October 17, 2001

THE WASHINGTON FARM BUREAU AND A COALITION OF 230 OTHER BUSINESS AND trade associations and individual employers filed suit today to stop the
state Department of Labor and Industries from imposing costly and
unproven ergonomics standards. The suit, filed in Thurston County
Superior Court, contends that L&I exceeded its statutory authority in
adopting the rules, failed to follow proper procedures under the
Regulatory Reform Act, and acted in an "arbitrary and capricious" manner
by ignoring medical and scientific findings. Jon Warling, former
Washington Farm Bureau vice president and chair of Washington Employers
Concerned About Regulating Ergonomics, said the regulations would "carry
staggering costs for businesses both large and small in Washington"
without any "credible scientific data" that the rules would reduce
repetitive-motion stress injuries. The suit asks the court to invalidate
the rules, which are scheduled to take effect in 2002.

THE WASHINGTON FARM BUREAU TODAY FILED A PETITION WITH THE NATIONAL Marine Fisheries Service to de-list 12 stocks, or "evolutionarily
significant units," of Puget Sound and Columbia Basin salmon and
steelhead protected under the Endangered Species Act, based on a recent
U.S. District Court ruling in Oregon that wild salmon cannot be listed
without extending the same protections to hatchery fish that are part of
the same ESU. The petition argues that if hatchery fish are counted
along with wild fish, "the justification for listing may be greatly
reduced or eliminated." The Kitsap Property Owners and the Skagit County
Cattlemen's Association have also petitioned NMFS to de-list two Puget
Sound ESUs, based on the Alsea Alliance case in Oregon, while the
Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association has filed to de-list seven
ESUs on the Snake and Columbia rivers.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS RENEWED REGISTRATIONS FOR biotech Bt corn that produces its own toxins to kill the European corn
borer. (AP/Washington Post, Oct. 17) "Bt corn has been evaluated
thoroughly by EPA and we are confident that it does not pose risks to
human health or to the environment," according to Steve Johnson,
assistant administrator in EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and
Toxic Substances. Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta AG and Dow Chemical all
hold registrations for Bt corn. The renewed registrations are for a
seven-year period.

THE KING/PIERCE COUNTY FARM BUREAU WILL HOST A PANEL DISCUSSION OCT. 24 on the merits of conservation easements, or the selling of development
rights, as a way to preserve farmland in areas of urban growth. "Some
farmers who have sold conservation easements are very happy with the
outcome. Others later come to regret making that decision," said county
Farm Bureau President Lucy Cerqui. "We want to offer farmers an
opportunity to hear both sides of the debate and make up their own
minds." The forum will be held at the Thoroughbred Breeders Pavilion at
the Emerald Downs racetrack in Auburn, beginning at 6 p.m. For more
information, contact Washington Farm Bureau project manager Dave
Winckler at (509) 269-4953.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS MONDAY ASKED A PANEL OF THE 9TH CIRCUIT COURT OF Appeals to lift a U.S. District Court injunction against a Clinton
administration rule that would ban most road-building and logging in
national forests. (Reuters/Planet Ark, Oct. 16) A decision could take
weeks or months, but two of the three panel members questioned whether
the environmental groups have standing to appeal the lower court
decision since the Bush administration has chosen not to.
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* 2001 Washington Farm Bureau. NewsWatch is a daily update on news of
interest to agriculture. Contact Dean Boyer, director of public
relations, 1-800-331-3276 or dboyer@wsfb.com, to receive NewsWatch by
fax or e-mail.

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