From: The Des Moines Register
Christopher Doering
SAN DIEGO – Excessive regulation by the federal government threatens the viability of farming and ranching, the head of the country’s largest farm group said Sunday.
Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, used much of his speech to more than 4,500 people at the group’s annual convention to warn of a barrage of regulations from the government. He focused specifically on a rule proposed last spring by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers known as the “Waters of the U.S.” rule.
“As damaging as the weather or economic winds can be, farmers’ and ranchers’ biggest challenge these days seem to come from their government,” Stallman said. “Farmers and ranchers care deeply about our environment and are focused on continuous improvement. … But we cannot sustain the nation’s food supply if excessive restrictions and regulatory costs make the business of farming and ranching economically unsustainable.”
