The Missouri Farm Bureau has put together interactive maps to give a feel of how the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that goes into effect this weekend will impact the state. Well over 95% of the state of Missouri will qualify as a water of the U.S. under this rule. I spoke with Blake Hurst, president of the …
MO Farm Bureau Takes WOTUS to the Fair Again
You might remember that Missouri Farm Bureau held a “Ditch the Rule” press conference last year at the State Fair featuring three members of the state’s Congressional delegation. With the controversial rule now finalized and scheduled to be implemented August 28, MOFB held another press conference at the fair last week – this time with four members of Congress. Representatives …
Farm Bureau: EPA Massively Increasing Its Authority
New maps released by Farm Bureau shows the federal government is massively increasing its authority at the cost of American producers. This news release from the group says the Environmental Protection Agency will radically expand its jurisdiction over land use if its controversial Waters of the United States rule takes effect as expected Aug. 28. That expansion comes even as …
Prez Candidate Rand Paul: Stop EPA Farmland Grab
Republican Presidential Candidate and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul is kicking off his first Iowa radio campaign ad “decrying the Obama Administration’s land grab of Iowa farmland”. The radio ad will be heard on farm radio stations. The ad is focused on the Waters of the US legislation and highlights the devastating consequences of the new regulation. “In Washington, DC, President …
AFBF: Secrecy, Misconduct at EPA on WOTUS
A series of memos the Obama Administration intended to keep private shows a culture of secrecy, falsehood and dysfunction that permeated the Waters of the U.S. rulemaking process. The American Farm Bureau charges the Army Corps of Engineers memos show the Corps “repeatedly rebuked EPA officials for their abuse of the rulemaking process in producing the deeply controversial Waters of …
Corn Growers to Protest EPA Proposal on Ethanol
Corn farmers are going to make their voice heard on the Obama Administration’s cuts to ethanol. The National Corn Growers Association says producers from more than a dozen states are expected to turn out at a public hearing and rally in Kansas City, Kansas, this Thursday, protesting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to slash nearly 4 billion gallons …
Agriculture Reacts to WOTUS Final Rule
Agricultural organizations are analyzing the final Clean Water Act Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule released today to determine whether it answers the concerns they have raised about the impact the regulation would have on farmers and ranchers, but most express reservations. “We are undertaking a thorough analysis of the final WOTUS rule to determine whether the Environmental Protection Agency …
Administration Finalizes WOTUS with Few Changes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army finalized the Clean Water Rule that has become known as the Waters of the United States or WOTUS. According to EPA, the rule “ensures that waters protected under the Clean Water Act are more precisely defined and predictably determined, making permitting less costly, easier, and faster for businesses and industry.” The …
Industry Pleased with White House Pollinator Plan
Last June, President Obama called for an interagency Task Force to create a Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. Tuesday, the Task Force released its strategy, under the joint leadership of EPA and USDA. Industry reaction to the plan, which outlines actions to be taken by more than a dozen other federal agencies and departments, …
Senators Call for Revised WOTUS
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators today introduced a bill that would repeal EPA’s “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) proposal. The senators, including John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), jointly introduced the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, directing EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers …