A Road Map Towards Securing the Future of Western Agriculture - a report prepared by the family farm alliance
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A Road Map Towards Securing the
Future of Western Agriculture
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
a report prepared by the family farm alliance
P.O. Box 216
Protecting and enhancing
Western irrigated agriculture
2014-15 Family Farm Alliance
Advisory Committee Members and Organizations
J. Mark Atlas – Attorney at Law, Willows, CA Tom Myrum – Washington State Water Resources
Larry Bauman – Central Valley Project Water Association, Olympia, WA
Assn., Sacramento, CA Wade Noble – Law Office of Wade Noble,
Steve Benson – Imperial Irrigation District, Yuma, AZ
Imperial, CA Paul Orme – Paul R. Orme, P.C., Mayer, AZ
Mike Britton – North Unit Irrigation District, Antonio Ortega – Imperial Irrigation District,
2014-15 Family Farm Alliance Board of Directors Madras, OR Imperial, CA
James Broderick – SE Colorado Water Jason Peltier – Westlands Water District,
Harvey Bailey – Reedley, California
Conservancy District, Pueblo, CO Fresno, CA
Sandy Denn – Willows, California Ed Cowsar – Energy Water Solutions, Houston, TX Clinton Pline – Nampa-Meridian Irrigation District,
Dan Errotabere – Riverdale, California Ken Curtis – Dolores Water Conservancy District, Nampa, ID
Cortez, CO Bill Plummer – Scottsdale, AZ
Chris Hurd – Firebaugh, California
Rebecca Davidson – Salt River Project, Rick Preston – Gering-Ft. Laramie Irrigation
William Kennedy – Klamath Falls, Oregon Phoenix, AZ District, Lyman, NE
Harold Mohlman – Rupert, Idaho Tom Davis – Yuma County Water Users Ivan Ray – Davis and Weber Counties Canal
Association, Yuma, AZ Company, Sunset, UT
Pat O’Toole – Savery, Wyoming Gary Esslinger – Elephant Butte Irrigation District, Pat Riley – Billings, Montana
Ron Rayner – Litchfield Park, Arizona Las Cruces, NM Joe Rutledge – Tualatin Valley Irrigation District,
Don Schwindt – Cortez, Colorado Norman Haak – Garrison Diversion Conservancy Forest Grove, OR
District, Oakes, ND Norman Semanko – Idaho Water Users
Tom Schwarz – Bertrand, Nebraska Matt Harris – Washington Potato Commission Association, Boise, ID
Marc Thalacker – Sisters, Oregon Dr. Larry Hicks – Little Snake River Conservation April Snell – Oregon Water Resources Congress,
District, Baggs, WY Salem, OR
Ron Jacobsma – Friant Water Authority, Dave Solem – South Columbia Basin Irrigation
Lindsay, CA District, Pasco, WA
Family Farm Alliance Contractors
Rusty Jardine – Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, Jeff Sutton – Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority,
Executive Director – Dan Keppen – Klamath Falls, Oregon Fallon, NV Willows, CA
Policy and Legislative Advisor – Mark Limbaugh – Washington, D.C. Sheldon Jones – Farm Foundation, Chicago, IL Dale Swenson – Fremont-Madison Irrigation
Cary Keaten – Solano Irrigation District, District, Saint Anthony, ID
Counsel – Gary W. Sawyers – Fresno, California
Vacaville, CA Chris Udall – Agri-Business Council of Arizona,
Conference Coordinator – Jane Townsend – Clearlake, California Don Kraus – Central Nebraska Public Power & Mesa, AZ
Irrigation Dist., Holdrege, NE Chris Voigt – Washington State Potato
Dan Laursen – Heart Mountain Irrigation District, Commission, Moses Lake, WA
Powell, WY Grant Ward – Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation &
John Lind – Burley Irrigation District, Burley, ID Drainage District, Maricopa, AZ
Matt Lukasiewicz – Loup Basin Reclamation Bruce Whitehead – Southwestern Water
District, Farwell, NE Conservation District, Durango, CO
Richard Moss, Chair – Provost & Pritchard Brad Wind – Northern Water, Berthoud, CO
Engineering Consultants, Visalia, CA
Protecting Water for Western Irrigated Agriculture
A Road Map towards Securing the Future of Western Agriculture
I t’s clear the drought that has encompassed
much of the Western United States this year
will have a very real impact on consumers who
production pieces, are critical to the economy
of the region, and food production and securi-
ty for the nation.
