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Iowa farmer concerned about possible WOTUS return

A north Iowa farmer is concerned the Biden administration is charting a course to reinstate the Waters of the U.S. Rule.

Brent Renner of Klemme says the recent announcement by EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to revise the definition of WOTUS under the Clean Water Act breeds uncertainty for agriculture.

“It seems like it’s such an interpretative-type situation. Somebody from the EPA may interpret language completely different than we do, and it just seems like a tremendous power grab.”

He tells Brownfield this could be another way for bureaucracies to force their way of farming on crop and livestock producers like him.

“I think that’s the most alarming and frustrating part is that somebody in Washington is telling us how to do what we do better, and I don’t think there’s any industry out there that has accomplished more or done more with less than we have in the last 100 years.”

Renner says it feels like the federal government doesn’t trust farmers to do the right thing “and that’s frustrating.”