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Spending bill impacts WOTUS, beef checkoff

The omnibus spending bill approved by the Senate Saturday includes several provisions that impact agriculture.

One of those provisions withdraws the Environmental Protection Agency’s interpretive rule on the Waters of the United States (WOTUS). Colin Woodall of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says that, while it’s not a complete fix of the WOTUS issue, it is a critical step in addressing the strong concerns farmers and ranchers have with that regulation.

NCBA is also applauding a provision in that bill that directs the Secretary of Agriculture not to implement a second beef checkoff.  Woodall tells Brownfield, with that threat out of the way, the industry can once again focus on ways to improve the current checkoff.

“We’re going to continue to try to find a way to improve this entire process that will ultimately get us a better checkoff program—and one where we can get an additional dollars, but do so under a program that’s led by producers and not one that’s led by the secretary,” Woodall says.

The American Soybean Association (ASA) released a statement calling the spending bill “a mixed bag”. Some ASA-championed programs received steady or increased funding, while other ASA-supported programs received cuts.

“It doesn’t give us one hundred percent of what we need, but it does recognize a significant number of our priorities by making investments in the projects and programs that soybean farmers use every day,” said Wade Cowan, ASA president and a farmer from Brownfield, Texas.

Cowan noted that the association is pleased with the increase in funding that the bill provides for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, which was given a three percent boost in funding. Additionally, Cowan said, ASA is very supportive of language withdrawing the EPA’s interpretive rule on WOTUS.

In the area of conservation, ASA expressed disappointment with the bill’s further cuts to conservation programs on working lands like the voluntary Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). Cowan said these programs have been proven effective in improving soil and water health.

With regard to waterways infrastructure, significant funding increases were provided for several ASA priority areas.

Another piece of legislation of importance to agriculture, the tax extenders package, is expected to be approved by the Senate before it adjourns this week.