WA's Emerging Land Resource Industries and The CommonsIf there is any one issue that should underlie a progressive vision for Washington State, this would be it -- securing fair use of the resources that sustain all of us and attending to where the true welfare of people resides - in functional relationships with the physical world, within communities and in civic and political relationships. Centralization, ownership, autonomy, and security
Traditional agriculture: Local resources diverted into the global economy
Of course, farming has also been squeezed by out-of-control development, which is the prime cause of farmland loss in Washington. One of the two major farming organizations in the state, Washington State Farm Bureau (WSFB), has joined in on these trends. In 1996, WSFB partnered with developers in an attempt to roll back land protections through I-164. Polls indicated that this initiative failed partly because voters understood that developers were behind it. This year, in a move that will increase their chances with voters, the WSFB has chosen to not publicly partner with developers for the very similar I-933.
U.S. law protects family farming by regulating what kind of ownership is allowable for farms. Therefore, US farms themselves are not owned by multinational corporations. However, the multinationals now realize much of the profit that the farmers once did. The steady diminishment since the beginning of the 20th century of the profitability of sustainable land use and ownership in Washington is a prime driver of development sprawl and the relentless pressure to block and undo environmental laws in our state. The developing Ag-Energy and sustainable agriculture industries can undergo the same globalization -- or they can help restore our economic balance. We are part of a global economy; local and global prosperity are interrelated. So it is inevitable and fair that powerful out-of-state entities will have some say in the structure of Washington's emerging food and energy industries and some share in the profits. However, we need to be more focused in Washington State on the question of whether our small and mid-sized businesses, local communities and governments, and individual landowners and farmers can work together well enough to secure a fair share of the benefits of our common assets. This is not a question of blocking or excluding economic players from our state economy. It is a question of strengthening our civic environment so that we are in a better position to foster community health and the well-being of our citizens.
The property rights people are onto something "The people also intend to recognize and promote the unique interests, knowledge, and abilities private property owners have to protect the environment and land." This statement acknowledges the reality that we all depend upon the caring, knowledge, and expertise of the people who locally own and reside or work on the land. Agricultural ownership is of particular environmental importance: close to half the land in our country is in agricultural use. Challenges like climate change make local knowledge and community health even more valuable. The loss of local autonomy and the profitability of sustainable land use have deeply adverse impacts. Perhaps we can address these critical issues raised by the property rights movement -- but in a deeper and more effective way than the rhetoric of this movement proposes. Will Washingtonians get a fair say and share in the state's Ag-Energy resources? It is clear that our state legislature "gets it." The minimum alternative fuel requirements bill, HB 6508, which passed into law this year, is structured so to encourage development of in-state biodiesel capacity. HB 2939, which established The Energy Freedom Program, sets aside $15 million annually for low-cost loans and grants to biofuel startups. The legislative intent section of this bill includes the following statement: "The bioenergy industry is a new and developing industry that is, in part, limited by the availability of capital for the construction of facilities for converting farm and forest products into energy and fuels. The legislature finds that it is in the public interest to encourage the rapid adoption and use of bioenergy, to develop a viable bioenergy industry within Washington State...."
But experience has taught us that vigilance is not always enough. States and non-profit entities are unlikely to have the strength to hold their own against global forces without the awareness and backing of the grassroots. It is an old story in the establishment of new industries: government and small and mid-sized businesses take on the initial risks and investments - and then multinationals step in and take over a disproportionate share of control and profits. Our current efforts have been critical in facilitating the development of Ag-energy and sustainable agriculture in Washington. There is a critical need for a more comprehensive tracking and coordination of policy, resources, and players. There is a critical need to pull together on the civic level so that we can stand up to the global economic forces that are at work in our state.
People power and the commons
If there is any one issue that should underlie a progressive vision for Washington State, this would be it -- securing fair use of the resources that sustain all of us and attending to where the true welfare of people resides - in functional relationships with the physical world, within communities and in civic and political relationships. If there is one economic issue that should get our attention it is the question of how we will ensure that Washingtonians get a fair share of the benefits of Ag-Energy and our other land resources. EMAIL ALERTS [Author's note: the second half of this post, with information on the economic potential of Ag-Energy, specific policy suggestions, and organizational resources, will return next week as Part II. See Back to the Roots for information on the related program.]
