Is This WA Agency Breaking State Law By Penalizing Farmers?

Is This WA Agency Breaking State Law By Penalizing Farmers?

From Save Family Farming by Save Family Farming

June 1, 2026 · 21 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the penalties imposed by the Washington State Department of Ecology on farmers regarding water usage and the potential legal implications of these actions.

Slapping farmers with huge fines for how they’re using water has become common practice for the Washington State Department of Ecology in recent years, putting some farms out of business and even going so far as to threatening to take one Spokane-area farmer’s land. But, John Stuhlmiller, Executive Director of the Washington State Water Resources Association, tells Dillon that Ecology’s punishing actions appear to break a state law–a law that Stuhlmiller helped write.

People in this episode

Host: Dillon

Guest: John Stuhlmiller

Topics covered

  • water usage
  • farming regulations
  • state law
  • penalties
  • agriculture
  • environmental policy

Keywords

  • Washington State
  • farming
  • water resources
  • penalties
  • agriculture law
  • John Stuhlmiller
  • Ecology
  • fines
  • Spokane

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Washington State Water Resources Association, Washington State Department of Ecology

Places: Washington, Spokane

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