The Farming Show

When activists gathered recently to protest newly-remodeled housing for farmworkers in Mt. Vernon, they didn't expect what would happen next.

Enrique Gastelum, leader of the farm labor non-profit that's remodeling the housing facility for farmworkers, joins Dillon with the story of how he responded to the protesters, and the surprising conversations that ensued.

Washington farmers and truckers who transport farm products have been paying more for their fuel thanks to the state's new cap-and-trade law, despite promises that agriculture would be exempt.

This spring the state legislature earmarked money to refund some of those extra costs, directing the Washington State Department of Licensing to manage the program delivering refunds to those who qualify.

Jennifer Clawson with WA DOL joins Dillon with the details on the new Agriculture Support Program they've created as a result, and explains how farmers and truckers can apply for refunds this fall for fuel they purchased in 2023.

Money-hungry lawyers in California are shaking down farms for millions over incredibly minor labor law mistakes such as record-keeping discrepancies.

Fresno attorney Kevin Piercy joins Dillon with details of the scheme, how farms can protect themselves, and why Washington farms are likely the next stop for the profiteering lawyers he's been battling.

The Washington State Department of Health is proposing water well policy changes that threaten the affordable housing farmworkers have depended on for decades.

Jay Gordon, Washington State Dairy Federation Policy Director, joins Dillon with more on how the troubling change in state policy that would harm farmworkers and farms is now out for public comment.

You can send the Department of Health a message here: https://p2a.co/3PM8Byl

Although she is retiring from lecturing and university research, Lynden-area farmer Karen Steensma didn't want to stop helping farmers solve problems.

Karen joins Dillon to talk about the kinds of environmental work she's doing through her new consulting business to help farmers protect crops, livestock and the environment with research-based natural strategies.

As Washington state continues to lose farms at an alarming rate, the public is becoming aware of the growing crisis that affects our food system, our economy and our communities more and more all the time.

Pam Lewison, Director of the Washington Policy Center's Center for Agriculture, joins Dillon to talk about the reaction to her recent Seattle Times editorial on WA's farming crisis, and the increasing challenges that continue to worsen the trend.

A state task force considered using the courts to take land away from farms for stream buffers in draft recommendations for riparian restoration.

Kara Rowe, policy director for the Western Washington Agricultural Association, joins Dillon to talk about the problematic proposal, as well as a visit the task force made to a Skagit farm that would be decimated by the plan.

Despite their huge efforts, three Yakima-area dairies are being accused by the US Environmental Protection Agency of not doing enough to protect groundwater from nutrient contamination.

Gerald Baron, former Save Family Farming Executive Director, joins Dillon and says the nature of the legal attack and its threats of massive fines bring up troubling questions about EPA Region 10's true motives, especially considering its long track record of dishonesty on this issue.

As local farming advocates have predicted for years, the state's water lawsuit in Whatcom County is already facing big delays from legal challenges and the state Department of Ecology's inaccuracies.

Fred Likkel, Whatcom Family Farmers' Executive Director, joins Dillon with details from the first court hearing since Ecology officially filed the case in May.

In a new editorial, Whatcom County farmers and realtors are collaborating to voice deep concern about how the state's massive water lawsuit is beginning to unfold.

Perry Eskridge with the Whatcom Association of Realtors joins Dillon with more background on why they're troubled by the process so far, and what they would like to see instead.