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How can Washington make farms more economically sustainable and use natural resources more efficiently? How can we improve the health of forests in the state and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire? And how can we put salmon recovery back on track?
These were the topics addressed by Vice President for Research Todd Myers and Agriculture Director Pam Lewison in a special work session before the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on March 14.
You can watch the one-hour presentation here.
There were two key messages left with legislators.
First, Pam highlighted the incredible improvements in how farms use resources in the United States. Since 1950, farms have cut water use in half, reduced pesticide use by 95 percent and now feed more than six times as many people per acre. Driven by stewardship of the land and a desire to reduce costs, farmers are constantly improving how they grow crops.
Second, discussing the massive amount of unhealthy forests in Washington, Todd discussed the tools the state could use to help treat the more than one million acres that need treatment to become more fire-resistant. One of the key tools discussed is Good Neighbor Authority, which allows the state to partner with the federal government to treat unhealthy forests as well as other activities, including repairing roads and restoring habitat. It is a powerful tool that has the ability to reduce the bureaucracy involved in treating unhealthy forests.
We are very appreciative that Rep. Reeves provided the opportunity to speak with her committee and for the many good questions.
