The National Pork Producers Council and the National Milk Producers Federation have praised the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision that the agency will not finalize air emissions estimating methodologies under the 2005 Animal Feeding Operations Air Compliance Agreement, and that it will move to terminate the agreement. “Good science requires good data, and these data are too old and too limited to support methods that farms could rely on,” said Abigale Tardif, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.
“We would rather tell farmers that plainly than issue numbers we cannot stand behind,” Tardiff said. “The Trump EPA is committed to providing the public with accurate, scientifically credible information, and to listening to the concerns of America’s farmers.”
“For years, America’s farmers have been under threat of an activist EPA’s implementing a burdensome and unnecessary framework, which would subject their operations to potentially massive fines and legal costs,” said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden.
“Today, under the leadership of President Trump and EPA Administrator Zeldin, that uncertainty comes to an end,” Vaden said.
“I want to thank the EPA for hearing farmers’ concerns and reviewing the science and data showing that this framework is no longer applicable. We will continue to advocate for our farmers and ranchers as they feed, fuel, and clothe the world.” NPPC President Rob Brenneman, a farmer from Washington County, Iowa, said, “This move confirms what farmers have long known: Every farm is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all model to apply to them. Each farm should be judged on its own factors, including its location, its practices, its animals and its people. We’re grateful to EPA for listening to the farmers who feed this nation.”
“Dairy farmers signed up for this study in good faith two decades ago, and they’ve been waiting ever since to find out what it would mean for their farms,” said NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud.
“You can’t measure a handful of farms years ago and use those numbers to set expectations for thousands of other farms. We appreciate EPA following the data and giving farmers a clear, final answer.”
–The Hagstrom Report