are already keeping a tight hold on their pock- For a region that spans the 17 Western states,
etbooks. People are actually starting to think the total household income impacts derived
about where their food comes from now. Even from the “Irrigated Agriculture Industry” –
when the economy falterings, irrigated agricul- which is made up of direct irrigated crop pro-
ture remains one of the largest economic en- duction, agricultural services, and the food
gines in the Western U.S. processing and packaging sectors – is estimat-
Irrigated agriculture is key to production agri- ed to be about $156 billion annually.
culture and food and fiber production through- Importantly, the average American spends less
out the West. It is integrally related to the rest than 7 percent of disposable income purchas-
of Western production, including the raising ing food, the lowest of any country in the
and feeding of livestock and federal lands world. Clearly, the low cost of U.S. household
grazing. Irrigated agriculture, and its related ag food purchases affects discretionary income.
Road Map Towards Securing the Future of Western Agriculture 1
Over time, this has contributed substantially to support from nine of the world’s leading foun-
the national economy, since it allows more dations seeks to engage diverse interests to
household income to be devoted to consumer drive the transformation of this critical system.
goods and services. AGree released five papers, which, while not
The issue of food security in this country can representing official AGree policy, have helped
be directly linked to general U.S. economic inform AGree’s development of policy and ac-
health because of its implications to the con- tion recommendations by stimulating thinking
sumer spending economy. Meeting the food, and discussion. One of those papers, Securing
feed, fuel, and fiber needs of a growing and the Future of Western Agriculture: A Perspec-
increasingly prosperous world, while maintain- tive of Western Producers, was co-authored by
ing and improving environmental quality, is the Family Farm Alliance. The AGree paper
one of the grand challenges facing humankind provides insight into the unique challenges and
in the 21st century. Towards that end, we need opportunities facing landowners and agricul-
policies that encourage agricultural producers tural producers in the Western United States.
to work together in a strategic and coordinat- Flexible, streamlined policies that provide bal-
ed fashion. We need to find ways to encour- ance and certainty are needed to support col-
age young people who want to work in agri- laborative efforts and manage challenges.
culture. We need to review institutional Solutions for dealing with competition for
practices now in place, so that water resources scarce water supplies, insufficient water infra-
can be managed specifically, not generally. structure, growing populations, endangered
We must get a handle on changing weather species, increasing weather variability /climate
patterns and assess how the agricultural land- change, and energy development will be key
scape and water security will be impacted due to enhanced agricultural production, conserva-
to a changing climate.1 We must develop a tion and community outcomes in the West.
clear understanding of the resulting limitations The AGree/Alliance paper offers specific policy
on our ability to feed our country and the recommendations to ensure that Western agri-
world when we take domestic agricultural cultural operations continue to be vibrant and
lands out of production when water tied to innovative for generations to come. The paper
those lands is moved elsewhere. Western formulates much of the thinking behind our
farmers and ranchers can play a part in a solu- current initiative, which is to provide a road
tion to the problem and can continue to pro- map that Congress can use to develop solu-
vide affordable food on the grocery store tions to four critical challenges facing Western
shelves – if we can keep them on the farm. farmers and ranchers: 1) Western water re-
All stakeholders have increasingly important sources; 2) The federal Endangered Species
roles to play in meeting the challenges facing Act (ESA), Clean Water Act (CWA) and other
the food and agriculture system. The Family federal environmental laws; 3) Public lands
Farm Alliance is represented on the Advisory management; and 4) Immigration. Each of
Committee of the AGree process, which, with these challenges and the actions required to
solve them are described further below.
1. The Family Farm Alliance in 2007 was one of the first agricultural organizations in the country to issue a solutions-driven report on
climate change: Water Supply in a Changing Climate: The Perspective of Family Farmers and Ranchers in the Irrigated West.
