Government agencies moving away from past agendas

by | Mar 29, 2017 | 5 Ag Stories, News

The change of administration from Democrat to Republican and from liberal to conservative, has begun rippling through federal agencies. The EPA says no more farmer information will be given out to environmental groups.

However, there is disagreement on the change in the government position on Global Warming, a fight that is clearly not over.

The American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Pork Producers Council this week closed the final chapter of their lawsuit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency?s release of farmer and rancher personal information.

A federal judge has approved a settlement that secures the private information of thousands of livestock and poultry farmers in 36 states.

Spreadsheets containing personal information about farmers and ranchers. The data included the names of owners and operators with their home addresses, email addresses, GPS coordinates and phone numbers.

The settlement agreement, reached with current EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, eliminates the need for a court order by spelling out exactly what information can remain in the spreadsheets released by the agency: only the city, county, zip code and permit status of an operation will be released.

The National Farmers Union says President Donald Trump reversed years of progress in the U.S.-led fight against climate change.

The order, signed yesterday, dismantles Obama-era policies that NFU says prepare the United States to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Farmers Union President Roger Johnson says the order ?sends a very clear message to Americans and the rest of the world that our country will not lead the global effort to curtail climate change.?

Trump?s executive order rescinds more than half a dozen federal regulations and guidance that aid in making the U.S. food system more climate resilient, according to NFU.

Johnson says the Obama-era climate policies ?created a path of sustainability? for farmers dealing with climate change by curbing carbon emissions that trap heat and change the climate.