[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6380157,"mediaKeyId","2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12","parentId",2133154,"title","Senate committee hears bill to clarify turfgrass seed contracts and payment timelines","audioSeconds",566,"startMs",1622000,"endMs",2188000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12&start=1622&end=2188","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12/thumbnail_1622000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6380157/Washington/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-clarify-turfgrass-seed-contracts-and-payment-timelines","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380157-d03b9a87868daa2a32b8a74e2a2877f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430400&Signature=VKdTBVE7tMl7xqxTujniBpB1~88nANL5gS69Y5XY1m~x-1X7L4GayKXDIUYDU9O73aBxP0OdNYno2jhb3zs4AklgbGsYI08teONjaBZfM1j4BjAQ7pKEe8YLVI8lwqbMurUXrfiJ9HH8hGK7Yn3ff0YBYMyvfZhYHkunGyefKnYMcFeNwKZw29O8UzOCr9iEq3T0mgN9Nskh9u3FczUve30GFXKcejPHaytlF7ka~xmGirnfaleJIRYmfhegxGn96ulUXq897sWxfh6crrie2vLJ4jo~UtzJXKs9-FDpkE4CRqu-atHNFy-9NIwXZZB51xBtMdnmalXjQfm7yFQouw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources","date","2025-01-20T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 5,074, presented to the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee on Oct. 12, would add definitions for \"seed growers,\" \"seed production contract,\" \"seed purchase contract,\" and \"turfgrass seed\" to Washington's commission-merchant statutes and would keep turfgrass seed contracts exempt from a contract provision that otherwise limits merchant control over sale timing.

Jeff Olson, staff to the committee, summarized the statutory background and said the bill's changes are intended to address payment practices and contract clarity for seed growers and processors. \"The purpose of the Commission Merchants Act is to protect producers, buyers and sellers of agricultural products against illegal practices,\" Olson said.

Sen. Matt Behnke, prime sponsor, told the committee he learned about payment disruptions affecting turfgrass seed growers and seeks definitions and alignment with Oregon and broader markets. \"It's really the clear definitions adding to that part for seed growers, producers, and various parts of those contracts that they're being left out in,\" Behnke said, adding that consistent timelines could help growers' cash flow.

Turfgrass seed growers testified in favor. Travis Meacham, a central Washington grower, said the bill seeks to \"mirror a little bit of the same thing that is happening in Oregon and getting some consistency on payouts\" and asked for statutory support to ensure processors pay on the timelines growers expect. The Washington State Department of Agriculture's Alison Halpern (signed in as \"other\") said the agency could implement the bill but requested further work with committee staff and program experts to refine statutory language. \"The bill as written needs a little bit more work,\" Halpern said; she offered WSDA subject-matter support from the seed inspection and policy teams.

Committee discussion focused on whether the bill should set a statutory maximum payment timeline or leave timing to contract terms. Senator Shuster noted that grass-seed cash flows historically involved extended payouts and sought assurance that title-retention provisions give growers leverage for payment. No formal amendments were offered in the hearing.

Public testimony included growers and industry representatives who described delayed payments and urged alignment with other states; WSDA said it will work with the sponsor and staff to refine the bill. The committee did not vote and will continue drafting with agency input.

Ending: Sponsors and WSDA staff agreed to work on language revisions; no committee vote was taken at the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources - 1/20/2025 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 5,074, presented to the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee on Oct. 12, would add definitions for \"seed growers,\" \"seed production contract,\" \"seed purchase contract,\" and \"turfgrass seed\" to state commission-merchant law and preserve an exemption for turf-seed contracts.","taxTitle","Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20499,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6380162,"Small forest landowners urge policy fixes to keep family forests intact, boost fire resilience",1072,44000,1116000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12&start=44&end=1116","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12/thumbnail_44000.jpg","/articles/6380162/Washington/Small-forest-landowners-urge-policy-fixes-to-keep-family-forests-intact-boost-fire-resilience","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380162-2710bcb358ba8fff5e915409b2ff8751/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430400&Signature=eOUtPsZXloHOspePA9BYIHt6AamEgPyAMnrAB0zDXwHujHqAZFxzfkF8Gj0-P2LqJKMUo9XiWTLV2qG96YS99k1KrGdByuv6J2cFAKH-RnYAaBta0WHtXd804Up~CRuiA3jTo1sotiPPaaFH2zHsLjc8eJ-LKiV3JYM4MzEsy-atuwRIMauUYo7o~CuqutbrF7VF8OSZI2A1wyPj5MqqBYx1GduK9aIW5G3FISlkt8NJ2hwEWLSl6LLpCE8V-ofAVOQy7jJyD8n6ojr1TxYjNqL60taH~6PuuVgwBaJGQuil4aXGjBMD-NDXZbmgz89DgzoLanv~BlkOSVBZvPmEpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nora Burns, speaking for the Washington Farm Forestry Association, told the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee on Oct. 12 that \"Washington's 218,000 small forest landowners own nearly 15% of Washington's forests,\" and that many sit lower in watersheds and inside the wildland-urban interface.