2 Family Farm Alliance
Towards Sound Management of Western Water Resources
W e need a new way of looking at water
resources, one that includes a broader
view of how water is used - along with consid-
watersheds and should seek solutions that
reflect a philosophy that the best decisions
on water issues take place at the state and
eration of food production and habitat needs. local level.
The goal should be to integrate food production When water laws and environmental laws con-
and conservation practices into water manage- flict, balanced solutions that respect the socio-
ment decision making and water use priorities. economic realities of the West must be found.
We must begin to plan now in order to hold Incentives that create reasons to succeed will do
intact current options. Planning must allow for more good for the environment in a shorter pe-
flexibility and consider all needs, not just focus riod of time than actions that rely on threats of
on population growth. federal intervention. Successful incentives will
In many parts of the West, litigation stemming ultimately reduce the need for judges to be
from citizen suit provisions of environmental forced to substitute their own judgment for that
laws like the ESA and Clean Water Act (CWA) is of professionals and stewards of the land.
driving federal court and agency “management” A simple commitment should be made by
of water resources. Congress should recognize federal agencies to work within the frame-
that this type of litigation harms the overall work of existing state appropriative water
health and resilience of landscapes and rights systems instead of attempting to
Road Map Towards Securing the Future of Western Agriculture 3
fashion solutions which circumvent current example of this inflexibility and mismanagement
water rights allocation and administration of limited water resources. Legislation that puts
schemes. This commitment would form the the burden of proof on the fisheries agency to
foundation for eliminating the gridlock that conclusively demonstrate benefits to targeted
now paralyzes federal water and resource man- imperiled fish species would be helpful.
agement decisions. An institutional structure that ensures true sci-
Droughts occur routinely in the West; that is entific peer review and impartial decision-mak-
why the Bureau of Reclamation made such im- ing relative to this objective would also be use-
portant investments in water supply infrastruc- ful. As our currently developed water supplies
ture over the past century. However, this infra- are being stretched by climate variation and
structure was never designed to meet the drought, all water users are being called upon
burgeoning demands of growing communities to become as efficient as possible, and environ-
and environmental needs, while helping farmers mental uses of water should be no different.
and ranchers make it through periodic droughts. More surface and groundwater storage is still a
Droughts in the West are predicted to be deeper critical piece of the solution to water shortfalls.
and longer than we have historically experienced Congress should continue efforts to ad-
in the 20th century. Congress must take up leg- vance legislation considered in the 113th
islation to ease restrictions created by increased Congress by the House Natural Resources
demands for water under other federal laws Committee that would streamline regula-
during times of water shortage, such as droughts. tory hurdles to assist in developing new
We must manage water to meet all needs but in environmentally-sensitive storage projects
a manner that shares the pain, not prioritizes and other necessary water infrastructure
winners over losers, especially when the losers improvements. Several bills considered by the
are the beneficiaries of the federal projects orig- House of Representatives in the 113th Congress
inally built to serve their needs. were intended to facilitate the construction of
new surface storage facilities. Congress should
Good water management also requires flexibili- work to quickly pass all of these bills, providing
ty, as well as trial and error, more regulation a more effective process to move water storage
usually reduces flexibility. Federal agencies man- projects forward.
aging the competing demands for water in the
West have failed in creating opportunities for There are also potentially new sources of water
flexible management. Congress should help that can be developed in some parts of the
West. In some areas, astounding amounts of
compel fish and wildlife agencies to inject
“produced water are brought to the surface
some reality, set priorities, and be account-
daily during petroleum production. This is con-
able in their effort to manage the environ-
sidered “wastewater” by energy producers, and
mental share of the water pie.
is usually re-injected back into deep salty aqui-
The recent federal management of water in fers, precluding further beneficial uses. Treating
California’s Bay-Delta, which has redirected and recovering usable water from sources con-
millions of acre feet of water away from human taminated by oil and gas drilling operations
uses and terrestrial wildlife and towards perceived could significantly help our farmers, ranchers
ESA requirements – with no documented benefit and recreational users, as well as enhancing the
to the fish intended for “protection” is a prime habitats of many plants and animals. Sufficient
4 Family Farm Alliance
funding should be provided to implement the Department of the Interior to evaluate the
and expand the “More Water, More Ener- feasibility of recovering and cleaning produced
gy, Less Waste Act of 2007”. This could lead water for further use in irrigation and for other
to the treatment and beneficial use of excess purposes. The bill would also authorize a grant
produced water from oil and gas drilling and program to test produced water recovery tech-
coal bed methane extraction. This law directs nologies in Western states.
