County program will seek voluntary plans

With a resolution by county commissioners Monday, a new entity moved closer to getting started in the cause of creating voluntary plans to protect interests of both agriculture and the environment in Whitman County.

The Voluntary Stewardship Program is a state-funded effort which grew out of a state legislature referral to a think tank to find a way to conserve land and waterways without over-regulating farming.

“The purpose is to find a way to protect ag activity in Whitman County and to preserve the critical areas,” said County Planner Alan Thomson, referring to wetlands, floodplains, critic...