The Superfund Common-Sense Act of 2011 – S. 1729 – has been introduced in the U.S. Senate. Sponsored by Senators Roy Blunt of Missouri and Mike Crapo of Idaho, the act would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency and the courts from imposing what the policymakers call another – needless and burdensome – regulation on U.S. agriculture. A companion bill was introduced earlier in the House by Representative Billy Long of Missouri.

Ashley Lyon, Deputy Environmental Counsel for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says the legislation would restore the original intent of Congress under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, more commonly called the Superfund Law, and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. She says the Superfund Law was originally passed to prevent toxic waste from polluting U.S. waters and Congress never intended manure to fall under the jurisdiction of CERCLA.

Lyon says both bills would amend CERCLA to provide that naturally occurring, organic manure and its nutrient components are not considered a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. She says NCBA strongly supports the legislation, which would prevent EPA and the courts from imposing more regulations, liability and reporting requirements on livestock producers and bring much needed economic certainty.

A coalition of organizations in signing a letter to U.S. Senators urging them to oppose amendments to the Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that would affect mandatory funding for U.S. farm policies. The amendments come on the heels of a letter by leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate Agriculture Committees to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction outlining a plan to reduce the deficit.

In their letter the organizations wrote – this is the end of the fourth year of the current five-year farm bill upon which U.S. farmers and ranchers and their lenders have already made financial decisions. The letter continued: – amendments to an appropriations bill that would alter the terms of this contract with our producers occur at the wrong time and in the wrong venue.

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson says – leadership of both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees continue to work very hard to find areas to help reduce the federal deficit while maintaining sound policy for America’s family farmers and ranchers. These additional cuts could have very damaging effects on U.S. agriculture and should be opposed by members of the Senate.

A 46-year-old St Joseph man will serve more than eight years in prison for his guilty plea to child pornography charges. U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips announced Thursday that Andrew Shea was sentenced to eight years and six months in federal prison.

According to court documents, law enforcement investigators found more than 30 videos and 40 still images of the sexual abuse of children on Shea’s computer, including an image of a prepubescent girl in a dog collar engaged in bestiality and some images depicting the sexual abuse of boys the same age as his son. Shea used a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to obtain his collection of child pornography.

Shea pleaded guilty to charges of possessing, receiving and attempting to distribute child porn.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.

Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.