The Chesapeake Bay watershed, which stretches across portions of six states, is home to more than 17-million people, including farmers. And those farmers face much uncertainty as the Environmental Productions Agency is poised to impose its Total Maximum Daily Load rules. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association believes the problem with the rule is it would limit economic growth and unfairly over-regulate local agriculture producers and economies.

EPA’s Total Maximum Daily Load sets the limit on the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment discharged into the Chesapeake Bay and each of its tributaries by different types of sources. Farm Bureau says the TMDL has far-reaching impacts on all who live, work, and farm in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It has the potential to cost localities millions to comply while adding significant compliance costs for producers already hard-hit in this economy.

Farm Bureau would like to see the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization and Improvement Act revitalized. Farm Bureau believes this legislation addresses water quality concerns and provides agriculture producers the tools and certainty they need to implement conservation practices on their land. It gives all sectors the flexibility to meet their regulatory requirements, while ensuring the strength and vitality of local economies.

Courtesy: NAFB News