The association used a committee work session to highlight two family-owned tree farms and to map policy needs that members say would help small forest landowners keep property in forestry use. \"Development pressure, wildfire, and other natural disasters and taxes are top concerns for small forest landowners,\" Burns said, summarizing findings from University of Washington research cited to the committee.

Why it matters: small family forests provide drinking-water protection, wildlife habitat, recreation and local economic activity, but landowners say climate stressors and regulatory gaps are increasing the risk that parcels will be converted to non-forest uses.

Anne Stinson, a second-generation owner of the 320-acre Cowlitz Ridge Tree Farm in South Lewis County, described field-level changes since the 2021 heat dome: older western red cedar are \"dying top down,\" newly planted cedar are turning brown, and Douglas fir on thin, gravelly soils is suffering from laminated root rot. Stinson said the family has shifted plantings to more drought-tolerant species: incense cedar and Port Orford cedar, and two pines — Willamette Valley ponderosa and western white pine. \"We've heard from mills that the incense and Port Orford will be equally accepted for the same kind of products,\" she said.

Teresa Weldon, president of the Washington Farm Forestry Association's Upper Puget Sound chapter and a third-generation owner of a 40-acre \"Mountain Tree Farm\" near Arlington and Granite Falls, described wildlife monitoring, updated management plans, and a family memorial tree-planting program they use to provide stream shading for coho salmon habitat. Weldon said DNR cost-share grants helped pay for a professional consultant to update the farm's management plan and maps.

Policy requests and technical issues raised to the committee included:
- Regulatory fixes to allow practical, lower-emission biomass treatments in the wildland-urban interface. Burns noted that legislative changes in last year’s SB 6121 allowed \"flame-capped kilns to burn clean biomass,\" but that at least one air-quality agency is not permitting their use; air-curtain burners were discussed as a related tool with language being circulated among stakeholders.
- Processing-rule changes for small-scale maple-syrup producers. Burns said University of Washington and Washington State University research solved technical challenges for West Coast production but that \"processing regulations are severely hampering Washington growers' ability to compete in the marketplace\" and that draft statutory language is being shopped to stakeholders.
- Support for a small-forest carbon aggregation tool. Burns summarized work from the Climate Commitment Act–mandated small forest landowner carbon work group and UW landscape analysis that produced an AI-generated forest-biomass map at one-tenth–acre resolution; she said a modest budget request would be needed to advance monitoring, verification and market participation tools.

Committee members pressed on technical details and risks. Senator Wagner asked about the performance, growth and market acceptance of Port Orford and incense cedar compared with western red cedar; Stinson replied the stand is young but that \"we have a couple older incense cedar that are about 30 years old on our property\" and that local mills have indicated acceptance. Senator Bazzall asked about pests and disease in replacement pines; Stinson said western white pine has been pruned to reduce blister-rust risk and that DNR has run test plots on ponderosa pine but that some mortality has occurred.

On wildfire and the WUI, Stinson said many small owners have taken defensible-space steps around homes, keep water tanks and sprayers ready, and rely on state support programs; Burns added that mapping of the WUI and policy clarity for burners remain \"an issue\" and that more conversation is needed on air-curtain burners and related tools.

Other discussion topics included estate succession: Stinson highlighted OSU's \"Ties to the Land\" program as a voluntary tool to help families plan to keep forestland in active management rather than sale to development.

Committee chair Jennifer Chapman thanked presenters and indicated the panel could return for follow-up. No formal committee action or vote occurred during the work session.