WA's Emerging Land Resource Industries and The Commons | 20 comments (20 topical)
WA's Emerging Land Resource Industries and The Commons | 20 comments (20 topical)
|
Recommended Diaries
Recent Diaries
In Case You're Not Paying Attention [Update 1]
By dlaw (2 comments)
Lies and Hollow Talk
By Daniel K (0 comments)
They wouldn't do that to help McCain ... would they?
By Arthur Ruger (0 comments)
Real Change is Bigger than the Election
By Washington CAN (0 comments)
JP Morgan To Buy WaMu???
By dlaw (0 comments)
On Closing the Deal, Or, Preaching Beyond The Choir
By fake consultant (13 comments)
Discovered! : The Secret Obama-Palin Letters.
By dlaw (0 comments)
You should vote Republican if ...
By Arthur Ruger (0 comments)
Can voting machines be safe with good election procedures?
By Fred (4 comments)
Palin Calls The Democrats Out.
By dlaw (3 comments)
Postman on Palin and Alaskan Politics
By Daniel K (1 comments)
King County Sat Out T2
By WA Spirit Matters (2 comments) Related Links+ "Get big or get out"+ tend to be dependent + farming has also been squeezed by out-of-control development + I-164 + I-933 + I-933 [2] + Energy Strategy + Energy Policy Division + The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy + HB 6508 + HB 2939 + Back to the Roots + More on Land use/zoning issues + Also by noemie maxwell Washblog RSS FeedsPolitical ContactsLocal MediaCoastal/Grays HarborAberdeen Daily World Chinook Observer Montesano Vidette Pacific County Press Willapa Harbor Herald KXRO 1320 AM Olympic Peninsula Peninsula Daily News Bremerton Sun Bremerton Chronicle Gig Harbor Gateway Port Orchard Independent Port Townsend Leader North Kitsap Herald Squim Gazette Central Kitsap Reporter Business Examiner KONP 1450 AM Sound and Islands Anacortes American Bainbridge Review Voice Of Bainbridge San Juan Journal The Islands' Sounder Whidbey NewsTimes South Whidbey Record Stanwood/Camano News Vashon Beachcomber Voice Of Vashon KLKI 1340 AM North Puget Sound Bellingham Herald The Northern Light Everett Herald Skagit Valley Herald Lynden Tribune The Enterprise Snohomish County Tribune Snohomish County Business Journal The Monroe Monitor The Edmonds Beacon KGMI 790 AM KELA 1470 AM KRKO 1380 AM Central Puget Sound King County Journal Issaquah Press Mukilteo Beacon Voice of the Valley Federal Way Mirror Bothell/Kenmore Reporter Kirkland courier Mercer Island Reporter Woodinville Weekly Greater Seattle Seattle PI Seattle Times KOMO TV 4 KIRO TV 7 KING 5 TV KTBW TV 22 KCTS 9 UW Daily The Stranger Seattle Weekly Capitol Hill Times Madison Park Times Seattle Journal of Commerce NW Asian Weekly West Seattle Herald North Seattle Herald-Outlook South Seattle Star Magnolia News Beacon Hill News KIRO 710 AM KOMO AM 1000 KEXP 90.3 FM KUOW 94.9 FM KVI 570 AM South Puget Sound The Columbian Longview Daily News Nisqually Valley News Lewis County News The Reflector Eatonville Dispatch Tacoma News Tribune Tacoma Weekly Puyallup Herald Enumclaw Courier-Herald The Olympian KAOS 89.3 FM KCPQ 13 KOWA FM 106.5 UPN 11 Cascade/Okanogan Ellensburg Daily Record Levenworth Echo Cle Elum Tribune Snoqualmie Valley Record Methow Valley News Lake Chelan Mirror Omak chronicle The Newport Miner Spokane/Palouse The Spokesman-Review KREM 2 TV Spokane KXLY News 4 Spokane KHQ 6 Spokane KSPS Spokane Statesman-Examiner Othello Outlook Cheney Free Press Camas PostRecord The South County sun White Salmon Enterprise Palouse Boomerang Columbia Basin Herald Grand Coulee Star Walla Walla Union-Bulletin Yakima Herald-Republic KIMA 29 Yakima KAPP TV 35 Yakima KYVE Yakima Wenatchee World Tri-City Herald TVEW TV 42 Tri-cities KTNW Richland KEPR 19 Pasco Daily Sun News Prosser Record-Bulletin KTCR 1340 AM KWSU Pullman Moscow-Pullman Daily News |