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BREAKING NEWS: McAuliffe Reappoints Secretary of Ag; Names Secretary of Natural Resources

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Todd Haymore
Democratic Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe has reappointed the state secretary of agriculture and forestry and named a new natural resources chief.

McAuliffe said today that Todd Haymore is staying on as agriculture secretary. He’s the third holdover from Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell’s Cabinet. Haymore previously served as commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services during Democrat Tim Kaine’s administration.

McAuliffe also named former Hampton Mayor Molly Joseph Ward secretary of natural resources. She stepped down as mayor last September to take a job at the White House.

USFRA Seeking Farmer and Rancher Input

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The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (www.fooddialogues.com/about-usfra) urgently needs farmer and rancher respondents for a brief market research survey the organization is conducting. 

USFRA’s goal for this research is to continue to identify ways to address people’s misconceptions about farming and ranching. The organization is asking for a short amount of time and honest opinions from farmers and ranchers. Each farmer and rancher respondent to the survey will receive a $15 honorarium for their time (estimated to be approximately 15 minutes).

The link to the survey is: https://hrgisurvey.com/survey/html.pro?ID=710

Was Your Holiday Dinner Hormone Free?

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The article “Was Your Holiday Dinner Hormone Free?” appeared in the Bristol Herald Courier the week after Thanksgiving and was written by Phil Blevins, a Washington County Extension Agent. It has also been making the rounds on Facebook, and we think Phil did a great job dispelling some of the myths about hormones. The story is below:

We hear a lot of talk about hormones and food and usually the discussion centers around meat. This causes many people to become concerned about the safety of the food they eat. Was your Thanksgiving meal or any other meal for that matter, hormone free? The short answer to that question is no. It is impossible to have a hormone free meal, because both plants and animals produce hormones as a natural part of growth and development. 
When looking at promotional statements for some turkeys, for example, they will read something like this, ‘Our turkeys are raised without the use of hormones’. Did you know that all turkeys (including Butterball, etc.) and chickens are raised without the use of supplemental hormones? It is prohibited. However, to say a turkey was raised without hormones is somewhat of a contradiction since the turkey produces its own hormones. As stated earlier, even plants produce hormones but that doesn’t mean plants are dangerous either, just that it is part of living things. 

People often criticize the beef industry because of implant use as if something sinister is involved. The products used have been tested rigorously and clearly pose no threat to human health. If you compare the beef we eat to the plant products we eat it is surprising to most how the hormone levels compare. For example, one ounce of cabbage has 1,061 times more estrogen than one ounce of beef from an implanted steer. If you compare the estrogenic activity of other common foods you find that defatted soy flour has 755 million ng/500grams, tofu has 113.5 million ng/500grams, beef from an implanted steer has only seven (7) ng/500 grams, and beef from a non-implanted steer has only five (5) ng/500 grams. 

Have these plants been altered in some way to cause these high levels? The answer again is no. It is simply a natural part of life. Does it mean that cabbage and other plants are unsafe? Absolutely not! In fact, coleslaw on a hotdog is a favorite of many, especially if it is an all-beef hotdog. 
We have a wonderful food system in this country and the technology has helped provide a safe wholesome food supply that is more economical than any other country in the world. This system also makes good nutrition more affordable to the poor, a luxury many countries only wish for. It seems we should worry less and be more thankful for the abundance we are privileged to have.

Report Shows that Farm Bill Conservation Practices Reduce Runoff of Nutrients, Sediment in Chesapeake Bay Watershed

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A record number of voluntary conservation practices adopted by Chesapeake Bay farmers since 2006 have significantly reduced the amount of nitrogen, sediment and phosphorus leaving cultivated croplands, according to a new report released today.

The report, part of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) estimates that since 2006, conservation practices applied by farmers and landowners are reducing nitrogen leaving fields by 48.6 million pounds each year, or 26 percent, and reducing phosphorus by 7.1 million pounds, or 46 percent.

