Mandatory riparian buffers sought by Gov. Jay Inslee could take up more than 11,000 acres of farmland in Skagit County and nearly 5,000 acres in Lewis County, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Skagit and Lewis counties are two productive farm areas in Western Washington. The agriculture department also estimated 80-foot buffers could claim 913 acres in Yakima County and 55 acres in Chelan County.

Although fewer acres would be taken by buffers in those farm- and orchard-rich Central Washington counties, the converted land would include ground now producing high-value crops such as pears, apples, hops and mint.

The department’s estimate illustrates the potential reach of buffers, but there are too many unknowns to pinpoint how much farmland would be lost, Washington State Dairy Federation policy director Jay Gordon said Jan. 24.

The agriculture department assumed buffers would start at the edge of waterways, though Inslee’s proposal opens the way for setbacks that begin at the edge of floodplains and equal the height of old-growth fir trees, which exceed 200 feet.

“It’s such a poorly crafted bill,” Gordon said. “I don’t know if I’ve seen legislation this sloppy in 30 years.”

The governor’s office did not have an immediate comment Jan. 24.

The governor worked with tribes on the proposed Lorraine Loomis Act, named for the late chairwoman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. Under the act, landowners could be fined up to $10,000 a day for not planting strips of trees on both sides of waterways crossing their property.

The Inslee administration and tribal leaders say riparian buffers are vital for salmon and that voluntary conservation programs are insufficient. Environmental organizations support the bill.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife, in consultation with tribes, would map “riparian management zones.” Land with buildings, roads, trails and private beach access would be exempt, as would tribal land, unless the tribe gave permission.

The agriculture department was not involved in writing the act. The department’s Natural Resources Assessment Section, however, this month analyzed the proposal’s possible effect in the four counties.

In Skagit County, the converted 11,253 acres would include 1,728 acres of potatoes and 1,415 acres of field corn. The buffers would also take 2,147 acres of hay and 1,334 acres of pasture.

In Lewis County, land converted to buffers would total 4,989 acres, including 2,221 acres of pasture, 59 acres of Christmas trees and 44 acres of barley.

In Yakima County, converted land would include 551 acres of pasture. Other losses include 31 acres of hops, 21 acres of apples and 10 acres of mint.

In Chelan County, buffers would take up 33 acres now used for growing pears, the agriculture department estimated.

Farmers last week told the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee that the bill ignores habitat provided by farms and that mandatory buffers may destroy their livelihoods, especially in Western Washington.

“I fear this bill is sending a message to farmers — get out while you can,” Skagit Valley farmer Kraig Knutzen said.

The buffer legislation has not passed either the Senate or House agriculture committees.