EPA Explores Tougher Limits for CAFO Runoff by Tom Johnston, meatingplace.com
T
he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it will study the prospect of the agency committing resources to rulemaking that would toughen wastewater regulations on industrial sources such as large-scale livestock farms the agency calls concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Any revision would be the first EPA has made regarding CAFO regulations since 2008. Those changes occurred in response to a court order stemming from a lawsuit filed by environmental group Waterkeeper Alliance. The 2008 rule, among other aspects, specified that the owner or operator of a CAFO that discharges or proposes to discharge effluent must apply for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. EPA’s announcement comes after consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch sued the agency, convincing the court to order the agency to respond to a petition the plaintiff filed with the EPA in 2017 urging the agency to strengthen its regulations and permitting program for CAFOs. The Clean Water Act defines CAFOs as “point sources” of pollution, which the plaintiffs argue should require CAFOs to follow permits that restrict their pollution discharges into rivers and streams. But due to the EPA’s weak regulations, the plaintiffs say, only a small fraction of these operations have the required permits. The permits that do exist also are weak and inadequately protective of water quality, they contend. Meanwhile, EPA also has its eyes on meat and poultry processing (MPP) plants. In 2021, the agency announced its intent to initiate rulemaking revising effluent limita-
tions on those facilities. The agency’s last amendment to the original 1974 regulation came in 2004, but that regulation only applies to 300 of the estimated 7,000 processing plants nationwide. The announcement followed EPA’s completion of a detailed study on the processing industry, indicating those facilities discharge the highest phosphorus levels and second-highest nitrogen levels of all industrial categories. Some MPP facilities, however, already are removing nutrients from their wastewater and achieving effluent concentrations well below limitations in the 2004 regulation, the agency noted. In March of 2022, the EPA submitted an information collection request to gather sufficient data from MPPs to support a rulemaking.
▫
Health Advocates Sue FDA Over Antibiotics in Livestock
of antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” which advocates contend kills 35,000 and sickens more than 2.8 million people in the U.S. each year. “The FDA does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation,” a spokesperson for the agency told Meatingplace in an email. Many of the same public health and consumer groups in 2016 petitioned the FDA to ban the use of antibiotics in healthy animals. The FDA denied the request five years later.
▫
U.S. Lawmakers Revive Spotlight on Meatpacker Expansion, Labeling by Chris Scott, meatingplace.com
S
everal members of the U.S. Congress are taking steps that could change the fortunes of small meatpacking companies and heat up the ongoing debate on by Kate Gibson, meatingplace.com mandatory country-of-origin labeling, or coalition of health advocacy groups MCOOL. has sued the Food & Drug AdminisRepresentative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) tration and its Center for Veterinary and Representative Abigail Spanberger Medicine (CVM) over the use of antibiotics (D-Va.) reintroduced their “Butcher Block in animal agriculture, saying misuse of the Act” legislation that would establish a permedicines is a growing and deadly public manent grant and loan program that aims health crisis. to increase competition in the meatpacking Organizations including the National industry. Originally launched by the two Resources Defense Council, Alliance of lawmakers in 2021, the proposal would help Nurses for Healthy Environments and boost marketing options for meat processors Earthjustice filed suit to force the FDA to and livestock companies and establish a phase out the practice of administering anti- grant program through USDA to help eligibiotics “en masse” to food-producing ble organizations launch new construction animals. or expansion projects, according to the proThe use of medically important antibiot- posed bill. ics for disease prevention in livestock and Meanwhile, at least one Capitol Hill lawpoultry contributes to the “rise and spread maker is responding to calls to reintroduce legislation that would restore MCOOL rules for American-raised beef. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) announced that he plans to NEW Loan Production push his American Beef Labeling Act proposal as part of the 2023 Farm Bill, just Office for Citizens Bank weeks after more than 50 consumers and of Clovis in Moriarty, cattle groups asked U.S. lawmakers to launch focusing on Agriculture such efforts in a letter outlining their and Business Loans concerns. Thune told fellow legislators the bill would help small processors expand their John M. Heckendorn, Vice President capacity, allow for more state-inspected meat 1209 US Rt 66, Suite C, Moriarty, NM 87035-3422 produc ts a nd open new ma rkets Office: 505-832-5092 • Cell: 505-379-8212 overall. www.cbcnm.bank
A
▫
74
FEBRUARY 2023