EPA Releases Producer Information to Extremists

EPA Releases Producer Information to Extremists

I’m KayDee Gilkey with today’s Open Range.

Last week the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association learned that the EPA shared its collected information on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFOs with extremist groups like Earth Justice through a Freedom of Information Act request.

NCBA Past President JD Alexander shares more

Alexander: “As a nation we worry about our security from foreign attacks. But what this actually does is slap private business in the face and in no regard showing attempt to protect us from terrorists. We’ve seen activities in California where terrorists have actually damaged trucks and livestock. It is really almost unbelievable that our own Environmental Protection Agency would allow this type of thing to potentially happen by releasing all of this information.”?
Last year EPA proposed a Clean Water Act Section 308 CAFO reporting rule to collect this information from CAFOS and make it publicly available and readily searchable from website.
After concerns from both the nation’s cattle producers and Department of Homeland Security, the EPA withdrew the rule, however NCBA says it seems that the agency still intends to use this gathered data to create a national searchable database of livestock operations.
The information released by EPA covers CAFOs in more than 30 states, including many family farmers and ranchers who feed less than 1,000 head and are not subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act.