​”Whatcom Family Farmers is the new, (2015) unified voice of Whatcom County’s family farmers. Berry farmers, dairy farmers, potato farmers, beef farmers, vegetable farmers, nut farmers, ornamental farmers–all farmers who are family owned and whose farm provides the family income.”

Whatcom Family Farmers call on RE Sources’ donors to consider how RE Sources contributions are being used and writes an open letter to RE Sources donors:

Highlights:

  • Whatcom Family Farmers is Contacting RE-Sources Donors.
  • RE-Sources is using a legal firm to sue the Dept of Ecology so DOE will create very expensive and strict new farm regulations.
  • RE-Sources wants to put farmers out of business… this would cause the loss of open space and much more urbanization.
  • Farmers have improved water quality with many programs over many years.
  • RE-Sources used its Legal arm to greenmail local food processor.
  • Farm efforts to persuade Resources have generally fallen on deaf ears.
  • Nothing in the long history of local farming has threatened Whatcom farmer’s livelihood more than what RE-Sources is doing now.

Click here for “Farmers are environmentalists” Video.

So why is RE Sources working to destroy our family farms?


Here is the Letter From Whatcom Family Farms Executive Director :

Fred Likkel

“Jan. 16 letter to RE Sources’ donors:  Dear donor:

The RE-Store run by RE-Sources

We are writing to you because RE Sources has listed your name as a contributor to their organization. We do not know if you are a current or past donor, but we want you to be aware of the concerns of farmers about the unjustified actions of RE Sources against our dairy farmers.

RE Sources is supporting the efforts of Eugene, Oregon-based attorneys who have taken legal action against the Department of Ecology in an effort to impose massive new regulations on our state’s dairy farms. The requirements they are demanding would cost our farmers about $1130 per cow. Our average local dairy has 450 cows and has been losing money for the past several years due to a difficult global market. The over half million in new costs per farm could not be absorbed by these farmers and banks would not loan the money to meet these demands.

It would be one thing if the requirements would produce environmental benefits such as

Remember the Whats upstream controversy

cleaner water. But, as we have pointed out to RE Sources’ leaders repeatedly, their accusations of farm pollution are false.  Further, by forcing most if not all our 90-some dairy farms out, they will accelerate the suburbanization of our farmland and cause much greater environmental harm. Farmers have worked very hard for the last many years to improve environmental performance and that work has paid off with improved water quality in farm country for both surface and groundwater. Multiple reports from government agencies show these improvements, and can be seen on our website. Rather than rewarding this strong performance, RE Sources continues to pursue actions that would devastate our farms and harm our community. READ THE REST HERE…

 Please check out these links for more information:

Whatcom Family Farms Replies to Re-sources Charges: http://www.whatcomfamilyfarmers.org/re-sources-rebuttal.html
Whatcom Family Farms explains the consequences of Re-sources actions: