Iowa Farmers Want Clean, Healthy Water and Clear Rules

Today, Iowa Corn Grower Association (ICGA) President Jerry Mohr issued the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of the final rule defining a Water of the United States under the Clean Water Act.

“More than a year ago corn growers, along with many others, asked the EPA for official clarification because we’ve had inconsistent interpretation and application of what was considered a Water of the U.S.  When the EPA released their proposed rule last year, we were disappointed to see that the language simply expanded their jurisdiction, without providing the added clarity that was needed. Farmers from across Iowa and the nation submitted thousands of comments to the EPA outlining our concerns with the proposed rule.

“The final rule issued by the EPA today is extensive and we will continue to review it over the coming days to see how it will impact Iowa farmers. We all want the same thing, clean water. As Iowa farmers our livelihood is dependent upon an abundance of clean and healthy soils and water, which is why we have led the way in promoting nutrient reduction. Instead of restricting the efforts we are taking to voluntarily improve our environment, EPA should be partnering with us to advance and promote those efforts.”

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The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) is an 8,000-member strong grassroots-driven organization, headquartered in Johnston, Iowa, serving members across the state, and lobbying on agricultural issues on behalf of its farmer members to create opportunities for long-term Iowa corn grower profitability. For more information, visit iowacorn.org.

For More Information:

Shannon Textor
Director of Marketing & Communications
Iowa Corn Growers Association
515-225-9242
stextor@iowacorn.org

Amanda De Jong
Senior Policy Advisor
Iowa Corn Growers Association
515-225-9242
adejong@iowacorn.org