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March 27, 2015 CapitalPress.com 11 Washington Fertilizer gets pushed onto oil train bill New apples join Pink Lady logo Legislation could impact transport of anhydrous ammonia By DAN WHEAT Capital Press By DON JENKINS Capital Press OLYMPIA — Anhydrous ammonia, a nitrogen-based fer- tilizer, has been dragged into legislation to regulate railroad tankers carrying crude oil. Train traffic between the Bakken oil fields and West Coast refineries is increasing rapidly. Lawmakers are working on a bill to help agencies respond to and prevent fiery derailments. The Senate and House have passed separate measures that must be reconciled. Both bills focus on crude oil, but Senate Bill 5057 was amended late, on a 25-24 vote, to require oil trains to add crew members on the rear of the train to decouple cars in an accident. The labor-supported amend- ment also extended the bill to cover anhydrous ammonia shipments, potentially increas- ing transportation costs. The bill’s prime sponsor, Ferndale Republican Doug Er- icksen, opposed broadening the legislation, but the amendment passed 25-24, with primari- ly Democrat support. Once amended, the bill passed 26-23, with Republican support. Dem- ocrats argued the bill didn’t go far enough, particularly in keeping the public informed on train schedules. Washington Farm Bureau director of governmental rela- tions Tom Davis said hauling fertilizer has not been an issue, but it’s now caught up into the debate over transporting haz- ardous substances. “We’d rather not get sucked into the fight,” Davis said. “For us, it’s a risk manage- ment issue,” he said. “Show us where it rises to this (oil trains) issue. We believe our safe- ty record is pretty strong and doesn’t justify these greater re- strictions.” Don Jenkins/Capital Press Rail cars roll past a crossing guard on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe mainline March 18 in southwest Washington. A safety bill focused on crude oil was amended in the state Senate to cover anhydrous ammonia, a nitrogen-based fertilizer. In the end, anhydrous am- monia may not be in the bill worked out between the Senate and House. The House version, House 1449, is generally viewed as the more strict of the two bills, but does not apply to transporting fertilizer. Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler, who vot- ed against adding anhydrous ammonia to the bill, said the chemical has been transported for more than 50 years without a problem. “I think that’s a great trib- ute to how it’s handled,” he said. “Clearly, there was some collateral damage (by the amendment) that needs to be addressed.” Schoesler said it would be impractical to stop trains at the Idaho border and add a caboose and one or two crew members, depending on the length of the train. “We’ve got to get it fixed,” he said. Gov. Jay Inslee supports legislation to regulate oil trains. Asked Tuesday whether he sup- ports including other chemicals to the bill, he was non-commit- tal. “I know there are more Washington ag groups sow interest at Capitol Booths highlight industry’s contributions to state substances than gasoline that can be very, very dangerous — chlorine, fertilizer can be explosive. I don’t have a firm position on that,” he said. Adding two rear brakemen to a train traveling between Ida- ho and Canada via Pasco, Van- couver and Seattle would cost $3,326, according to Herb Kro- hn, legislative director for Unit- ed Transportation Union, which represents railroad workers. Krohn said the union sup- ports excluding anhydrous ammonia from the new restric- tions, except in the case of un- usually long trains. W YAKIMA, Wash. — Five relatively new apple varieties will be sold under the Pink Lady trademark in an effort to provide Cripps Pink type ap- ples to consumers earlier in the season. Cripps Pink is a late variety harvested in late October and early November. Many are sold under the Pink Lady logo by Pink Lady America, a Yakima company owned by Lynnell Brandt. Brandt also owns a nursery, Brandt Fruit Trees, and a vari- ety management company, Pro- prietary Variety Management, in Yakima. Cripps Pink sometimes needs to be stored for a period of time for sugars and acids to balance, said John Reeves, general manager of Pink Lady America. “Now we’ll be seeing newly harvested Pink Lady brand ap- ples on the market as much as two months earlier,” he said. While a “terrific consumer benefit,” earlier production also reduces risk of crop loss from late season weather, he said. All five new varieties are similar in sweet-tart taste, pink color and crunch to Cripps Pink, he said. All five are non- GMO, natural breeding selec- tions already patented, he said. Starting with the 2015 crop, the five will be sold as Pink Lady, simplifying label- ing and signage for shippers, retailers and consumers and assuring specific quality stan- dards, Reeves said. Several nurseries in addition to Brandt Fruit Trees, will be licensed to grow the trees, he said. “Pink Lady America’s vi- sion is to make our brand the most well-known brand, which is a big job,” Reeves said. “Our mission is to provide more revenue for the entire value chain, from the breeder and nursery to the grower and packer, and premium value to the consumer,” he said. ALTER IMPLEMENT “ Your Farm Equipment Specialists” Odessa, WA • 509-982-2644 • 1-800-572-5939 13-1/#14 By DON JENKINS Capital Press OLYMPIA — There was a goat and two chickens but no bull on the Capitol Campus Thursday for the inaugural ag day. Some 15 agricultural or- ganizations set up booths to promote their industry. “This event has been re- ally fun because so many ag groups came together,” said event organizer Karla Salp, executive director of Wash- ington Farmers & Ranchers. Throughout the legislative session, groups come to the Capitol to highlight their in- dustry and causes. Last week, bloodied actors portrayed Zombies outside the Legisla- tive Building while simultane- ously lobbying for tax breaks for the entertainment industry. There wasn’t any overarch- ing legislative theme for ag day. Organizations such as FFA, the Grange and the Washington State Department of Agricul- ture had booths, along with You Can’t Control The Wind, The Snow Or The Rain... You Can Plant The Cleanest, Most Robust Cereal Seeds Available Don Jenkins/Capital Press Washington State Potato Com- mission marketing director Ryan Holterhoff talks spuds at the commission’s booth March 19 on the Capitol Campus in Olympia. commodity commissions and trade groups, such as Washing- ton Friends of Farms and For- ests and the Washington Cattle- men’s Association. “It’s mostly all about edu- cation,” Salp said. First Odessa water service contracts signed Landowners to receive water during spring irrigation season By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press The first contracts have been signed for water from the Columbia River to replace well water in the Odessa Subarea, the manager of the East Co- lumbia Basin Irrigation District says. The water will be delivered from the Columbia River this spring, district manager Craig Simpson said. The landowners are installing the equipment nec- essary to take delivery. Contract priority was based on the land’s inclusion date in the Columbia Basin Project and the date of application for the water, Simpson said. The district does not try to quantify need, he said. The de- cision was based on eligibility. “If they’re in the Odessa Subarea, and they had a priority application date, that made them eligible,” he said. Two contracts were signed with the Marlin Hutterian breth- ren, and two others were with individual farmers, representing a total of roughly 1,200 acres. Some 7,500 acres are currently authorized to receive water. ! t s e B y r e V e h T t n a l P d n A g a T e u l B e h T h t i W o G Always Plant Certified Seed Cleaner Fields • Higher Yields • Guaranteed Quality Washington State Crop Improvement Association Located in the heart of The Palouse at the Port of Whitman in Pullman, Washington 2575 NE Hopkins Court Pullman WA 99163 509-334-0461 www.washingtoncrop.com 13-2/#14