Oklahoma Farm Bureau President Tom Buchanan issued this statement today following the release of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new regulatory rules announcement.
“Oklahoma Farm Bureau is disappointed with the Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules announced today that will increase regulations and introduce unnecessary burdens on our members.
“While our state’s farmers and ranchers care deeply about protecting our natural resources, and especially water, we want to ensure that any new rules do not expand the scope or authority of the EPA, allowing the agency to burden farmers and ranchers with new and unnecessary regulations.
“We as an organization will continue to review the full rules and make sure our members understand their impacts. However, we feel the time and effort farmers and ranchers put into the comment process was largely ignored, or at best, not fully considered.
“We are also disappointed that the EPA has chosen to ignore the wishes of congress, which has voiced its disapproval of the rules by drafting responsible legislation to create water policy through an open process. We thank our state’s congressional delegation for their leadership in this area.
“As stewards of the land, our state’s agriculturalists work daily to protect the environment and care for our natural resources, just as we have done for generations.”
