Every August, my brother, sister and I couldn’t wait for the Christmas catalogs to arrive in the mail. I still remember the thrill of seeing the latest toys and using sheets of lined notebook paper to write and revise our Christmas lists.

The days of thick, colorful Christmas catalogs are gone. My kids now send me screenshots and links to items on their wish lists. My own list is shorter and far more practical these days, including more family time and favorable weather in 2026. While I’m at it, I’m also asking Santa, along with the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers, for a clear, durable Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

For decades now, farmers and ranchers have lived under what feels like a regulatory version of “guilty until proven innocent.” You dig a ditch, clean out a pond, or try to control erosion, and suddenly you’re left wondering whether you need a lawyer or an engineer before putting a shovel in the ground.

That’s why the proposed WOTUS rule, now open for comment, feels like early Christmas cheer. It represents a real opportunity to bring back some predictability and common sense. In farm country, we don’t expect government to be perfect, but we do expect rules we can read, understand, and follow without hiring professionals when margins are already tight.

For too long, the Clean Water Act has been twisted into a guessing game. Farmers are conservationists by nature. We depend on clean water more than anyone. But we shouldn’t have to fear that a small patch of standing water after a good rain might be federally regulated. When puddles, low spots, and tractor ruts enter the regulatory conversation, you know the pendulum has swung too far.

The proposed rule, thankfully, nudges that pendulum back toward common sense. It brings clarity to what is, or is not, a WOTUS. It respects the Supreme Court’s Sackett decision. It defines “relatively permanent” and “continuous surface connection” while disposing of the onerous “significant nexus” test. Most importantly, it gives farmers a chance to make routine land management decisions without the anxiety that a simple field improvement project could trigger a Clean Water Act violation.

Farmers and ranchers across Missouri, and across the country work to follow government guidelines and laws. But how can we follow a rule that changes each time a new President is elected? We’ve had more WOTUS definitions over the past decade than Missouri has surprise weather changes, and if you live here, you know that’s saying something.

A durable rule is one that stands firm and consistent beyond a single administration. Agriculture doesn’t operate on four-year election cycles; we operate on generations. Give us certainty, and we’ll give you stewardship.

So, this Christmas, as you’re wrapping presents, or scraping frost off the windshield, spare a thought for the men and women who feed, fuel, and clothe this country. All we’re asking for is a rule that makes sense, protects our water, and lets us get back to doing what we do best. Take action by sending a letter to EPA and Army Corps of Engineers in support of the proposed WOTUS rule.

A clear, durable WOTUS rule won’t fit under the tree, but for farmers across Missouri, it would be the best gift we could get.