POLICY
WAWG receives award for environmental excellence
November 28, 2012
The state of Washington’s highest environmental honors
went to WAWG and the Ritzville Warehouse Company
during the wheat growers’ annual awards banquet.
The Department of Ecology (Ecology) presented two
Environmental Excellence Awards at the event, singling
out the two entities for their “extra mile” work to protect
the environment while they do business that supports
Washington’s economy.
Ecology Regional Director Grant Pfeifer presented the
award to WAWG for supporting and participating over
the years in the efforts of the Agricultural Burning and
Research Task Force. Pfeifer said the task force has “...improved
the lives of Eastern Washington citizens by eliminating
smoky days while maintaining fire as an important
tool for farming.”
The agricultural burning task force has been working
with WAWG and its membership for 20 years to develop
and support Ecology’s agricultural burn program.
“We have worked as a team to make our internationally
recognized smoke management and permitting program
successful in Washington and a model for others,” Pfeifer
said.
Early this year, the task force reinforced its commitment
to clean air by voting to increase the acreage fee to help
keep the program alive and well. That’s a fee that some
wheat-farming task force members have to pay, too.
Pfeifer also presented an Environmental Excellence
Award to John Anderson, president of Ritzville
Warehouse Company, for going through big growth and
changes over the years while still complying with all air
quality regulations.