Aging Water Infrastructure will Negatively Impact
Future Water Supply Reliability if not Addressed
A ging federal water infrastructure needs in
the West must be addressed promptly,
affordably, and with priority commitment. Fail-
include efficiency, modernization, and safety.
Our recommendations include:
• Reaffirm the loan guarantee authority pro-
ure to reinvest in these critical facilities will ne- vided in the Rural Water Supply Act (P.L.
gate economic gains of past generations and 109-451) to include investments in new
threaten water supplies for future generations. non-federal water supply facilities that can
We must find creative ways to provide for the take the pressure off aging federal water
operation, maintenance, and modernization of supply infrastructure.
existing water supply infrastructure. Implemen- • Establish a direct loan program under the
tation of the following recommendations lending authorities of the Aging Infrastruc-
would be important first steps towards solving ture Act (P.L. 111-11) for local agricultural
our aging water infrastructure problems, which
Road Map Towards Securing the Future of Western Agriculture 5
water districts operating decades-old feder- We must begin to implement a balanced suite
ally owned water delivery systems (trans- of both conservation and supply enhancement
ferred works). This would require full appro- actions. Conservation alone will not supply
priation by Congress, over and above what enough water for the tens of millions of existing
Reclamation already funds. The program and new residents expected to live in Western
would provide low interest loans to irrigation cities, or the increasing demands of the environ-
districts, which would be repaid to the fed- ment during the coming decades. We believe
eral treasury. that it is possible to meet the needs of cities and
• Better management of water resources can the environment in a changing climate without
always be part of the solution. Congress sacrificing Western irrigated agriculture. It is
should provide additional funding to time to start developing and implementing the
support WaterSMART and/or other pro- water infrastructure needed to cope with a
grams that provide incentive-driven cost changing climate, meet the needs of a growing
share money for new water conserva- population and burgeoning energy require-
tion projects. ments, protect our environment, and support a
healthy agricultural base in the West.
6 Family Farm Alliance
Finding a way to make Federal laws work
for the Environment and Rural Communities
T he large federal presence in the West
presents unique challenges that farmers
and ranchers may not face in other parts of
for regulation of the environment would un-
derstandably conclude that there is some giant
gap in the regulatory scheme that is allowing
the United States, particularly with respect to unchecked pollution in waters that are not cur-
the reach of the ESA and CWA. These laws rently within the jurisdiction of the CWA.
have very significant impacts on how agricul- However, this is simply not the case. The CWA
tural producers manage land. Importantly, is widely recognized as an extremely successful
once-certain federal water supplies that were statutory regime. All of this progress has been
originally developed by the Bureau of Recla- achieved under the current version of the
mation primarily to support irrigation projects CWA. And almost 15 years’ worth of this
have now been targeted and/or redirected to progress has been achieved since the Supreme
other uses in recent years. So, in the West, Court’s SWANCC decision in 2001, which the
these water supplies – one of the few certain- promoters of a stronger regulatory approach
ties needed in Western irrigated agriculture – to implementing the CWA allege was the be-
have now been added to the long list of exist- ginning of the Court’s attempts to limit federal
ing “uncertainties.” jurisdiction. These interests – some with a no-
One not familiar with this nation’s regime table history of utilizing citizen suit provisions
of federal laws to halt all kinds of development
Road Map Towards Securing the Future of Western Agriculture 7- have only spoken of the need for an expan- drain resources and time, distracting everyone sion of federal jurisdiction in the broadest, from the real goals of the ESA. most vague terms possible, without establish- Meanwhile, the EPA and Corps of Engineers ing any real need. have proposed a new rule intended to “clarify” It is very clear to those who work the land that how “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) would be the ESA and CWA need to be addressed using managed under the CWA. While we a more performance-based approach. We understand the importance of clean water to need to empower those who can actually im- the future of irrigated agriculture, we believe plement substantive benefits to the