The report notes that these practices have also lowered the estimated average edge-of-field losses of sediment, or eroded soil, by about 15.1 million tons a year, or 60 percent – enough soil to fill 150,000 railcars stretching more than 1,700 miles. The majority of the conservation practices in the Chesapeake Bay were made possible through Farm Bill conservation programs, which are now expired.

“This report demonstrates that voluntary conservation practices made possible through the Farm Bill can have a substantial impact on limiting nutrient and sediment runoff from farms in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and across the nation ,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “These conservation efforts help to clean our soil and water, boost outdoor recreation that adds more than $640 billion to our economy, and ensure that agriculture has the tools to remain productive in the years to come. The good work of Chesapeake Bay landowners has generated substantial progress in a short period of time, but more needs to be done – which is why it is critical that Congress act now to pass a Farm Bill that provides the full array of programs and incentives to build on these efforts.”

The Chesapeake Bay watershed touches six states and is home to 17 million people and almost 84,000 farms and ranches. Agriculture contributes about $10 billion annually to the region’s economy. Conservation practices have other environmental benefits, such as sequestering carbon and making farms more resilient to extreme weather events linked to climate change.

In order to better target conservation efforts in the region, USDA launched the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative, or CBWI, in 2008. USDA targeted CBWI funding to priority watersheds and practices that would have the biggest impact on watershed health.

Due to these efforts, the report highlights a wider acceptance of innovative conservation practices. Notably, some form of erosion control has been adopted on 97 percent of cropland acres in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. While this does not mean that all acres are fully treated to address sediment and nutrient losses, it is a positive indication of a willingness by farmers to do their part to help restore the Bay watershed. Additionally, the report shows an increased use of cover crops by Bay watershed farmers. Since 2006, land with cover crops in a cropping system increased from 12 percent of acres to 52 percent. Farmers are using a variety of other conservation practices, such as no-till, that help keep nutrients and sediment on fields and out of nearby waterways.

In October, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative expired due to the expiration of the 2008 Farm Bill, reducing the technical and financial assistance available to bay watershed producers.

The CEAP report is part of USDA’s effort to quantify the benefit of conservation efforts on private lands in major watersheds, including the Mississippi River and Great Lakes, as well as the Chesapeake Bay. The first CEAP report for the bay was released in 2011 and included data from farmer surveys conducted from 2003 to 2006. Today’s release is the first CEAP cropland report to revisit a particular region, and it includes data from an updated farmer survey in 2011.

CEAP reports combine farmer surveys, natural resource information and advanced modeling techniques to assess the effects of conservation practices on cultivated cropland, which account for 10 percent of the land in the Bay watershed. By comparing losses of sediment and nutrients from cultivated cropland to losses that would be expected if conservation practices weren’t used, CEAP reports give science-based insight into the approaches with the most benefits.

The full report, along with a fact sheet, summary and infographic, is available here. Learn more about USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project.

VDACS Announces Top 20 VA Ag Commodities for 2012

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The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has announced the state’s top twenty agricultural commodities and livestock for the 2012 production year. “This list shows the tremendous diversity of Virginia agriculture, which is just one of the reasons our products are in such demand in the global marketplace,” said Matthew J. Lohr, VDACS Commissioner. “Most of the power house commodities have retained their top rankings, but we also saw some switch-ups on the list.”

One of the biggest changes from 2011 was the movement of soybeans. In 2011, the value of the soybean was $216 million and they placed 7th in the rankings. The revised number moved soybeans to number 6 and corn down to number 7.  Cottonseed as a separate category entered at #18 with nearly $12 million in cash receipts. Cotton lint, ranking at #12, is a completely different product than cottonseed. They come off the same plant but are sold differently. The lint is what we traditionally think of as cotton; it’s white and puffy just as you’d expect. Within that boll of cotton are seeds about the size of a small pea. At the gin the cottonseed is extracted from the lint. The farmer gets paid for his lint fiber, then he or she either gets a check for his seed by weight or a credit for the seed by weight which is used against the ginning fees. Virginia sends some cotton to other states such as Pennsylvania to be used to feed dairy cows. Most of it is exported, however, to countries like Korea or Japan. Cottonseed was in high demand in 2012 due to higher grain prices, thus making it more valuable. Many farmers were able to export their 2012 production and command higher prices than selling it in the U.S.

