U.S. livestock groups scored a victory last week with a federal court's ruling that the Environmental Protection Agency could not require livestock operations to obtain Clean Water Act permits unless they are discharing manure into a waterway. "American Farm Bureau Federation, National Pork Producers, United Egg Producers and several other ag groups sued EPA over its so-called CAFO rule" aimed at concentrated animal feeding operations, American Agriculturalist reports. The decision of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans was the second against EPA since 2005 on the issue.
The disputed rule "required a Clean Water Act for all CAFOs that discharge or 'propose' to discharge," American Agriculturalist notes. "The rule covered production areas and crop land on which manure is applied and imposed fines of up to $37,500 a day. Doug Wolf, president of the National Pork Producers Council, said "The court recognized a clear limit on EPA's authority and required the agency to comply with the clean water law." (Read more)
The disputed rule "required a Clean Water Act for all CAFOs that discharge or 'propose' to discharge," American Agriculturalist notes. "The rule covered production areas and crop land on which manure is applied and imposed fines of up to $37,500 a day. Doug Wolf, president of the National Pork Producers Council, said "The court recognized a clear limit on EPA's authority and required the agency to comply with the clean water law." (Read more)
The United Egg Producers is a discredited trade organization with a sordid history of consumer fraud and animal cruelty. The “UEP Certified” program allows hens to be confined in cages that provide each animal less space than a sheet of paper to spend her life. More at www.humanesociety.org/uep
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