The president of the American Farm Bureau Federation had the privilege of being with the President of the United States Tuesday as he signed an executive order directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to formally reconsider the controversial Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule under the Clean Water Act.

“President Trump’s executive order to ditch the Waters of the U.S. rule is a welcome relief to farmers and ranchers across the country,” said AFBF president Zippy Duvall. “Farmers and ranchers have been calling for a common-sense approach to regulatory reform, and today the Trump administration responded to that call.”

“(This) is one of the rules most strongly opposed by farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers all across our land…it’s been a disaster,” said President Trump during the White House signing ceremony. “It’s a horrible, horrible rule. Has sort of a nice name, but everything else is bad.” President Trump signs WOTUS order

Immediately after the signing, new EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had the privilege of announcing the news to Farm Bureau members at the 2017 FB Advocacy Conference being held just outside of Washington DC.

Pruitt says he has already set the ball in motion with official action after the executive order was signed. “Relief is on the way with respect to withdrawing the Waters of the United States rule,” he said to applause.

“As EPA administrator, we’re going to focus on rule of law,” Pruitt continued. “No agency has power that Congress has not given them – that’s called rule of law.”

Listen to Pruitt’s comments here: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt at FB Advocacy Conference

Since the executive order was signed, we have received press releases from virtually every agricultural organization to say they are pleased, as well as from environmental groups to say they are not pleased.