The American Soybean Association applauded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for proposing a more workable “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule for agriculture. The proposal aims to bring clarity to how the Clean Water Act applies on working farmland and to better reflect the realities farmers face on the ground.
“Soybean farmers have been asking for a WOTUS definition we can actually put to work on the ground,” said Caleb Ragland, ASA President and Kentucky farmer. “For too long, shifting interpretations have created real uncertainty about whether everyday decisions might trigger federal oversight. We appreciate that the administration, along with Administrator Lee Zeldin and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle, is moving toward a definition that reflects how water interacts with working farmland and respects the conservation practices growers already use. Aligning the rule with the Supreme Court’s Sackett decision and preserving long-standing exemptions for normal farm work gives producers clearer expectations and reduces the risk of costly delays or compliance surprises.”
Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF USA –issued the following statement in response to the announcement: “We are pleased the EPA and Army Corps are working to conform the WOTUS regulations under the Clean Water Act to the Supreme Court decision in Sackett. Our initial review suggests this proposed rule is a commonsense approach to meeting Congress’s objective in protecting genuine navigable waters.
“For years, an overly broad definition has created uncertainty and exposed landowners to the risk of federal enforcement for routine land management practices. Farmers and ranchers need the clarity provided by the proposed rule so they will know what does and what does not constitute Clean Water Act jurisdiction without having to incur considerable legal expenses associated with overreaching enforcement actions.”
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for the new proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The revised WOTUS rule comes after decades of advocacy by NCBA and our state affiliate partners to remove confusing and burdensome regulations on cattle farmers and ranchers.
“Waters of the U.S. has been a longstanding and frustrating issue for family farmers and ranchers. Every few years, the definition of a ‘water of the U.S.’ has changed. Often, this meant that small water features like prairie potholes or dry ditches suddenly fell under federal regulation,” said NCBA President and Nebraska cattleman Buck Wehrbein. “NCBA has spent years fighting to protect cattle producers from excessive red tape. We went to the EPA, advocated on Capitol Hill, and even took this issue all the way up to the Supreme Court to protect our members from federal overreach. We appreciate the EPA finally fixing previous WOTUS rules and supporting America’s family farmers and ranchers.”
“Today’s WOTUS announcement finally acknowledges that the federal government should work to protect lakes, rivers and oceans, rather than regulating ditches and ponds on family farms and ranches,” said NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “NCBA is pleased to see the EPA stand up for cattle producers, and we look forward to providing input on this proposed rule.”
NCBA and its state affiliate partners will submit comments to the agency on the rule, which will be considered before the rule is finalized.
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