Garfield Voluntary Stewardship Program Work Group Meeting Notes
Date: October 24, 2016 Location: Pomeroy Grain Growers Time: 2:00 - 4:30 PM
Attendance: Brad Johnson, Duane Bartels, Mike Cassetto (City Council), Jim McKeirnan (Weed Board), Brian McKeirnan (Pomeroy CD), Sam Ledgerwood (Cattleman’s Association), Ernie Kimble (Wheat Growers), Seth Claassen (landowner), Kelly McLain (Department of AG), Del Groat (Citizen) On phone: Mitch Daniels (Nez Perce Tribe), Tom Schirm (WDFW) ______
Bradley Johnson called the meeting to order at 2:05 pm and welcomed Work Group members and others in attendance. Self -introductions were made.
Agenda Review identified the next meeting date as showing January 9, 2017.
The Minutes of the September 26, 2016 Work Group Meeting were reviewed. Ernie Kimble moved and Mike Cassetto seconded approval of minutes. Motioned passed.
Kelly McLain with Department of AG sits on the Technical Panel and there was a meeting on September 27th to talk about the guidance information on the viability of AG. Document will be completed on November 9th and will come out to the Work Group. How viability works will be different throughout the state. Identify work that can be done to feed the viability of AG. What is different between crop and livestock and how out of control factors work to influence the viability of AG? Tours? Farmers Markets? How can we get more people out to understand what is vital to keep AG going. What would help AG economy viable? Starting Point…need balance to maintain and enhance viability. Effort was based on what Chelan and Thurston have developed in concert with Farm Bureau and Department of AG. Water issues and regulator issues and how they affect AG. Also liability issues and licenses needed to maintain farm families. Need to talk about the regulatory burden and how we can ease this…getting regulatory certainty to protect farming and ranching. Can we get expedited permitting processes??? CAPTURE BURDENS FROM STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES PERMITING PROCESSES and the ADDED COSTS OF COMPLETING PROJECTS. SEWA received a grant to help develop farmers markets in Dayton, Pomeroy, Asotin and Colfax. Has not taken ahold in Pomeroy, but the Dayton farmers market has been successful. Farmers Markets may not be the best way to promote AG activities in SE WA.
Garfield VSP Work Group Meeting Notes Brad discussed the Work Plan elements that are needed in our Work Plan and reviewing and incorporating applicable water quality, watershed management, farmland preservation, and species recovery data and plans. Figure out what we already know for each limiting factor and then decide which widget you want to use and is measurable and attainable. What can AG intersect aspects be enhanced or protected and be measurable to show that we are protecting critical areas and enhancing the viability of AG. Protection is not just the baseline but the constant improvement of temperature that needs to be maintaining over the time of protection, need to show improvement. Standard under VSP means that the baseline will protect and enhance both the critical area and AG. Criteria may not be justifiable but we are protecting critical areas. Ernie questions whether or not if we need to show improvement, but voluntary participation may or may not happen and we need to ensure that we don’t go back. Under VSP we don’t want to go backwards from June of 2011 benchmark.
VSP Planning and the associated county Work Plan need to be completed and we are hopeful there will be VSP implementation funding appropriated by the legislature.
Duane presented the Deadman and he was able to get the rangeland mapped and showed the mainstem of the Snake watersheds that need mapping. He is also working on the fire recovery funding potential since the Snake River fire. Discussion occurred regarding the type of fencing needed because of the fire.
Around-the-Room Discussion occurred regarding next steps and what we need for the work group for the next meeting.
Jim McKeirnan – Noxious weeds and what type of herbicides can be used and how do we address them with all the regulations? Where will this be with regards to limiting factors and practices to address noxious weeds?
Goals of Next Meeting: Send out an update to the Work Group the first of December to let everyone know where we are with Work Plan and Maps. Watershed write-up for Alpowa and Meadow Creek --- total acres of rangeland, cropland, etc and the percent of AG intercept with critical acres based off available maps Continued updates of excel spreadsheets with NRCS FOTG Table of all the previous and on-going planning processes Deadman completed and hopefully starting the Pataha Mapping Process
Garfield VSP Work Group Meeting Notes
The meeting was adjourned at 4:05 pm.
Garfield VSP Work Group Meeting Notes