EPA has no business regulating puddles on private land

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee approved the Clean Water Restoration Act by a 12 to 7 party-line vote. The new legislation removes the word “navigable” from the definition of water regulated by the Clean Water Act and if passed, would place a major burden on Texas farmers and ranchers.

By removing the word “navigable”, every puddle that appears in a pasture, bar ditch or anywhere else on a ranch or farm could have to be managed. This means our hardworking farmers and ranchers could have to obtain a permit from the EPA in order to continue operations. In the hearing, amendments were offered in an attempt to exempt agricultural operations. Unfortunately, these eight amendments were all defeated. Now the bill will be considered by the entire U.S. Senate, where it will face significant opposition.

These new regulations continue an orchestrated effort to attack and weaken rural America. As rural Texans work tirelessly to provide American and the world with the most abundant, affordable and safest food and fiber supply, we cannot allow them to bear the burden of added costs and regulation. We must continue to maintain the land that several generations have tended to and we must be allowed to do so free of the ever-increasing burdens placed on our backs by the EPA and other federal bureaucracies.

Response to EPA Regarding Renewable Fuel Standard Waiver Rejection

Now that the EPA has made its ruling and denied the ethanol waiver it is time to move forward. Farmers and ranchers need to come together to work on solutions for dealing with the rising costs of fuel and fertilizer.

USDA has released its annual report of farm production expenditures and it is proof we must find answers to the escalating costs of doing business. According to the report, the rising cost of fuel and other products helped drive U.S. farm production expenditures to a record $260 billion in 2007. Total U.S. farm production expenditures rose 9.3 percent from 2006 and nearly 30 percent from five years ago. For a full summary of the USDA report click on the link from Pro Farmer: Link to full report.

I look forward to working with everyone in the agriculture industry to find ways that will help us effectively battle the rising costs of farming and ranching.