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October 09, 2010
Obama and His EPA Going After the Livestock Industry
Beef Industry: U.S. May Need ‘Strategic Hamburger Reserve’ after Obama EPA Implements New Regulations
According to a representative of the cattle and beef industry, America may need a “strategic hamburger reserve” if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implements proposed new reguilations for cattle producers.
“From where I sit, (the Obama administration) appears to be aimed at destroying the cattle industry in America as we know it,” Tamara Thies, the chief environmental counsel at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said on Capitol Hill last week.
“It is ironic that as we work to become less dependent on foreign oil, Obama policies are likely to make us more dependent on foreign beef. Maybe we’ll need to start a strategic hamburger reserve after the Obama administration is finished with us.”
Thies' comments came at a hearing conducted by the House Republicans’ Rural America Solutions Group about the EPA’s proposed regulations on the industry, which include the toughest dust regulations in history – one which would significantly impact the rural economy by imposing steep fines on cattle producers who, Thies said, most likely cannot afford them.
“It is unlikely these realities are lost on the EPA, making one wonder if the real goal of the agency is to do away altogether with economic activity throughout the bread basket of this country and turn it into a vast national park,” she added.
The forum was held by Reps. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee; Sam Graves (R-Mo.), ranking member of the House Small Business subcommittee; and Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, to consider several of the new proposed EPA regulations.
In a periodic review of its National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which allow the EPA to regulate certain forms of particulate matter in the air, the EPA determined that it might raise the standard so that only 65-85 µg/m3 of dust would be permitted in the air (as opposed to 150 µg/m3). Violating the proposed new NAAQS standards can result in civil penalties under the Clean Air Act.
The EPA published that draft policy assessment in the July 8, 2010 issue of the Federal Register.
“(EPA) is preparing to issue a proposed regulation that is twice as stringent as the current dust standard, and is more stringent than background levels of dust in many parts of the U.S,” Thies told the congressmen.
“Incredibly, we are talking about dust kicked up by tilling fields and harvesting crops, cattle movements, and pickups driving down dirt roads,”she said. “For agriculture, the current standard is already very difficult and costly to meet—doubling it would be virtually impossible.”
That new proposal also alarmed 75 members of Congress who represent rural districts, including Reps. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-S.D.), John Spratt (D-S.C.), and Bobby Bright (D-Ala.), who sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on Sept. 27 urging the agency to “refrain from going down this path” on dust regulation.
“Considering the administration’s claim that it is focusing on revitalizing rural America and rural economic development, a proposal such as this would have a significant negative impact on those very goals,” they wrote. “We are hopeful that common sense will prevail and the EPA will refrain from causing extreme hardship to farmers, livestock producers, and other resource-based industries throughout rural America.
“Whether it is livestock kicking up dust, corn being combined, or a pickup driving down a gravel road, dust is a naturally occurring event in rural areas. Common sense requires the EPA to acknowledge that the wind blows dust around in these areas, and that is a fact of life.”
Jackson did not attend the forum on Capitol Hill last week despite receiving an invitation. A spokesperson for the EPA indicated they would have a reaction about why they were proposing these rules in a difficult economy, but did not do so by press time.
The dust regulation is one of several new proposals the EPA is considering, including regulating ammonia emissions from cattle operations; nationalizing standards for soil phosphorus levels, which determine where farmers can use manure; regulating greenhouse gas emissions; and greater regulation of farming on the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
“The fact is, the EPA is waging an unprecedented war to end modern production of animal agriculture,” Thies said in her testimony.
“EPA exhibits reckless indifference to scientific fact and, instead, imposes stringent regulations based on nothing more than its biased anti-animal agriculture agenda that will leave many cattle operations with no recourse but to shut down and eliminate jobs,” she added.
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Wild Thing's comment........
Obama and his EPA are absolutely out of control. They think they have become lawmakers. A very dangerous combination.
"It is unlikely these realities are lost on the EPA, making one wonder if the real goal of the agency is to do away altogether with economic activity throughout the bread basket of this country and turn it into a vast national park,” she added.”
That is exactly their plan.
This is Cass Sunstein. Anytime you see new regulation changes, you can thank Obama's CZAR Cass Sunstein.
Is there anything Obama doesn’t want to control? I hate him so very much.
With each passing day another story comes out about how this faux pres is destroying everything good about America.
....Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at October 9, 2010 05:55 AM
Comments
It never ceases with these liberals. Until a few years ago I owned a small beef cattle ranch. The first big govt. attempt to interrupt our business was trying to declare what seemed like half the country as protected wetlands. This is what the over zealous environmentalists wanted. Then it was the wacky methane scare blamed on cow farts. Now it is dust caused by tractors, pick-up trucks and cattle. The intent is to kill the cattle industry and import all our beef.
Back in the 70's I got started in cattle raising. My first few years were lean years for beef. Then we had a very good year about 1978. Well, then asswipe Carter suddenly lifted restrictions on imported beef and Australian and Argentinian beef poured into America undermining the profits American ranchers were making. Remember the "poor American housewife" stories about beef having gone up in price? That was govt. and MSM inflated bullshit about the natural rises and falls in a free market. That was also the same time that Hillary Clinton made her amazing $100,000 on the cattle futures market by cashing in when beef cattle futures were high just days before Carter pulled the rug out from under the cattle market. Hillary had to have insider's info on Carter's move. She worked in his administration. Who says politics doesn't pay!
Posted by: TomR, armed in Texas at October 9, 2010 10:07 AM
My gosh, what the hell are these idiots trying to do to us? The cost of food is going to skyrocket and the American Farmer is going to go out of business. The greatest food producing nation on the face of the earth will have to import its food.
Posted by: BobF at October 9, 2010 10:23 AM
Oasshole has already shut down the oil refineries in the Gulf. And now he's after the Beef industry ? His sole purpose can only be for the distruction of the United States as we know it.
They want to limit the amount of smell from a Cattle ranch/farm 150 micro grams/ Cubic meter. Clean Air is their vehicle to achieve this draconian measure. Anyone who has lived in the country knows the smells well. And nobody complains because it's the country.
The Animal rights whacko's have to be involved someway some how. Now they are messin with the food supply.
Posted by: Mark at October 9, 2010 12:07 PM
Huh, WTF?
Posted by: Anonymous at October 9, 2010 07:53 PM
Good Lord, this Obama asshat is a total anarchist sumbich
Posted by: Billy Ray in Cowtown at October 9, 2010 09:24 PM
Tom, thank you for sharing your personal experiecne in this industry. I agree too that Hillary had inside information. And even more I really believe this happens a lot and we never hear about it.
It sickens me to see this happening and what happened to you. There is so much corruption I doubt it will ever get cleaned up.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2010 11:08 PM
Bob, your right and that sure seems what they want to do too. Destroy another business a big one.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2010 11:12 PM
Mark, I agree, the animals rights people have got to be in this too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2010 11:16 PM
Anonymous, Ditto that!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2010 11:21 PM
Billy Ray, he sure is. He is evil!
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 9, 2010 11:23 PM
How can somebody that spouts as much BS as Obama possibly object to a little cattle ranching??
Posted by: Rick at October 10, 2010 02:51 PM
