Clean Water Act & Epic Wine Grape Crop

Clean Water Act & Epic Wine Grape Crop

Clean Water Act & Epic Wine Grape Crop plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

The EPA's pending Waters of the U.S. rule and the agency's recent decision not to appeal a federal court ruling against it in a clean water case, may have a common thread—how to regulate farms. EPA's separate proposed Waters of the U.S. Rule would give the agency the sweeping control of water that could affect most farms, according to American Farm Bureau Senior Counsel Danielle Quist.

QUIST: They are trying to regulate all farms as much as they think they can under the Clean Water Act. They're trying to require more farms to get permits and to classify more water in and around farms whether it's an ephemeral stream or an isolated wetland or farm ditch to classify those as jurisdictional waters which means that there is limitations on what can go in those waters.

Oregon's wine grape crop is shaping up to be truly "epic" according to recent reports. Wine grapes in Washington State are also being classified as "vintage" as well. Why all the fuss? It seems this years weather has just added a little something extra to this years grapes that will help it make great wine. Plus the yield in both states has been exceptional and could be called a record crop but a lot of that has to do with the added acreages of vineyards in both states. Regardless, 2014 will be a wine year you will want to mark down for future reference.

Now, what studies show about how much we exercise might shock you. Gary Crawford has the story.

(USDA Report)

Thanks Gary. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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