Why environmentalists are supporting family farms

The deadline for public comment to the state Department Ecology on the draft dairy permit is Wednesday, Aug. 31. It would be too bad if Olympian readers only had the position presented in the online guest editorial and didn't have the chance to consider the facts.

Dairy farms in our state are already heavily regulated and those regulations are effective. The Washington state Department of Agriculture conducted nearly 3,000 inspections of the state's about 400 dairy farms from 2007 to 2015. Compliance is very high with 2016 data showing less than 3 percent of dairy cropland in Western Washington above the nitrate limits.

Soil is already tested and current manure liners are effective. Calling for more testing and synthetic liners adds costs without benefits.

While anti-farm activists are pressuring Ecology to add more burdens, the cost of the permit as drafted will result in the loss of a great many of our family farms, many of whom have been operating through three or more generations. Low milk prices have pushed our dairy farmers to the brink and these unnecessary new regulations will push many over.

We encourage Olympian readers to get the facts about our family farmer and environmental stewardship at whatcomfamilyfarmers.org. Environmentalists understand that farmers are working hard to protect the environment and that when they go, the farmland is often converted to development. Let Ecology know you support our family farmers.

This story was originally published August 30, 2016 at 2:54 PM with the headline "Why environmentalists are supporting family farms."