When Benton REA advocates for affordable hydropower, reliable access to irrigation water, and the future of the Columbia and Snake river systems, the decisions made do not stay in Olympia or Washington, D.C. They directly affect the farmers who depend on reliable electricity and water to grow their crops, the businesses and rural communities supported by agriculture and ultimately the food on our tables.
One of those impacted businesses is AgriNorthwest, a large-scale irrigated farming operation in the Columbia River Basin and a Benton REA member. For decades, the company has relied on the Columbia and Snake rivers to grow crops that feed families across the United States and around the world.
“Our biggest concern is energy costs and reliability,” AgriNorthwest General Manager Blaine Meek says. “Decisions about dams, rivers and infrastructure sometimes understate the real-world impacts on food production, rural jobs and the economy of communities that depend on agriculture.”
For Benton REA, stories like this are why advocacy matters.
AgriNorthwest traces its roots to the 1960s, when the company began pumping water from the reservoir behind Ice Harbor Dam to irrigate farmland. Since then, it has expanded throughout the Horse Heaven Hills and into Boardman, Oregon.
Today, the company grows potatoes and onions as its primary crops, along with corn, sweet corn, carrots, peas and wheat.
The Columbia Basin’s fertile sandy loam soils, abundant sunshine and long growing season make it one of the world’s premier agricultural regions. Blaine says none of that would be possible without dependable water supplied by the Columbia and Snake river systems.
“The river system turns a dry region with tremendous soils and climate into one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world,” Blaine says. “Reliable water allows farmers to grow crops consistently, support food processors, provide jobs and help feed people far beyond the Pacific Northwest.”
While irrigation is one of the first things people think about when it comes to farming, electricity is equally essential.
Every day, AgriNorthwest and all the other farms across Benton REA’s service area need electricity to operate river pump stations, booster pumps, center pivots, drip irrigation systems, fertigation equipment, automated monitoring systems, workshops, offices and food safety equipment. Electricity keeps storage facilities operating year-round through refrigeration, ventilation and humidity control.
“Affordable, reliable hydropower helps keep the cost of irrigation and crop storage manageable,” Blaine says. “Hydropower’s low-carbon, renewable and cost-effective traits make our operations among the most sustainable and environmentally friendly in the world.”
Moving water from the Columbia and Snake rivers to fields requires large electric pumps that lift water hundreds of feet in elevation. As one of agriculture’s largest controllable expenses, the cost of electricity directly affects a farm’s ability to remain competitive.
“If the cost of electricity gets too high, we cannot be economically sustainable and would lose the ability to grow the food we are currently producing,” Blaine says.
During the record-setting Pacific Northwest heat dome several years ago, AgriNorthwest received notice that electric service to one of its pump stations could be interrupted because of unprecedented demand on the electric grid.
“That was a scary call knowing how much water our plants were using at that time,” Blaine says.
Although the power stayed on, a mechanical failure on one irrigation pivot prevented adequate watering on one field during the extreme heat. In that short period without water, Blaine says 20% of the production on that field was lost.
“During planting, irrigation, harvest and storage, agriculture is extremely time sensitive,” Blaine says. “Reliable electricity protects the crop from the field through storage.”
The Columbia and Snake river systems also support agriculture as a shipping route. The rivers are an efficient transportation corridor that move agricultural products out to the rest of the country and world. While AgriNorthwest ships some commodities by barge directly, the river benefits nearly every agricultural producer by reducing pressure on highways and rail lines.
“If barging were no longer available, more freight would have to move by truck or rail,” Blaine says. “Transportation costs would increase, highways would become more congested, fuel consumption and emissions would rise, and Northwest agriculture would become less competitive.”
AgriNorthwest has invested in precision irrigation, GPS-guided equipment, remote irrigation controls, drip irrigation, crop rotations and careful nutrient management to improve efficiency while conserving natural resources. Reliable water and affordable energy allow those investments to succeed.
“When we know irrigation and power are dependable, we can water when crops need it, avoid waste, protect crop quality and operate efficient storage systems,” Blaine says. “Reliability supports better planning and more sustainable long-term investments.”
Agriculture is one of our region’s largest economic drivers, supporting thousands of jobs on farms, in food processing facilities, transportation, equipment suppliers and local businesses. Maintaining reliable access to irrigation water, hydropower and transportation infrastructure helps strengthen that entire network.
“I hope future generations understand that food doesn’t simply come from a grocery store,” Blaine says. “In the Columbia Basin, food production is directly connected to rivers, Irrigation systems, hydropower, transportation, skilled employees and long-term stewardship. The river system allows farmers to turn sunshine, soil and water into food for millions of people.”