The Farming Show

With the minimum wage for guest workers on farms in WA going up to $19.25/hr. this year, many family farms are fighting to stay afloat.

Michael Marsh, CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, joins Dillon to explain how the Federal government's flawed methodology is driving the skyrocketing minimum wage, how that wage is driving unsustainable wage inflation for more than just guest workers, and how that inflation is pushing American farms out of business.

After several members of Congress leaked an agreement on the future of the Lower Snake River Dams that the Biden administration negotiated in secret to exclude farmers and others, many are voicing condemnation of the deal.

Karen Budd-Falen, former US Department of the Interior Deputy Solicitor, who has followed activists' longtime campaign to force the dams' removal, joins Dillon with reaction and insight into what could happen next.

Extreme labor activists are falsely claiming that the farming community is going back on its word in a legislative agreement on overtime for farm work.

Pam Lewison, Director of the Center for Agriculture at the Washington Policy Center, tells Dillon the activists' narrative doesn't align with what actually happened in 2021 when a deal was forged to begin the ag overtime rollout.

Will Honea, Skagit County Senior Deputy Prosecutor, joins Dillon with the latest on the ongoing controversy over water management, fish recovery and farming in Skagit County.

Despite several science studies casting major doubt on their claims that it would save endangered salmon, activists continue to push for the removal of the dams on the lower Snake River in a move that would devastate agriculture, electricity rate payers and many others.

Todd Myers, Director of the Center for the Environment at the Washington Policy Center, joins Dillon with details on the secret negotiations the federal government has been having with only certain groups in the region, and notably omitting some of the communities that would be hit hardest.

Local residents packed a meeting this past week featuring experts outlining how they can protect their water access, as a state lawsuit on water rights in Whatcom County is expected to begin this coming spring.

Fred Likkel, Whatcom Family Farmers' Executive Director, joins Dillon to talk about some of the biggest questions and concerns people have as the court case looms.

Fixing problems with Washington state's new farming overtime laws, as well as the state's failure to follow state law exempting farming from new fuel surcharges, are among the top issues Republicans in the State Senate want to tackle in the coming legislative session. Their agriculture agenda, dubbed "Cultivate Washington," was the focus of a press conference recently, and state Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, joins Dillon with a look at some of those top priorities.

Many farmers and landowners are asking where to start preparing to protect their water access as the State of Washington prepares to file a massive lawsuit requiring them to prove their rights.

Water law expert Bill Clarke joins Dillon with details on how and why to attend Whatcom Family Farmers' educational event on Nov. 8 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds' Peoples Bank Farm Pavilion.

Despite underwhelming 2023 yields for berry crops in Whatcom County, farmers are enjoying healthy corn and potato production with advantageous weather for harvest. Clay Pehl, CHS Northwest Agronomist, joins Dillon to share what he's hearing from farmers in the field so far this fall.

Farm workers all over Washington are voicing frustration with the state's new agricultural overtime law, and 500 workers recently gathered in Quincy, WA to hear from leaders including state Rep. Alex Ybarra about how to have their voice heard in Olympia. Ybarra joins host Dillon Honcoop with details on the event, and how agricultural overtime is hurting the farm worker community -- the very people it was supposed to help.