(Washington, D.C.)  Congresswoman Cathy McMorris (WA-05) announced today that Mike Poulson will be joining her staff as Agriculture and Natural Resource Policy Director. Poulson will officially start on November 1st and will help develop agriculture and resource policy for the region.

“As a fifth generation farmer, Mike will be a great addition to our team and will allow us to better serve the resource and agriculture communities in Eastern Washington,” said McMorris. “Mike will drive policy from Eastern Washington and work closely with our legislative staff in Washington, D.C. He will also focus on outreach efforts, and will be on the ground listening to the needs of our communities. I am confident that Mike will help build on our successes and help solve the energy and water challenges that are currently facing our region.”

Poulson has years of experience on issues that are important to the agriculture community in Eastern Washington. He has farmed near Connell, Washington in Franklin County, since 1965 and has served as Executive Director of the Washington Agriculture Legal Foundation for the past five years. Previously he served as an independent consultant on a wide range of public policy and natural resource issues. He has also been a member of the Washington Farm Bureau, Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Washington Cattlemen's Association and other business and agriculture organizations.

“I am excited for this opportunity to join a great team and use my experience to help Eastern Washington,” said Poulson. “Congresswoman McMorris, having a background in farming herself, understands the needs of our region and I appreciate her support for the agriculture and resource industry. I am confident that together we can come up with solutions to provide relief to our agriculture community.”

Since January, McMorris has worked to make progress on issues important to our agriculture economy. The House passed the permanent repeal of the death tax, she hosted a Water and Power Subcommittee hearing on the impact of the ESA on the Snake/Columbia rivers system in Clarkston, and she is chairing a 20-member House Task Force on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). She also sponsored legislation to extend tax incentives for bio-diesel and legislation to help beginning farmers and ranchers and was recently joined by House Agriculture Chairman Bob Goodlatte for an agriculture forum in Ritzville.