Citing concerns about insufficient protection from lawsuits and a lack of sufficient state funding, the Whatcom County council voted 5-2 to opt out of the Voluntary Stewardship Program, ESHB 1886 (with Sam Crawford and Bill Knudsen dissenting).
The dissenting members agreed with Farm Bureau arguments. The Farm Bureau literature that WE saw seemed to indicate that Farm Plans would be discontinued, but the county legal opinion differed – the Farm Plan requirements would remain. The confusion over this issue when it was brought up in a preliminary afternoon meeting seemed to throw everything back into question, causing council members who had previously supported opting in to question their decision. One council member observed that the property rights crowd and the environmentalists were united in their opposition to this measure (but undoubtedly for different reasons). This odd coincidence might also have affected the outcome.
WE have already explained why WE think that the Voluntary Stewardship Program is a bad idea (despite its delicious name). WE wish the council had voted to opt out because of the threat to liberty and self-determination.
The dissenting members agreed with Farm Bureau arguments. The Farm Bureau literature that WE saw seemed to indicate that Farm Plans would be discontinued, but the county legal opinion differed – the Farm Plan requirements would remain. The confusion over this issue when it was brought up in a preliminary afternoon meeting seemed to throw everything back into question, causing council members who had previously supported opting in to question their decision. One council member observed that the property rights crowd and the environmentalists were united in their opposition to this measure (but undoubtedly for different reasons). This odd coincidence might also have affected the outcome.
WE have already explained why WE think that the Voluntary Stewardship Program is a bad idea (despite its delicious name). WE wish the council had voted to opt out because of the threat to liberty and self-determination.
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