News

CERCLA poses logistical nightmares for animal agriculture

There’s more concern from the livestock sector about federal emission tracking requirements.

Nearly a quarter-million farmers are facing additional regulations should animal agriculture lose its exemption under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

Steve Olson, executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers and Chicken and Egg Associations, says there are some logistical nightmares potentially.

“First of all, it’s tough for regulators to know how to measure.  There’s not the methodology out there or the equipment to do it, let alone for farms to be able to do that.  And also from the data that we do have, we know that farmers emit very low levels, and it’s dispersed.  So it’s not in a concentrated fashion.”

He tells Brownfield a bipartisan bill called the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act would restore the on-farm exemption.

“The reporting is scheduled to begin May 1st, and if that happens, (livestock farmers) could be subject to either fines from the U.S. government or else lawsuits from citizens.  Which again, becomes a very cumbersome process because this is not a public health or environmental issue.”

Olson says he’s optimistic the FARM Act will be successful because of ongoing conversations about livestock emissions with nearly 20 Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate who support the legislation.