05/09/06 Manure and Superfund

American Rancher May 9, 2006 A coalition of groups representing animal agriculture is seeking congressional action to exempt livestock waste from being considered a hazardous substance under the Superfund law. Bob Gray, executive director of the Northeast Farmer Cooperatives, was among those representing the Farmers for Clean Air and Water Coalition at a farm broadcasters meeting in Washington D.C. recently. Gray says there are already court cases seeking to have the Superfund law tied to animal manure. Gray: "Now when congress passed the Superfund law back in the 80s they didn't even mention animal manure. They did exempt commercial fertilizer that farmers put on their crops but they were silent on animal manure, probably figuring that this would never become an issue because we are already covered under the Clean Air Act. We are already covered now under the Clean Water Act. So we are already covered by federal law and many state laws. This would add a real severe problem for farmers. If they are sued and anybody can sue them it just makes no sense at all of where we are in agriculture today. So we are very concerned." Gray says the coalition is urging farmers and ranchers to contact their congressmen to support HR 4341 to amend and clarify the Superfund law and to also support similar legislation when it is introduced soon in the Senate. I'm Bob Hoff.