Washington Cattleman Testifies EPA's Land Grab Will Kill Conservation Participation

Last week Washington Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President and rancher Jack Field represented not only the region but the nation’s cattle industry and testified in the U.S. House of Representatives’ Small Business Committee about EPA’s Clean Water Act revisions.
He and two other small businessmen as well as a professor made up the panel discussion of the proposed expansion of the Clean Water Act jurisdiction. Field shares that the highlight of the experience was the question and answer period following the testimonies.
Field: “I had no problem jumping in and I about fell out of my chair at some of the statements made. Had some really good discussions back and forth with Committee members. There are a number of supportive Congressional members on that committee that understand agriculture and understand private property. And yet then there are some members that have no understanding what so ever.”
He shared that one Eastern Committee member asked him about what should be done with a company that the member said was dumping Agent Orange into the river and polluting it and asked Field what they should do about that. Field explained that companies that discharge must have the proper permits and are subject to fines. However, Field added
Field: “I also told him that the best way to solve that problem is to have local stakeholders to get together and come up with locally-led solution. It doesn’t do any good for me in Washington State to tell you how to fix a problem in New Jersey.”