Veteran Washington water and ag lobbyist Mike Schwisow says he is “sliding into retirement.”

Schwisow, 75, plans to spend more time with his family, including his granddaughter, and enjoy traveling.

Schwisow recently concluded lobbying contracts with the Washington State Water Resources Association, Washington Winegrowers Association and Columbia Basin Development League.

He will continue as a consultant with the three Columbia Basin irrigation districts through 2025, monitoring federal and state water policy and agencies.

“The agriculture industry in this state is really pretty phenomenal, when you think about the diversity we have here, the fact that we lead the country in the production of a number of different commodities,” he said. “The people are just outstanding.”

Schwisow grew up in Ritzville, Wash. He was a “city kid,” but his father farmed with his great-uncle.

“Most kids just roamed the streets in junior high, I went to the farm every day,” he recalled.

He has a degree in agricultural economics from Washington State University.

Schwisow’s first experience working a Washington Legislature session was in 1975, as a research analyst for the Senate agriculture committee.

In 1976, he became a lobbyist for the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, then added the Washington Horticultural Association, now the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.

He later was executive director and lobbyist for the Washington State Dairy Federation for two years.

He was deputy director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture 12 years, then returned to lobbying in 1993, working for the state water resources association.

Schwisow counts more than 21 bills that were originally measures his clients brought to the Legislature over the years.

“Fortunately, we had legislators who were tremendously strong supporters of irrigated agriculture or the wine industry that were willing to pick those issues up and shepherd them through the process,” he said. 

Biggest needs

Many commodities are “hurting” today, Schiwsow said, citing tree fruit and wine grapes as examples.

“The labor market is really uncertain right now; we grow a lot of labor-dependent crops here in Washington,” he said. 

Actions that lawmakers and state regulatory agencies can take to help the bottom line of every day farmers are high priority, he said. 

“We are losing farms every year, in numbers that are a little bit distressing,” Schwisow said. “Consolidation isn’t necessarily bad, but its impacts on rural communities across the state I’m not sure are that positive.” 

Washington lost 3,717 farms and ranches between 2017 and 2022, according to the  Census of Agriculture. That’s about two operations a day for five years, according to the Washington Policy Center.

Schwisow urges farmers to stay engaged in their representative organizations.

“I think collectively they really do a great job of bringing that message to a largely urban legislature … that is far removed from everyday agriculture issues,” he said.

‘Undersung…impactful’

“He is easily one of the most undersung, underappreciated, impactful individuals that work in agriculture in the state of Washington,” said Vicky Scharlau, an agricultural consultant.

When Scharlau first moved to Washington, she worked for Schwisow. “I have a great deal of admiration for Mike,” she said.

“His integrity is off the charts,” Scharlau said. “He can’t not tell you the whole story to make sure you do not misunderstand the issue at hand, the significance of all the indications or ramifications. And if there are any holes to fall in that you should be aware of, or nuance in terms of public policy and impact, he will lay all that out to the degree that he knows them. He will preface his comments with all of that before he gets to, ‘Here’s what our options are.’ He won’t lead you, he will give you the facts and then he will allow you to make the best decision, but he considers it his professional responsibility to ensure that you have all the facts.”

“Mike has had a knowledge of water law and water issues for so long, he’s just got that all ingrained in his brain and he has just been a real asset to the Columbia Basin Project and water issues as a whole in the entire state,” said Alice Parker, longtime board member for the development league.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work with and learn from Mike,” said Sara Higgins, the development league’s current executive director. “He is kind, easy-going, modest, curious, extremely knowledgeable and willing to share his knowledge for the benefit of others’ understanding. He is a master of nuance and finesse, and he has been an incredible mentor. He is a rare gem of an individual.I will miss working regularly with him, but I will continue to use what I learned from him.“

Columbia Basin Project

One of the development league’s priorities is full development of the Columbia Basin Project. Nearly 700,000 acres have access to project water for irrigation, but more than 300,000 acres await a reliable source of irrigation water, according to the league.

“I’m pretty close to that issue,” Schwisow said.

He hopes it will be completed one day. 

“I believe there is no place in the country or  maybe even the world where the natural resources come together in terms of water supply and irrigable land,” like the Columbia Basin, he said. “When the need for food to feed a growing population becomes more apparent, this is one place investments can be made … I think it should happen.”