Washington dairies and Lummi tribe sign accord

Seven northwest Washington dairies have pledged to step up efforts to keep manure from spoiling Lummi Nation shellfish beds, while the tribe has agreed to pull back on plans to sue.  Dairies also will compensate the tribe with nearly $1.2 million for beds closed by bacteria since 2014 in Portage Bay in Whatcom County. Over the next several months, the tribe and dairies will try to out work water-quality improvement plans for the farms. The agreement gives the seven dairies a reprieve from costly litigation and a forum to improve long-term relations with the tribe, said Ferndale dairyman Rich Appel, who helped negotiate the accord.