What’s Upstream

EPA publishes their 2012-2013 Yakima Nitrate Report.

Strategies360 generated a damaging report as part of the Whatsupstream campaign against farmers. It was part of their strategy to use news media to report the false accusations and distortions they presented. They found a willing taker in a seriously discredited TV journalist working at the time for KOMO TV.

In late 2015, the What’s Upstream campaign emerged. This involved a $500,000 federal environmental grant to environmental and tribal groups, which used the funds to mount a lobbying campaign featuring the same false accusations from the same environmental attorneys. The use of these funds was illegal, as was the lobbying,…Read More

Save Family Farming submitted a renewed request to the state Public Disclosure Commission to enforce state campaign laws against Larry Wasserman of the Swinomish Tribe, the originator and manager of the What’s Upstream campaign. As the complaint makes clear, the renewed request is based upon revelations in the final release…Read More

Save Family Farming outlines 10 things that the What’s Upstream campaign got wrong and numerous stories from farmers sharing how they are caring for and protecting the environment.

After Save Family Farming, farmers, and farm supporters raised concerns about the What’s Upstream ads placed on buses in Whatcom County, the Whatcom Transit Authority apologized for displaying the ads setting an example to others who continued to run the false and malicious attack ads.

Save Family Farming reports that, in addition to the false information presented, the What’s Upstream attack campaign was being funded in part by taxpayer dollars. The Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission was given an EPA grant to attack farmers.  

Capital Press published online a follow-up article making clear that the EPA was kept informed about this attack on farming and incredulously, did not consider it political or a violation of federal rules against lobbying and attempting to influence legislators.

Senate Agriculture Committee and Senate Environment Committee Chairmen request an investigation into the EPA’s involvement in the What’s Upstream campaign and the use of federal funding.

During a Senate Environment Committee meeting, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy informed the committee that the EPA ceased funding the What’s Upstream campaign and stated “I can assure you that EPA also was distressed about the use of the money and the tone of that campaign.”

Lee McDaniel, President of the National Association of Conservation Districts wrote to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy expressing “extreme concern” over the “What’s Upstream Campaign,” stating “the campaign ignores collaborative, voluntary conservation work, is counterproductive to the work of farmers, and is an inaccurate portrayal of the success that has been…Read More

According to the court, “EPA’s release of the complete set of data on a silver platter, so to speak, basically hands to the requestors a comprehensive database of their own, whatever their motives might be.” Anti-farm activists are complaining a lot about “lack of transparency” in protecting farmers’ business and…Read More

Farm representatives met with the new Region 10 Administrator Christopher Hladick. When the Administrator learned of the farmers’ concerns about the validity of the study, he asked Eric Winiecki, the science study lead, if it had been peer reviewed. Mr. Winiecki replied, “Yes, a thorough and complete review.” This was…Read More

Save Family Farming issues a letter to Region 10 Administrator addressing his refusal to act on the EPA’s Nitrate Report.

Save Family Farming joins other farm groups from across the country to send a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler urging him to take action and formally withdraw the Yakima Valley Nitrate Report.

Anti-Farm Activist Attorney, Charlie Tebbutt, writes to John Moore, Danielle Granatt, and Eric Winiecki of the EPA (as well as copied several anti-farm activists such as Helen Reddout of Community Association of Restoration of the Environment and Amy van Saun of Center for Food Safety). The letter stated “It is…Read More

Jean Mendoza reports to Edward Kowalski on the Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Management Area.

Jean Mendoza proposes to Edward Kowalski that EPA set up quarterly meetings with FOTC, Oregon Rural Action, Center for Food Safety, and Food and Water Watch.

Invitation sent on behalf of Edward Kowalski for the March 21, 2024, check-in meeting. The email states that the meetings are quarterly and they met on “the third Thursday of every 3 month(s) from 1:00PM to 2:00PM”. The invitation was sent on other EPA employees and representatives of FOTC, the…Read More

Edward Kowalski, EPA’s Director of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, begins meeting quarterly with the anti-farming activists such as the Center for Food Safety, Food and Water Watch, and the Center for Biological Diversity.

Amy Van Saun of Center for Food Safety followed up with Edward Kowalski, Jeff Kenknight, and the others on the check-in team. Amy states that “While we appreciate the information sharing that we’ve been doing, it is essential for the communities in the LYV and the LUB to have commitments…Read More

EPA Region 10’s enforcement office, led by Edward Kowalski,  sent a shocking message to three dairy farms in the Yakima Valley, informing them they are being sued for supposedly failing to comply with a Consent Order related to alleged water pollution.

Jean Mendoza provides documentation in preparation for the meeting scheduled that afternoon. The meeting is titled, “FOTC Check-in and EPA”.

DOJ sent out an invitation for a meeting to be held that same evening. The stated subject of the meeting is “U.S. v Cow Palace et al Coordination”. The individuals invited were: Genevieve Parshalle (DOJ), Eric Winiecki (EPA), Charlie Tebbutt (Charlie Tebbutt Law), Andrene Dabaghi (DOJ), Jon Frohnmayer (Charlie Tebbutt…Read More