Grower testifies in support of ag fuel bill

On March 25, Grant County wheat grower Ryan Poe testified before the Washington State Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology in support of HB1912 concerning the exemption for fuels used for agricultural purposes in the Climate Commitment Act.

Poe told the committee most wheat farmers are now able to get carbon fee-free fuel and acknowledged the work the Washington State Department of Licensing has done on establishing a rebate program for farmers who paid those fees in 2023 and 2024. One of the ag industry’s main priorities for the bill is to make the exemption for fuels used for the purpose of transporting agricultural products on public highways permanent. Unfortunately, the current bill doesn’t do that, but it does push the exemption out through December 2029. Wheat growers are also supporting language in the bill that defines the Columbia and Snake rivers as public highways.

“…We agree with Ecology’s interpretation of “public highways” to include public waterways for the on-road exemption. Barges transporting our wheat on the Snake and Columbia River are critical and each one takes about 134 trucks off the road,” Poe said.

The bill must be passed out of committee by April 2.

A video of the hearing is available at tvw.org.