Ag prevails during legislative session

Schoesler looks over Senate bills

OLYMPIA — It's hard to place a priority on agriculture-related bills before the Washington State Legislature this legislative session, Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, says.

"We have well over 100 different crops," he said. Items of importance vary from region to region, he added.

Within the Columbia Basin, Schoesler said the issue of custom farming tax breaks and propane taxing have been closely examined.

"Propane is oftentimes used the same as you would diesel, which is now sales-tax free," he said. "That brings consistency to it. Of course, I think the issue of keeping the sales tax off of biodiesel for off-road use so it's treated the same as regular diesel was an oversight last year that needs to be corrected."

Other areas face situations that are more of an urban versus rural nature, Schoesler said, pointing to a bill protecting farmers from nuisance issues.

As the ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Committee and a producer, Schoesler tries to look at items of interest state-wide, which he considers part of his duty as lead Republican and to his constituents.

He hasn't had any bills brought to his attention which possess direct negative implications, he said.

"That's not to say there can't be," he said. "So you always want to be conscientious and read the bills, look at the implications and vote smart."

Schoesler advised representatives of the agriculture industry need to keep their messages in front of legislators. The importance of agriculture makes for good, consistent messages with real-life stories, Schoesler said.

"I think one of the things that is always true is that farmers can't pass their costs on with higher prices or surcharges," he said. "Everybody I think has bought something that had a fuel surcharge attached to it or a price increase. The local fast food place may say, 'We've increased our prices 10 cents on a hamburger because of minimum wage.' Farmers don't increase their prices because of things like that."

In a recent AG Alert newsletter, Schoesler singled out several bills he thought are of interest to the industry. They include:

Senate Bill 5000 creates a rainy day fund for most of the state's current surplus and excess revenues in the future so the money must be saved. Schoesler says creating a rainy day fund would make life easier on farmers and other employers by ensuring budget stability. The bill was referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Senate Bill 5004 reduces the business and occupation tax on small businesses, which many farming operations are considered. It was referred to the ways and means committee.

Senate Bill 5009 exempts biodiesel fuel used for non-highway farm use from the sales and use tax. The bill received a public hearing in the Senate Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Committee.

Senate Bill 5056 continues the small farm direct marketing assistance program, established by the 2001 Legislature and set to expire July 1, indefinitely. It was referred to the economic development committee.

Senate Bill 5059 provides a business and occupation tax rate for custom farming services. It was referred to the economic development committee.

Senate Bill 5074 is a watershed bill dividing Water Resource Inventory Area 29 in south-central Washington into areas 29a and 29b. It was referred to the Senate Water, Energy and Telecommunications Committee.

Senate Bill 5075 allows outdoor burning of cut brush or timber material within an urban growth area. It was referred to the water, energy and telecommunications committee.

Senate Bill 5077 exempts from retail sales and use tax any propane fuel sold to farm fuel users for non-highway use. It was referred to the economic development committee.

Senate Bill 5113 authorizes the application of barley straw to waters in Washington. The proposal received a public hearing in the Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Committee last week.

Senate Bill 5248 is a proposal meaning critical area ordinances and development regulations may not prohibit legally existing agricultural activities occurring on agriculture land, and may not require removal of agriculture land from production. It was referred to the economic development committee.