Broilers, Virginia’s top commodity for several years, retained their first-place ranking and increased in value from $593 million in 2011 to $649 million in 2012. Cattle and calves lost about $20 million but still retained their #2 ranking.
They didn’t make the Top 20, but products immediately following show the growing importance of Virginia’s specialty crops. Peaches are #21 with $6 million in receipts; sweet corn ranks 22nd at $5 million, followed by watermelon at #23 ($3 million), cucumbers #24 with $2.3 million and range chickens at #25 with $2 million.

“Even a cursory look at Virginia’s top-ranking products gives an indication of just how diverse agriculture is here,” said Lohr. “We have never been a one-product state, and I believe a good bit of the strength of the industry lies in our diversity.”

2013 Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention starts Tuesday

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Almost 300 voting delegates representing 88 county Farm Bureaus statewide have gathered in Richmond to help shape Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s state and federal policies for the coming year.

During this year’s VFBF Annual Convention, those delegates will discuss and vote on numerous policies that affect farmers and their livelihoods.

“This is the culmination of our grassroots policy development process,” said VFBF President Wayne F. Pryor, “and whatever is decided at the annual convention directs our lobbying efforts in the new year.”

Policy development is just one part of the convention, which will run Dec. 3-5 at the Richmond Marriott. The event’s theme is “Leading Agriculture into the Future.”

The convention kicked off Tuesday with a keynote address by Mark Gold, president, CEO and managing partner of Top Third Ag Marketing and a former member of the Chicago Board of Trade. Gold will speak on “Managing Risk in an Inherently Risky Business.”

“I’m very optimistic about farming, but there will be bumps in the road and farmers need to learn how to survive the cycles and not sell their land for parking lots or subdivisions,” Gold said.

His Top Third Ag Marketing’s mission is to help farmers manage the risks associated with producing commodities such as grains, livestock, milk, cotton and energy. The company’s goal is to help its customers market their products in the top third of prices available during a market year.

Gold also led an afternoon workshop titled “Get What’s Coming to You: Risk Management for Every Farmer.” A second workshop, “Things You Need to Know About Transporting Farm Products in Virginia,” featured speakers from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Virginia State Police.

During the business sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, voting delegates will elect members of the VFBF board of directors to represent Districts 3, 6, 9 and 12.
Throughout the convention, members can take advantage of a “Cyber Café” to get help with any technology needs they might have.

Comment on Proposed Changes to DEQ Animal Feeding Operations General Permit Regulation

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The Department of Environmental Quality is seeking comments on proposed changes to the general permit regulation for animal feeding operations. The permit will expire November 15, 2014, and DEQ is proposing changes before the permit is reissued for another 10-year period. The permit covers activities at AFOs such as dairy cattle, hog and beef cattle farms.

Any operation that confines animals for more than 45 days in a 12-month period with no ground cover during that period are affected by these regulations.  Those operations that are greater than 300 animal units must maintain coverage by a permit. In addition, those farmers wishing to utilize the manure generated by these operations for fertilizer as an “end user” should closely review these proposals.

Virginia Farm Bureau supports the renewal of the “General Permit.”  We also believe that transfers of manure to end users provides an alternative to producers with limited land application sites on their own farm.  However, the program should not be so restrictive that it makes the option useless.

Public comment period: November 18, 2013 to January 21, 2014

Four public hearings on the proposed changes have been scheduled. There will be an information session for each meeting starting at 6:30 p.m., and the public hearings will begin at 7 p.m. The dates and locations are:

December 11, 2013 (Wednesday) – DEQ Valley Regional Office, 4411 Early Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540) 574-7800.

December 12, 2013 (Thursday) – DEQ Piedmont Regional Office, 4949-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060 (804) 527-5020.

December 18, 2013 (Wednesday) – DEQ, Blue Ridge Regional Office, 7705 Timberlake Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502 (434) 582-5120.

