By contributor Dan Frizzell
OLYMPIA – Key legislative committees in Olympia are off to a busy start on day three of the 2023 session.
24th District State Rep. Mike Chapman of Port Angeles is sponsoring a new bill which would allow small farmers and property owners to receive compensation from the state for voluntarily establishing riparian buffer zones to help salmon thrive.
Rep. Chapman, chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, said he expects this to be a good legislative session for Washington farmers, especially for small family farms that are key to the state’s economy.
“If you’re a small farmer, I want to make sure that you have a fair shake to make a living as you’ve chosen to do, and I’m working on a bill for salmon recovery that’s a voluntary program. If farmers have salmon streams going through their land, they can voluntarily set aside a buffer, and then they’ll be paid on a recurring basis. That could give them a consistent cash flow which, for small farm owners, is sometimes a challenge.”
Chapman plans to give his House Bill 1215 a public hearing next week.