Certified for saving salmon
New certification gives farmers another way to attract environmentally conscious customers
For La Conner farmer Dave Hedlin, saving the struggling salmon in local waterways is a complicated, three-pronged formula -- scientific research, a change in farming methods and cooperation among a variety of government, farming and community organizations.
But the best of his own contributions may be far more simplistic overall.
The tall, quiet, third-generation farmer hiked up the embankment of a dike to the tangled, gnarled shrubs and trees that hang over to shade the shoreline of Sullivan Slough. He then pointed toward a quiet pocket of dark water.
The slough near his farm is naturally prime salmon-rearing habitat, with willow trees springing from the top of the dike to provide shade from the sun and leaves dropping into the water to provide nutrients.
"Our jobs as stewards of this land and for this generation is just not to mess this up," Hedlin said with a laugh and a shrug. "We just try to keep it the same."
Farmers have for the most part unfairly taken much of the brunt for the dwindling salmon stocks in Pacific Northwest streams and rivers, Hedlin said.
Many are adopting the all-important "best management" farming practices designed to help reduce the amount of chemicals that drain from farmers' fields into local waterways and restore stream banks to promote salmon health.
Customers increasingly care about how farmers raise their food and whether they're harming the environment, Hedlin said. So when Seattle-based nonprofit Stewardship Partners approached Hedlin last year with the idea of taking part in a voluntary program that would allow him to add a "salmon safe" certification to his produce, he had to consider it.
Hedlin's is one of two farms in Skagit County and 18 in the Puget Sound area that have been certified salmon safe, said Larry Nussbaum, director of the Washington-based salmon safe program.
The certification has several benefits for farmers, Nussbaum said. The label opens new markets with retailers who specialize in selling organic or environmentally friendly products, Nussbaum said. It also helps farmers distinguish their products from those of other farms, he said.
Hedlin says those potential benefits were enough for him to jump on board.
"Certifications are the emerging thing," Hedlin said, noting that studies have shown customers are willing to fork out a little extra money for what they believe is healthier food.
