McMorris promises to advocate for farmers

In her first organized talk with farmers as a member of Congress, freshman Rep. Cathy McMorris said she would be a strong advocate of farm policies that encourage crop production and maintain Washington’s status as a leading food exporter.

Though she didn’t draw a seat on the House Agriculture Committee, McMorris sought to reassure farmers at Spokane Ag Expo that she could still work effectively on issues important to them. The big annual farm-industry trade show runs through today.

She said her appointment to the House Resources Committee would keep her directly involved in Endangered Species Act reform, dam-breaching initiatives, and policies regarding timber and mining.

A backer of land policies directed by local communities, McMorris acknowledged that any change at the federal level would be slow.

Farmers in Eastern Washington have long had powerful representation for their interests. Tom Foley rose to become House speaker. He was unseated by George Nethercutt during the Republican sweep of 1994.

Nethercutt was rewarded for beating Foley with several choice assignments, including seats on the important House Appropriations Committee and the Ag committee.

With Nethercutt’s failed bid to unseat Sen. Patty Murray last fall, local farmers are now in the unfamiliar position of having less power in Washington D.C. McMorris, 35, ranks 422 among the 435 members of the House in terms of seniority.

McMorris said she hired longtime Nethercutt aide Jack Silzel to help her navigate the intricacies and frustrations of farm policies and problems.

Among them are proposals to sell wheat from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, an emergency stockpile of grain to ward off food shortages. Much of the wheat is held in Eastern Washington grain elevators, and selling off the grain could financially hurt elevator operators.

McMorris has some time to prepare for the next Farm Bill, which provides important cash subsidies to farmers, and she told the audience she would work to secure more agricultural research money for Washington State University.