Cattlemen Concerned About EPA's CAFO Rule

January 15, 2001

Brice Lee, chairman of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Property Rights Committee, says cattle producers are concerned about the content of the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) regulation published Friday in the Federal Register. The rule would make more cattle producers subject to permitting regulations by defining more animal feeding operations as CAFOs.

"Our industry supports steps to protect the environment, but we believe that EPA could be over reaching its Clean Water Act authority. Further, we are troubled that EPA's economic data that underlie the regulations are not reflective of industry conditions, Lee said in a statement.

Now, most cattle businesses with 1,000 or more head are classified as concentrated animal feeding operations, the statement continued. But EPA's proposed regulation, in some instances, would reduce that number to 300 head, depending on which part of its proposed regulation becomes final.

"This change would exponentially increase the number of animal feeding operations that are subject to permits. By EPA's estimates the number would climb to 39,000 from the current 2,500. For small operators, complying with additional regulations as a result of permits could be overly cumbersome and costly," Lee said.

The NCBA will submit comments on the proposed regulation and "urge EPA to publish a final rule that is based on sound science and also considers costs associated with compliance," he added.