Art Swannack reports on DC trip

Lamont

Art Swannack left March 4 for Washington D.C. to attend the Washington Farm Bureau DC Days event. On Monday morning the group attended an American Farm Bureau briefing on the issues of labor, youth employment in ag, trade and the current status of Farm Bill negotiations.

In the afternoon the group traveled to the New Zealand Embassy for a meeting. The New Zealand embassy staff gave an overview of their country’s agriculture industry and how trade impacts them. They discussed the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement currently in negotiations. The New Zealand Ambassador RT Hon. Mike Moore also visited with them about New Zealand farming, the status of trade in the Western Pacific and other issues.

Tuesday, the group visited the office of Representatives Rick Larsen, Jim McDermott and Doc Hastings, and met with Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Dave Reichert and Senator Maria Cantwell.

Wednesday started with meeting Representative Jay Inslee (also a candidate for governor here), followed by Senator Patty Murray.

Next they met with staff from the House Natural Resources committee for an update on issues this committee deals with and discussed issues and problems around water (including irrigation projects), public lands, livestock and farming regulations.

This committee is chaired by Doc Hastings of Washington.

Representative Jamie Herrera Beutler was the final legislator the group met with and they then traveled across town to the U.S. Trade Representative’s annex office near the White House.

The visit was really informative as the group learned about current trade issues and the problems in crafting these international agreements. They also helped one member learn how to deal with a hay export problem to Japan. Art left for the airport Wednesday afternoon where he visited with Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna (also a candidate for governor) who was headed back to our state from meetings in D.C. Art got home late Wednesday night.