Governor signs bill clarifying farmers’ rights to privacy with voluntary plans

OLYMPIA – Small farmers will have an easier time improving environmental conditions on their land, thanks to legislation signed into law Friday by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Senate Bill 6617 makes it easier for small farmers to submit plans for voluntarily improving land around streams, wetlands and other critical areas without making the plans public. Such plans are filed with local conservation districts – non-regulatory agencies that provide technical assistance and make conservation and environmental improvement programs available to rural residents.

“Our farmers deserve a good working relationship with conservation districts and this bill makes sure of that,” said Governor Gregoire. “This will help preserve the character of countless rural communities around our state. Protecting and restoring Washington waters will require a long-term commitment from all of us, and voluntary actions by farmers are a key part of that commitment.”

SB 6617 changes the laws for submitting farm plans by:

• Clarifying that farm plans that are not required for regulatory purposes are not subject to public disclosure unless the farmer volunteers to allow it;
• Directing conservation districts to inform farmers, before the preparation of a farm plan, of the information that is subject to public disclosure; and
• Specifying that farm plans used for permit purposes under federal or state water quality laws are subject to the specific disclosure provisions that apply to those programs.

“Due to some unfortunate recent events, our farmers had been discouraged from participating with conservation districts,” said Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, who sponsored the measure. “This makes it clear that government can assist them without sharing their plans, which can include proprietary information and business objectives.”

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