environ- that the proposed WOTUS rule does little to ment. We believe private landowners are the promote the goal of providing clean water. It key here. Of course, these improvements can- would instead create the potential for an not be done entirely out of their own pockets unwarranted expansion of federal jurisdiction and without appropriate regulatory assuranc- over newly defined “tributaries” and associated es. These environmental enhancements are “other waters” as “Waters of the U.S.” Along societal benefits and thus should be societal with the additional bureaucratic red-tape expenses. associated with this jurisdictional expansion, Secondly, regulatory and statutory changes are the proposed rule could unnecessarily impede needed to empower environmental markets Western farm and ranch families’ ability to and to establish proven approaches and data manage the delivery and use of irrigation water considerations for improved decision making. to grow food and fiber for America and the The constructive scientists working for federal world. fish and wildlife agencies are becoming in- The goals of the ESA, CWA, National creasingly hamstrung with paperwork and le- Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other gal deadlines driven by lawsuits from a handful federal laws are laudable. However, the of activist groups. A recent settlement between manner in which these laws are currently these groups and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife implemented creates a lack of trust between Service (USFWS) could potentially add hun- stakeholders and the Federal government. dreds more Western species to the ESA list. These laws, which affect nearly every aspect Boots-on-the-ground efforts and actual recov- of day-to-day operations in Western ery of species should define success under the agriculture, are applied rigidly, often without ESA, not endless litigation and what appears adequate scientific basis, by agencies that to be the opportunistic pursuit of attorneys’ have no legal mandate to take into account, fees by certain environmental groups. These let alone temper, the human and economic environmentalist lawsuits are the poster chil- consequences of their actions. Moreover, dren for what has become an environmental these agencies work under the constant litigation industry. While others are busy fixing threat of litigation by interest groups dedicated the problems outside the courtroom, including to stretching the limits of the laws to achieve implementation of the historic Nez Perce Wa- ends that Congress may never have ter Rights Agreement in Idaho and collabora- contemplated or intended. As a result, tive efforts by ranchers to prevent listing of the regulatory agencies tend to default to findings Greater sage grouse in Rocky Mountain and and actions that impose the greatest burden Great Basin states, litigious groups continue to on individual farmers and ranchers. The results 8 Family Farm Alliance
are inconsistent, and often do not effect the listing decisions.
outcomes intended. A more modern approach • The Endangered Species Recovery Transpar-
to implementing these laws should build on ency Act would require the U.S. Fish and
partnerships that seek to care for water, wildlife Wildlife Service to track, report to Congress,
and food production, and employ the best and make available online: 1) funds expend-
conservation practices that achieve measurable ed to respond to ESA lawsuits; 2) the num-
results. This approach must be adaptive in ber of employees dedicated to litigation; and
nature and consider how to enhance water 3) attorneys fees awarded in the course of
and habitat, especially if the location of that ESA litigation and settlement agreements.
habitat shifts because of changes in the
• The State, Tribal, and Local Species Transpar-
baseline ecosystem, due to factors such as
ency and Recovery Act would require the
climate change.
federal government to disclose to affected
Clearly, these decades-old laws are in need of states all data used prior to any ESA listing
some targeted reforms, including common- decisions and require that the “best available
sense changes to make them work better, en- scientific and commercial data” used by the
courage incentive-driven recovery efforts, and federal government include data provided
discourage litigation. by affected states, tribes, and local govern-
Congress should continue efforts to advance ments.
legislation intended to improve ESA transpar- • The Endangered Species Litigation Reason-
ency and species recovery. We know the ESA ableness Act would prioritize resources to-
can play an important role in species protec- wards species protection by placing reason-
tion, but it can only successfully do so with in- able caps on attorneys’ fees and making the
creased public input, stakeholder cooperation ESA consistent with other federal laws.