December 19, 2013 (Thursday) – Culpeper County Library, 271 Southgate Shopping Center, Culpeper, VA 22701 (540) 825-8691.

AFOs may operate waste storage, treatment or recycling activities and may apply manure, wastewater, compost or sludges to the land. The current permit regulation requires that manure generated at an AFO is applied in accordance with a nutrient management plan approved by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Where the land application of waste is limited by reasons such as elevated phosphorus soil test levels, the further treatment and transfer of waste off the farm is becoming necessary. New technology is making the transfer and possible marketing of manure-based products off the farm more common and also is prompting the consideration of importing other wastes to supplement treatment processes. The current permit regulation does not address manure transfer, the construction and operation of alternative manure treatment and storage facilities, or the management of waste materials generated offsite to be used to feed an on-farm digester or other manure treatment technology.

The changes are being proposed to address alternative waste treatment and storage, management of materials generated offsite, and end-users of waste that is transferred off farms covered by the general permit. The proposed end-user requirements are modeled after the requirements for the transfer of poultry waste.

How to comment: DEQ accepts written comments by hand-delivery, email, fax and postal mail. All written comments must include the full name, address and telephone number of the person commenting and be received by DEQ no later than on the last day of the comment period. Verbal and written comments will be accepted at the public hearings. Comments also may be submitted through the Public Forum feature of the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall web site at  www.townhall.virginia.gov.

How a decision is made: After DEQ has reviewed the comments, the State Water Control Board will make the final decision. People who submit statements during the comment period may address the board at the meeting at which a final decision is made.

Contact information:  Anyone wishing to submit written comments may do so at the public hearing or by mail, email or fax Betsy Bowles, P.O. Box 1105, Richmond, Virginia 23218, phone 804-698-4059, fax 804-698-4032 and betsy.bowles@deq.virginia.gov.

Comments may also be submitted through the Public Forum feature of the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall web site at www.townhall.virginia.gov.

Written comments must include the name and address of the commenter. In order to be considered comments must be received by DEQ by the close of the comment period.

Virginia Posts Largest Oyster Harvest Since 1987

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Virginia’s most recent oyster harvest has greatly exceeded recent years, reaching the highest level since 1987. The 2012-2013 harvest of 406,000 bushels was also 60 percent greater than just one year prior. The oyster recovery has taken place as the McDonnell Administration has led efforts to invest in the job-creating industry, which had an economic value of $42.6 million last year. The $2 million for oyster restoration included in the current budget is the greatest appropriation for the sector in Virginia history.
“This is very gratifying news, even better than I’d hoped,’’ Governor McDonnell remarked. “Good management has allowed us to put Virginia’s exceptional oysters on dinner plates around the world, creating good jobs, and generating new revenue for our state. Today’s announcement should also remind consumers everywhere to grab some delicious Virginia oysters next time they’re at dinner or in the store; thanks to Virginia’s sound management practices there are more for everyone to enjoy.”

