The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reiterates that it will not specifically regulate so-called farm dust. There’s no change from what the agency has been doing, according to Josh Svaty, senior advisor for EPA Region 7, speaking at the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture.
“We have been regulating dust, per se, so if you’re concerned about it happening, it’s already happening and I think most of you can attest to the fact that your lives have not changed at all,” said Svaty, speaking at the conference.
Ambient air monitors, says Svaty, even those close to feedlots, show few problems with particulate matter, but he tells Brownfield that closer attention is paid to where more people are.
“We are concerned about human health as it relates to particulate matter, so most of our monitors are all in urban areas, and they will continue to be there as sites are developed by our state partners, those state environmental agencies,” said Svaty, in an interview with Brownfield Ag News following his talk at the conference.
Svaty, who’s also a Kansas farmer, says it’s important that farmers communicate with regulators, especially those far removed from what goes on in agricultural areas.
“I think the ag community is beginning to do a better job of talking among themselves and saying, ‘we need to communicate in a positive and in a constructive manner, but we need to make sure we’re communicating with any regulatory agency so that they understand how we do our work,’” said Svaty.
EPA scrutiny has led to the conclusion that most livestock feeders are operating by the book and are running what he calls “great operations.”
AUDIO: Josh Svaty interview (7 min. MP3)
AUDIO: Josh Svaty address (17 min. MP3)
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