and new “outside-the-box” thinking on trans-
Other concepts that merit further consider-
parency and accountability. Unfortunately, the
ation as potential legislative initiatives and reg-
manner in which the ESA is being implement-
ulatory and policy reform related to moderniz-
ed in its current form discourages this sort of
ing implementation of dated federal
an approach. Private landowners should be
environmental laws include:
viewed as potential partners in species recov-
ery, not enemies. Four bills that passed the • Individual states have tremendous owner-
House in the 113th Congress would better al- ship and jurisdiction over wildlife. The future
low implementation of the ESA to help recover of conservation and effective ESA imple-
and seek to de-list species from the ESA and mentation will be driven by locally-led deci-
encourage public engagement and federal sions. Conservation funding should be in-
agency transparency and accountability. creased and managed in a way that provides
more emphasis on state and local fish and
• The 21st Century Endangered Species Trans-
wildlife priorities.
parency Act would require data used by fed-
eral agencies for ESA listing decisions to be • Implement recommendations of the NEPA
made publicly available and accessible Task Force (2006).
through the Internet. The bill would allow • Implement the recommendations of the
the American people to actually see what 2014 Congressional ESA Working Group.
science and data are being used to make key
Road Map Towards Securing the Future of Western Agriculture 9These are incremental measures that help results on the ground. Unfortunately, the
change the paradigm in Western resource management directives of the USFWS are
management by limiting dollars spent on largely dominated by the agency’s Ecological
litigation instead of habitat protection and Services branch, which tends to employ the
species recovery. ESA as a regulatory hammer. Congress
• EPA and the Corps of Engineers should work should seek ways – perhaps through agency
collaboratively with the States and other budgetary controls – that encourage the use
clean water stakeholders to re-write their of collaborative partnership models that are
proposed WOTUS to reflect common sense already in place within USFWS to enhance
approaches to CWA jurisdiction in order to wildlife habitat and protect rural communities.
work effectively while not interfering with The “Partners” model is one that has
key functionality of farms, ranches, ditches influenced organizations like Partners for
and drains associated with irrigated and oth- Conservation and Solutions from the Land,
er agriculture in the West. which seek solutions that actually work.
These approaches are incentive-based,
• The “Partners for Fish and Wildlife” program
consistent, and set goals that lead to desirable
– which resides within the USFWS – has
future results.
demonstrated encouraging and exciting
10 Family Farm AllianceThe Route to Improved Stewardship
of Public Lands in the West
T he American West, unlike other parts of
the United States, is evenly divided be-
tween government-owned land and private
Namely, we need to create regulatory certainty
for public land permit holders, recognizing that
the crazy quilt of land ownership patterns (fed-
land. In other words, half of the West is public, eral, state, private) overlays a larger, intercon-
owned by and generally open to all Americans. nected landscape. This could include perpetual
When Americans wake up each morning, they “easements” which tie grazing permits to the
do so believing that half of the West is their private lands which are part of the overall sys-
birthright. Because of this public-private land tem. There might be various types of permit
dichotomy, some tension will always exist be- attachment to private lands, depending on
tween Westerners and the rest of America. In their interconnectedness. Rather than continu-
no other region in the United States do all ing to downsize grazing on federal lands, those
Americans have a say in half of the region’s U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Man-
landmass, its land uses, and its future. The vast agement agricultural use permits (e.g. grazing
federal ownership of Western lands and the permits) which are not being utilized should be
synchronicity of public and private lands needs made available to the public, particularly to
to be recognized as critical characteristics of young farmers and ranchers who are growing
Western agriculture. more challenged to find lands for food pro-
duction. Clearly, public land management pol-
Road Map Towards Securing the Future of Western Agriculture 11icy should take into account biology and biodi- culture – especially those activities which can
versity. However, that policy should also affirm be managed to enhance landscape health and
the role that multiple use plays in supporting wildlife habitat.
rural communities – economies, customs and
Moving to Develop a Safe, Legal Workforce
A griculture is impacted by labor shortages
and immigration laws and policies affect
these issues. Immigrants play a critical role in
workers are going to automatically step in and
do that same work. Congress must work with
the production agriculture community to find
the entire Western agricultural economy. It is solutions that benefit Western agriculture by
not just work on the farms; it is work that takes providing an affordable, stable, legal work-
place in the food processing sector, too. And, force, and preventing food from being wasted
we cannot expect that the children of those in the fields due to lack of labor.