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission’s harvest data showed 406,000 bushels of oysters were harvested in the 2012-2013 season, up from 257,000 bushels harvested in the previous year. This is an almost 60 percent increase from year to year.
The harvest boom came from both wild-caught oysters and from dramatically increased yields in oyster aquaculture operations on privately leased water bottoms.
The agency had projected Virginia’s oyster harvest last year potentially could reach 320,000 bushels but the year-end numbers revealed the harvest was, in fact, a whopping 406,000 bushels. Of that, 149,000 bushels were harvested from public oyster grounds and another 257,000 bushels were harvested from privately leased oyster grounds.
“We had high expectations for the oyster harvest, but this is substantially better than we dared to hope,’’ said VMRC Commissioner Jack Travelstead. “This year’s oyster season opened last month and the initial reports we’re hearing indicate we’re off to a very good start. The oysters being caught are big, tasty, and plentiful.”
The previous year’s (2011-2012) harvest totaled 124,000 bushels from public oyster grounds and another 133,000 bushels from oyster aquaculture operations.
“Over the past 12 years, the oyster harvest in Virginia has exploded from 23,000 bushels in 2001 to 406,000 bushels in 2013,” said Doug Domenech, Virginia’s Secretary of Natural Resources.  “In that time, the dockside value of the oyster harvest increased from $575,000 to more than $16.2 million.”
The ripple effects through the economy from last year’s unexpectedly large oyster harvest resulted in an estimated $42.6 million in economic value, using a multiplier of 2.63 on a dockside value of $16.2 million, a formula established by the late Dr. James Kirkley, a well-respected Virginia Institute of Marine Science seafood industry economist.
The state’s oyster harvest is poised to increase even further, if weather and other environmental factors remain unchanged, due to this year’s historic $2 million investment in oyster replenishment. This is a program in which empty oyster shells are spread on state-owned public oyster grounds to provide habitat so naturally occurring oyster larvae can attach to the shells during spawning and grow to form new adult oysters that reach market size in roughly three years.
“This investment provides significant ecological and economic benefits, and will present consumers with more delicious, high-quality Virginia oysters in the years to come,” said Anthony Moore, Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources, who leads the restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay. “This is substantial progress for the health of the Bay, for oyster-loving consumers and for watermen in this difficult economy.”
A single adult oyster can purge up to 50 gallons of water a day. Oyster reefs provide important forage and refuge habitat for invertebrates, as well as juvenile crabs and finfish species. VMRC estimates every $1 spent by the state to plant oyster shells yields $7 in economic benefits in the form of larger harvests and increased jobs for oyster harvesters, shuckers, and packing houses.
General Fund appropriations for oyster replenishment funding have ranged from zero to as much as $1.3 million over the past two decades, and have never surpassed the $2 million allocated to the program in the 2014 state budget. The appropriation was proposed by Governor McDonnell and approved by the Virginia General Assembly earlier this year.

“Good fisheries management, prudent investment, and a business-friendly regulatory environment has put us in the most satisfying position of seeing a remarkable resurgence of Virginia’s oyster industry,’’ said Kim Huskey, executive director of the Virginia Seafood Council. “This is very good news, but more work needs to be done.”

2014 VFBF Critical Legislative Issue #5: Virginia Tech Dairy Research Facilities Replacement Funding

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Earlier this month, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation announced its critical legislative issues for 2014. These are the issues Governmental Relations staff believe will be at the forefront during the next year’s General Assembly.  These issues are also discussed at Senatorial District meetings, regional legislative briefings for legislators held across the state during November and December. Each critical issue will be highlighted on Plows and Politics every day this week. If you are a producer member and would like to attend your region’s Senatorial District Meeting, please contact your Field Services Director for dates and locations.

Virginia Farm Bureau is urging legislators to:
  • Continue to support inclusion of $7.6 million for Phase-2 research dairy facilities at Virginia Tech (VT) in the capital expenditure authorization.
A fully functioning, modern dairy complex is an important component of Virginia Tech’s mission of education, research and extension and vital to the Commonwealth’s $960 million dairy industry. Virginia’s dairy farmers look to Virginia Tech to provide the most current research in animal, dairy and veterinary sciences to keep the industry competitive.  Unfortunately, much of Virginia Tech’s dairy compound is deteriorating and badly in need of replacement. 

Most of these research facilities are more than 60 years old and include rotting barns, leaking roofs, makeshift research laboratories and antiquated facilities.  These dairy buildings have long outgrown their usefulness and lifespan. These facilities are not part of the herd barn built in 2004 but are the buildings/facilities surrounding the herd barn that make up the current dairy complex.  The herd barn is being relocated to nearby Kentland Farm and will be paid for by Virginia Tech.  This will be a fully operational modern 230-cow dairy.  The relocation of these facilities is due to an expansion of the airport and the VDOT relocation of the Route 460/Southgate Drive intersection. 

The university is requesting $7.6 million in General Funds from the state to relocate the remaining components of the dairy complex and to replace six dilapidated buildings with three modern research, teaching and extension facilities.  Students, researchers and professors from two departments — dairy science and animal and poultry sciences — as well as the college’s Ag Tech program and Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinarian Medicine — use the dairy complex for teaching and research. Dairy science has been an important part of the university for more than 115 years.

