Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins issued the following statement:
With the release of the 2023 WOTUS Rule, the EPA continues to play games with farmers, ranchers and private property owners. In May, the Supreme Court issued a harsh rebuke of EPA but it seems the agency still wants to lay claim to private lands. While the new language eliminates the onerous significant nexus test, the relatively permanent standard remains. Once again, Missouri’s hard-working farmers and ranchers are left in legal jeopardy. Instead of providing more clarity and consistency, the EPA seems committed to the status quo of confusion and government control. MOFB has been at the center of this fight for years, and we will continue that fight to protect Missouri farmers’ and ranchers’ ability to produce food, fiber and renewable fuel for our nation and the world.