Protecting Water for Western Irrigated Agriculture
P.O. Box 216 • Klamath Falls, OR 976012014-15 Family Farm Alliance
Advisory Committee Members and Organizations
J. Mark Atlas – Attorney at Law, Willows, CA Tom Myrum – Washington State Water Resources
Larry Bauman – Central Valley Project Water Association, Olympia, WA
Association, Sacramento, CA Wade Noble – Law Office of Wade Noble,
Steve Benson – Imperial Irrigation District, Yuma, AZ
Imperial, CA Paul Orme – Paul R. Orme, P.C., Mayer, AZ
Mike Britton – North Unit Irrigation District, Antonio Ortega – Imperial Irrigation District,
2014-15 Family Farm Alliance Board of Directors Madras, OR Imperial, CA
James Broderick – SE Colorado Water Jason Peltier – Westlands Water District,
Harvey Bailey – Reedley, California
Conservancy District, Pueblo, CO Fresno, CA
Sandy Denn – Willows, California Ed Cowsar – Energy Water Solutions, Houston, TX Clinton Pline – Nampa-Meridian Irrigation District,
Dan Errotabere – Riverdale, California Ken Curtis – Dolores Water Conservancy District, Nampa, ID
Cortez, CO Bill Plummer – Scottsdale, AZ
Chris Hurd – Firebaugh, California
Rebecca Davidson – Salt River Project, Rick Preston – Gering-Ft. Laramie Irrigation
William Kennedy – Klamath Falls, Oregon Phoenix, AZ District, Lyman, NE
Harold Mohlman – Rupert, Idaho Tom Davis – Yuma County Water Users Ivan Ray – Davis and Weber Counties Canal
Association, Yuma, AZ Company, Sunset, UT
Pat O’Toole – Savery, Wyoming Gary Esslinger – Elephant Butte Irrigation District, Pat Riley – Billings, Montana
Ron Rayner – Litchfield Park, Arizona Las Cruces, NM Joe Rutledge – Tualatin Valley Irrigation District,
Don Schwindt – Cortez, Colorado Norman Haak – Garrison Diversion Conservancy Forest Grove, OR
District, Oakes, ND Norman Semanko – Idaho Water Users
Tom Schwarz – Bertrand, Nebraska Matt Harris – Washington Potato Commission Association, Boise, ID
Marc Thalacker – Sisters, Oregon Dr. Larry Hicks – Little Snake River Conservation April Snell – Oregon Water Resources Congress,
District, Baggs, WY Salem, OR
Ron Jacobsma – Friant Water Authority, Dave Solem – South Columbia Basin Irrigation
Lindsay, CA District, Pasco, WA
Family Farm Alliance Contractors
Rusty Jardine – Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, Jeff Sutton – Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority,
Executive Director – Dan Keppen – Klamath Falls, Oregon Fallon, NV Willows, CA
Policy and Legislative Advisor – Mark Limbaugh – Washington, D.C. Sheldon Jones – Farm Foundation, Chicago, IL Dale Swenson – Fremont-Madison Irrigation
Cary Keaten – Solano Irrigation District, District, Saint Anthony, ID
Counsel – Gary W. Sawyers – Fresno, California
Vacaville, CA Chris Udall – Agri-Business Council of Arizona,
Conference Coordinator – Jane Townsend – Clearlake, California Don Kraus – Central Nebraska Public Power & Mesa, AZ
Irrigation District, Holdrege, NE Chris Voigt – Washington State Potato
Dan Laursen – Heart Mountain Irrigation District, Commission, Moses Lake, WA
Powell, WY Grant Ward – Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation &
John Lind – Burley Irrigation District, Burley, ID Drainage District, Maricopa, AZ
Matt Lukasiewicz – Loup Basin Reclamation Bruce Whitehead – Southwestern Water
District, Farwell, NE Conservation District, Durango, CO
Richard Moss, Chair – Provost & Pritchard Brad Wind – Northern Water, Berthoud, CO
Engineering Consultants, Visalia, CAA Road Map Towards Securing the
Future of Western Agriculture
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
a report prepared by the family farm alliance
P.O. Box 216
Protecting and enhancing
Western irrigated agricultureYou can also read
