In August, we called on our readers to tell the Forest Practices Board that we oppose the radical and unscientific rule that would force massive new buffer zones on non-fish-bearing streams, despite no evidence of harm to fish or water quality.

If passed, this rule would remove hundreds of thousands of acres of private forestland from production, cost thousands of rural jobs, and set a dangerous precedent that could easily come for your farm next.

This is a direct attack on Washington’s working lands through the backdoor of forestry. They couldn’t take down farming, so now they are targeting timber. If they succeed here, they will return for agriculture with even more devastating restrictions because they will have established a precedent.

This rule is not based on science. It is driven by fringe ideology and backroom politics. It ignores the commitments made under the Forests & Fish Law, undermines rural livelihoods, and threatens the future of sustainable land management in our state.

Now, there is another opportunity to make our voices heard. Jon DeVaney and the Washington Tree Fruit Association have prepared a Coalition Statement to send a unified message to policymakers. Jon explained why this second effort is so important:

“Why are they asking us to duplicate some of what was said in the previous ag letter? Two reasons: One, they recently learned that, despite the fact that comment letters are addressed to the Forest Practices Board, they don’t actually receive them – instead, they are aggregated and summarized by DNR, and this info is sent to members in their packets just two weeks before the meeting on November 12. Second, comment letters are not posted for the public to see and were only released after repeated requests. This letter will provide a true picture of the strength of the opposition which can be used in legislative conversations and may be released to the media as well.”

With that in mind, we invite you to sign on to the Coalition Statement opposing the Forest Practices Board’s Type Np Buffer Rule. This letter is addressed to Governor Ferguson and Directors Nguyen, Sandison, Sixkiller, Susewind, and Commissioner Upthegrove.

We hope that this time, the voice of agriculture cannot be quieted. Even if you already wrote to the Board, adding your name here strengthens our collective voice and shows broad, organized opposition to this costly and unnecessary rule.

👉 Read and sign here: https://forms.office.com/r/rF6uMgVx3K

📱 Or simply scan this QR code with your phone.

Why this matters:

  • Removes 200,000+ acres of working forests ($5–8B in losses).
  • Cuts revenues for schools, fire districts, hospitals, roads.
  • Threatens mills and union jobs by shrinking timber supply.
  • Sets a costly precedent, harming agriculture and voluntary watershed efforts.
  • Rejects a lower-cost Adaptive Management alternative.
  • Accelerates conversion to development, weakening rural economies.

Washington’s Forests & Fish Law already provides strong protections for Np streams. Public hearings showed overwhelming opposition to this rule. Now is the time to stand together.

Please add your name today — and forward this message to others who care about Washington’s working forests, rural jobs, and fair, science-driven processes.