Letter to Sen. Murray: BiOAg program at WSU

March 11, 2003

Senator Patty Murray
U.S. Senate
111 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Murray:

Thank you so much for your efforts to secure funding for the Organic and Biologically Intensive Agriculture (BiOAg) program at Washington State University (WSU)! We are confident that this program will be of significant benefit to growers across Washington state, as well as to Washington’s environment and rural and urban communities. These federal funds are the first to be secured for the BiOAg program, and as such they are key to getting the program off the ground.

We know that your strong advocacy was absolutely critical to securing funding for the BiOAg program. We also greatly appreciate the efforts of your staff, particularly Brian Kristjansson, on behalf of the BiOAg program throughout the prioritization and appropriation processes. Thank you again for your support of the BiOAg program and for your commitment to organic and sustainable agriculture. We look forward to continuing to work with you to build the BiOAg program in the coming years.

Sincerely,

Bonnie Rice, Director
Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network

Jeff Herman, President
Washington Tilth Producers

Chrys Ostrander
Organic Farmer, Chrysalis Farm at Tolstoy, Davenport, WA
Vice President, Washington Tilth Association
Vice President, Washington State Farmers’ Market Association

Alec McErlich, Director of Agricultural Research and Development
Small Planet Foods, Sedro-Woolley

Tracy Wolpert, Chief Executive Officer
Randy Lee, Chief Financial Officer
PCC Natural Markets, Seattle

Goldie Caughlan
Member, National Organic Standards Board

Kim Leval, Interim Executive Director
Consortium for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
Policy Analyst, Western Field Office, Center for Rural Affairs

Angela Hill, NW Field Organizer
Organic Consumers Association

Mary Embleton, Executive Director
Cascade Harvest Coalition

Chris Curtis, Director
Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance, Seattle

Marlene Allen, Market Master and Manager of Daystall Programs
Pike Place Market, Seattle

Bob Gregson
Past Chair, King County Agriculture Commission

Jeff Schahczenski, Executive Director
Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group

Reverend Paul Benz, Director
Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington

Steve Smoot, President
Spokane Tilth

Steven M. Sakuma, Owner
Sakuma Bros. Holding Company (Consists of 3 separate entities; Sakuma Bros.
Farms, Inc., Sakuma Bros. Processing, Inc., & Norcal Nursery, Inc.)

Roger Wechsler
President, CF Fresh
Owner Rootabaga Country Farm/Samish Bay Cheese

Rick & Marilyn Lynn
Rama Farm, Bridgeport

Anne Schwartz
Blue Heron Farm, Rockport

Darrell and Susan Larson-Kinzer
Kennydale Farm, Renton, WA

Mary L. Robinson
Lisabuela Farm, Vashon

Margie and Kasey Bell
Third Rock Farm, Deming

Walt Kloefkorn
Walt’s Pastured Poultry, Springdale

Merrilee Runyan
Member, Vashon Island Grower’s Association (VIGA)
Big Dog Lavender Farm

Rick and Lora Lea Misterly
Quillisascut Farm, Rice

Amy Bogaard
Hogsback Farm, Vashon

Luke Woodward
President, Sno-Valley Tilth
Owner, Oxbow Organic Farm, Carnation

John Browne
Judd Creek Nursery, Vashon

Margaret Hoeffel
Blue Moon Farm, Vashon

Nana Simone
Simone Integrated Pest Management Consulting

Barry Lia, Magnolia Dairy ACRES

Bob Gillespie, PhD
Faculty, Science Department
Wenatchee Valley College

Melissa Young, Producer/Director
Moving Images Video Project

Mark Musick, Seattle
John Fawcett-Long, Seattle
Alan Shank, Mukiteo
Eileen Duffy, Seattle
Helen Gable, Seattle

cc: WSU President Lane Rawlins
CAHE Dean James Zuiches
ARC Director Ralph Cavalieri
CSANR Director Chris Feise
Federal Relations Director Kristi Growdon

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