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EPA Region 4 Administrator Addresses 400 Farmers and State Agriculture Leaders in Mississippi

Remarks emphasized Agency’s response to the call for regulatory certainty in farming

11/01/2018
Contact Information: 
Davina Marraccini (marraccini.davina@epa.gov)
404-562-8293, 404-562-8400

ATLANTA (November 1, 2018) — Today, U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 Administrator Trey Glenn addressed more than 400 farmers, state agriculture leaders, Congressional and state elected officials at the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation’s “Washington D.C. Fly-in to the Farm Meeting” in Jackson, Miss.  

“Agriculture is a priority of the Administration and a personal priority of mine. I have made a point to meet with agricultural stakeholders in Mississippi and across the Southeast to learn about the environmental challenges they face,” said Region 4 Administrator Glenn. “The Agency is working closely with America’s farmers to provide them the regulatory certainty they deserve.”

In his remarks, Region 4 Administrator Glenn highlighted major actions the Agency is working on related to agriculture that could save Americans money while protecting the environment. These include the Agency’s work to redefine the “Waters of the U.S.” rule to provide regulatory certainty to farmers and ranchers and prioritize keeping America’s water clean, along with two significant announcements the EPA made this week.

On Tuesday, EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed a proposed rule to amend the emergency release notification regulations under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act to make clear that reporting of air emission from animal waste at farms is not required. The proposed rule, if finalized, will provide livestock producers with greater regulatory certainty. Earlier this year, EPA exempted these emissions from reporting under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act.

On Wednesday, EPA announced that it is extending the registration of dicamba for two years for “over-the-top” use (application to growing plants) to control weeds in fields for cotton and soybean plants genetically engineered to resist dicamba. This action was informed by input from and extensive collaboration between EPA, state regulators, farmers, academic researchers, pesticide manufacturers, and other stakeholders.

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