16 CapitalPress.com
January 22, 2016
AgriBusiness Council continues to support industry
Prices, regulations
take top priority in
year ahead
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
The Greater Spokane In-
corporated
AgriBusiness
Council continued its efforts
to raise awareness of agricul-
ture in 2015.
Council chairman Jay
Allert credited former GSI
chamber CEO Steve Ste-
vens with elevating the role
of agriculture in developing
the chamber’s public policy
agenda.
“That was a major devel-
opment for us,” Allert said.
Stevens, who joined in
July 2014, resigned in Oc-
tober 2015. Todd Mielke, a
Spokane County commis-
sioner, joins GSI as CEO in
February.
Matthew Weaver/Capital Press
Jack Silzel talks about representing farmers during an interview.
Silzel is on the steering committee for the AgriBusiness Council
of Greater Spokane Incorporated and advises the chamber on
agricultural priorities. Silzel says regulatory controls and free trade
agreements are top priorities for the council.
Allert expects those ef-
forts to continue, citing the
work of such council mem-
bers as Jack Silzel, longtime
farmer and an adviser to for-
mer Washington Rep. George
Nethercutt, and Jim Fitzger-
ald, executive director of the
Far West Agribusiness Asso-
ciation.
“That’s going to be an in-
tegral role for us, both on the
state level and national level,”
Allert said. “It’s a fulfilling
mission for us.”
Allert is pleased that the
council continues to increase
in credibility with members
of Spokane’s business com-
munity.
“That’s our proudest
moment, as far as I’m con-
cerned,” he said. “The busi-
ness community knows about
agriculture, appreciates agri-
culture and the food industry.
We’re right there with them.
That’s how it should be.”
The council’s work on be-
half of farmers is multi-facet-
ed, Allert said. The organiza-
tion helps people recognize
agriculture as a business, and
that it must be considered as
policy is developed or chang-
es are being made, he said.
“Agriculture is being men-
tioned, it’s being thought of,
and we can’t ask for much
more than that,” he said.
The biggest challenges for
the industry in 2016 include a
downturn in commodity pric-
es.
“You can’t help but be con-
cerned when you’re running
at break-even or below for
the industry,” Allert said. “We
want to do whatever we can to
play a role in expanding mar-
kets and making sure policy is
in place to ensure the industry
continues to be healthy.”
Silzel is a member of the
council steering committee
and represents the council on
GSI’s public policy commit-
tee.
Regulatory controls are a
top priority, he said, citing the
Waters of the United States
rules and food labeling con-
troversies.
The council also supports
free trade agreements to elim-
inate unfair tariffs for U.S.
farmers.
Allert said the council will
continue its work in 2016 un-
der Mielke. The organization
is looking for more agricul-
ture-related businesses from
the Spokane, Eastern Wash-
ington and the Inland North-
west to get involved.
“We can continue to grow
awareness and look out for the
industry,” Allert said.