Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 2/14/18


Livestock and poultry industry groups praised a bi-partisan bill introduced Tuesday by 20 senators to correct a pending federal court requirement that nearly a quarter of a million farmers must calculate and report to federal emergency response authorities the natural emission of ammonia from poultry and livestock manure.

The bill won applause from The National Turkey Federation, National Chicken Council, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, United Egg Producers, National Pork Producers Council  and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“There’s not a lot of truly bipartisan legislation in Washington these days, but one thing that pretty much everybody can agree on is that a responsibly run cattle ranch isn’t a toxic Superfund site,” said fifth-generation California rancher and NCBA President Kevin Kester.

“This is significant breakthrough legislation restoring CERCLA reporting to its intended purpose, a united legislative effort that has been nearly 15 years in the making, and we appreciate their swift action on behalf of America’s turkey, chicken and egg farmers,” said the poultry groups in a joint statement.

The Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act restores the on-farm exemption for emissions from manure. The poultry groups noted that the 2017 Federal Appeals Court ruling had disrupted a nearly 10-year understanding that these are not the type of releases that Congress intended to be reported and needing an emergency response under CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act).  

Earlier this month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia granted the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) request for an additional extension, until May 1, of the current stay of the mandate to submit reports on the release of low levels of ammonia from poultry and egg farms. It had also previously granted extensions in November and August of last year.

The new Senate bill responds in the face of an upcoming May 1 federal court deadline that would trigger the reporting mandate for farmers.

The poultry groups are also hopeful a companion version of the FARM Act will be introduced soon for timely consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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