members asked about program scale and funding. Myers noted Good Neighbor Authority projects exist in Washington but have operated at modest scale to date and suggested the state consider funding operating overhead on a capital basis to increase multi‑year capacity for multi‑year federal contracts.

Ending: Presenters offered follow‑up materials and committee members discussed connecting in the interim to explore ways to grow restoration work and flexible funding approaches.
","Washington Policy Center presenters highlighted tribal forest management examples, urged expanded use of Good Neighbor Authority and described tradeoffs between forest carbon storage and active management.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panel to House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee urges focus on farm sustainability, water access and food security

Panel urges local priority setting, science‑based grants and regulatory flexibility to accelerate salmon recovery

Experts tell committee tribal stewardship and Good Neighbor Authority can speed forest restoration and reduce wildfire risk