Ending: Presenters offered to host committee members for field visits and signaled willingness to work with staff on statutory language for the maple-syrup exemption, the carbon-aggregation funding ask, and regulatory fixes for biomass handling.","Washington Farm Forestry Association members described how small forest landowners manage for multiple public benefits, outlined climate-driven species shifts and wildfire concerns, and urged legislative fixes including air-curtain burner/biomass rules, maple-syrup processing regulation changes, and funding for an AI carbon-aggregation tool.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6380146,"Committee weighs changes to indirect livestock-loss claims tied to wolf predation amid cost and implementation concerns",1670,2240000,3910000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12&start=2240&end=3910","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12/thumbnail_2240000.jpg","/articles/6380146/Washington/Committee-weighs-changes-to-indirect-livestock-loss-claims-tied-to-wolf-predation-amid-cost-and-implementation-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380146-e5e22e69ddd23408fdd38cae0afe8acf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430400&Signature=jIkn~W58~IO8Sh1y4~tV0Z6zSdFcg8zwhb47JICTbeR339C8jexFKWXEWH-IWLmYtLBSb1ucYWCRDHMMvHS8p-VbnyGgNc10qL4nomJwrTEce8DsbrWDLmV8SW4v-AAmj03QfqB9WuBmN649B6j~RU583lu0nLR9HknXYeF6b9S5Nrbh7oq6~2WCAWsX4jF9Vbt9eQ6rryF5zWqiRePX8gvQA~fwRafYHXzCoXSMWLtSUEMW2XFWYCRQDsCH-Kb3vQiArGqIxJfTvYjhSiyzOYfbL7yKc5eP5J-P1R0zSl2bDWbMknkVRsXcaVUkX5TbJQW29i921zeEtRdt9-WSsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Elena Becker, committee staff, summarized proposed Senate Bill 5,171 for the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee on Oct. 12. The bill would change how indirect livestock-loss claims related to wolves are calculated: instead of comparing current-year losses to a three-year running average, claims would be compared to a claimant's average annual loss \"before the reestablishment of wolf populations in Washington,\" the bill text proposes.

Becker told the committee that the Department of Fish and Wildlife currently assesses indirect claims against the preceding three-year running average and that the bill would also allow an indirect claim to include the value of a carcass when cause of death is indeterminate but occurred in an area occupied by wolves. Staff noted an estimated technical implementation cost of $1.2 million for the 2025–27 biennium.

Sponsor Sen. Shelley Short (7th District) framed the bill as a tool for producers living with wolf recolonization in parts of the state. \"I just want, something available that is more reflective of the challenges that our ranchers have, especially in Northeast Washington,\" Short said, and she described the proposal as one of several stakeholder efforts to refine compensation and conflict reduction tools.

Department of Fish and Wildlife wildlife program director Mick Cope testified that the department values a well‑designed compensation program but flagged implementation concerns. Cope said documentation dating back to wolf reestablishment (about 2008) may be hard to compile and that including indeterminate carcasses in indirect-loss payments \"is going to be very challenging to implement and also potentially costly depending on how broadly it's used.\" He told the committee he anticipated fiscal impacts and customer-service demands that would require additional resources.

Francisco Santiago Avila, science and advocacy director for Washington Wildlife First, urged the committee to consider fiscal risks and attribution challenges. \"Wolves are responsible for relatively few livestock losses,\" Avila said, citing USDA data that 98% of cattle deaths and 89% of calf deaths nationwide are due to non‑predator causes; he warned that using a distant baseline risks attributing multiple causes of loss to wolves and pointed to recent large claims in other states as cautionary examples.

Ranchers and stakeholders offered contrasting testimony. Sammy Cherrier, a fifth‑generation cattle producer and member of the state's Wolf Advisory Group, said that producers who face years of wolf activity need a reliable compensation tool and supports comparing losses to pre‑wolf baselines for affected areas. \"We need to go back to the average before we had wolves on our landscapes,\" Cherrier said, adding that the proposal would not make producers whole but would provide needed relief.

Conservation Northwest and other stakeholders said they support refining compensation but expressed willingness to work with the sponsor on language. Testimony noted the current $50,000 annual appropriation for the agency's compensation program has been fully obligated in recent years and that a statutory change expanding eligible claims could quickly exhaust available funds.

Committee members asked for more technical work and stakeholder negotiation. No committee vote was taken; sponsors and agencies offered to continue stakeholder discussions and to refine statutory language and fiscal estimates before additional committee action.

Ending: The committee closed the public hearing and requested further technical drafting and stakeholder negotiation to address documentation, attribution, and funding concerns before moving forward.","Senate Bill 5,171 would require indirect livestock-loss claims tied to wolf harassment to use a pre‑wolf baseline rather than a recent three‑year running average; the Department of Fish and Wildlife and conservation groups warned of documentation and fiscal risks, while ranchers urged the change as necessary for producers living with wolves.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6380151,"Bill would reserve 20% of deer/elk-damage funds for frontier counties; sponsor seeks more work with staff",550,2180000,2730000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12&start=2180&end=2730","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2133154-e887d74501332b80c2a3d6421ffc8a12/thumbnail_2180000.jpg","/articles/6380151/Washington/Bill-would-reserve-20-of-deerelk-damage-funds-for-frontier-counties-sponsor-seeks-more-work-with-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6380151-147e3b96c82c297a51c2bde0303f3feb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430400&Signature=VGC8PgeKEdVNNKAi-US7vG3J~16~EUj76qdVth2ORswus1NN5-TIr04iP2rNR8VnXGv74ksIl8AkiEHCdybF6LSzI3vXr3m6DKdpreGUQvlcJv14h9mJSpSpylXyCe~zPb4sZCTETm0vjGL1K570DUtKTJeBbyorkRl7h0lohjmc7pNftsL0DrTC664Gpj7OOSx4UOX1Q6hhF4Mu6ADnhdYDmwBra1Pptdwpwc1ZJOdVXvnhBpSxXoZRwChvkEEvtmMhgjOT9hRvulxBCvVItN3a3OxtntMk9Sux-GEWlbMASJPXojkgSKm0AIeQq2pl~d4BV3yyhGqYCHTi1TuhuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Elena Becker, committee staff, told the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee that proposed substitute Senate Bill 5,165 would reserve 20% of available payments for damage to commercial crops caused by deer and elk to claims originating in frontier counties, a statutory class defined as counties with fewer than 50 people per square mile.

Sponsor Sen. Shelley Short (7th District) told the committee that crop and ranch producers in some areas are seeing increasing deer and elk damage and that reserving funds for frontier counties could help address payment gaps for smaller producers. \"We are seeing a lot of change in the deer and elk population,\" Short said, adding that producers have described difficulties with appraisal and funding availability.

Committee staff explained that eligible claims currently require producers to show prevention efforts and either more than $10,000 in product grown in the previous year or first-year status; the proposed bill would set aside a 20% allocation of the available fund for frontier-county claims. A staff fiscal note indicated no fiscal impact for implementing the allocation.

Public testimony from northeastern Washington ranchers and from the Department of Fish and Wildlife focused on clarifying mechanics: Mick Cope, wildlife program director for the Department of Fish and Wildlife, asked how the bill would handle situations when frontier-county claims exceed the 20% allocation, whether remaining funds would be available to other counties, and whether frontier designation should be based on crop location or claimant business location. \"We would like to express our desire to work together to get some clarity on a few issues within the bill,\" Cope said.

John Hudspeth, a fourth-generation cattle rancher from northeastern Washington, described livestock losses and depredation concerns and urged workable tools for small producers. The sponsor and staff signaled willingness to continue drafting and to take stakeholder feedback; no committee vote was taken at the hearing.

Ending: Senator Short said she will continue work with staff and stakeholders to refine the bill text before further committee action.","Senate Bill 5,165 would reserve 20% of available state funds for commercial crop damage by deer and elk to claims arising in frontier counties (those with fewer than 50 people per square mile). Sponsor and committee staff said the concept needs refinement and the bill will be revised.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate committee hears bill to clarify turfgrass seed contracts and payment timelines

Small forest landowners urge policy fixes to keep family forests intact, boost fire resilience

Committee weighs changes to indirect livestock-loss claims tied to wolf predation amid cost and implementation concerns

Bill would reserve 20% of deer/elk-damage funds for frontier counties; sponsor seeks more work with staff