Virginia Tech is one of only three universities in the country that offer a B.S. in dairy sciences, carving out a unique niche for the university and the Commonwealth. The VT Dairy Science Department’s scholarship and external funding place it among the top 25 percent in the country.

Phase 1 (herd barn) will be paid for by Virginia Tech.  Planning funding for Phase 2 was approved by the 2013 General Assembly.  Now, the funding for Phase 2 needs to be continued in the Commonwealth’s capital expenditure authorization process.

2014 VFBF Critical Legislative Issue #4: Private Property and Navigable Waters

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Earlier this month, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation announced its critical legislative issues for 2014. These are the issues Governmental Relations staff believe will be at the forefront during the next year’s General Assembly.  These issues are also discussed at Senatorial District meetings, regional legislative briefings for legislators held across the state during November and December. Each critical issue will be highlighted on Plows and Politics every day this week. If you are a producer member and would like to attend your region’s Senatorial District Meeting, please contact your Field Services Director for dates and locations. 

Virginia Farm Bureau is urging legislators to:
  • Protect the private property rights of landowners by resisting expansion of the term “navigable” to include all waters of the Commonwealth or the United States
  • Maintain a minimal burden of proof of “Crown Grant” properties and their associated rights

 The complex issue of the bottoms of rivers and streams has been debated since the American Revolution.  Prior to that time, the King of England (The Crown) was considered to be the owner of all the land of the colony and its associated rights.  The Crown granted property, the right to use the property, or both.  Following the Revolution, all un-granted and navigable waters were designated waters of the Commonwealth and thereby open to use of the public for commerce and other uses.  Litigation and heated debates have occurred ever since.
The term “navigability” is central to the debate.  It has taken on several meanings especially when used by regulatory agencies to determine the scope of their authority.  To most people, the term means:  “a body of water sufficiently deep or wide to provide passage for vessels.”  Legal definitions extend the definition a bit further to include … “for interstate commerce.”  This definition of navigability brings to mind the types of boats and ships utilized in the deep tidal waters east of the “Fall Line.”  It is the western headwaters of those bodies of water where the disagreement regarding the term causes issues.  The United States Corps of Engineers has designated certain streams “navigable.”  They, too, are considered open for public use unless they were “Crown Grants.” The Granted property retains the private property rights granted to its owner.  With these properties the dispute generally arises regarding proof of the grant and the ability of the public to be aware of its existence. 

The primary source of litigation is a short stretch of the Jackson River.  The construction of Gathwright Dam changed the flow and characteristics of the river.  It became desirable for fishing and recreational canoeing and kayaking.  At the same time technological upgrades to these vessels allowed them to float in minimal water levels which expanded the numbers of desirable streams and rivers for this activity and expanded the conflict.
In recent General Assembly sessions, several bills were introduced to address the conflicts associated with Crown Grants and potentially expand the definition of “navigability.”  Each affected the rights of property owners significantly.  Farm Bureau opposed all the proposed legislation.
One legislative approach was to require a higher level of proof of property owners claiming a “Crown Grant.” It may or may not be a simple process to find and interpret documents that may be up to 400 years old.  An expensive title search will be the likely outcome.  This change increases the cost for proof and the likelihood that a complete link to the original grant will be harder to establish.  Many courthouse fires and other catastrophes have destroyed records. Regardless, this will effect a limited number of property owners since not everyone holds a full “Crown Grant.” 
The 2013 General Assembly requested a study be conducted.  The recommendations of the study included doing nothing, create incentives for landowners to register or open their grant to recreation, increasing the proof level of a grant, required posting, and designating all waters open for recreational use under the common law “Public Use Doctrine.”  Each will have their own consequences, however, it is definite that the longstanding debate will continue.
The second approach was to attempt to declare all “waters of the Commonwealth” navigable for recreational floating and boating.  As you can see this may seem harmless but actually sets the stage for expansion of state and federal authority.  Most landowners consider the creeks and streams that cross their property to be theirs, especially if they only flow certain parts of the year.  Such a designation could be precedent setting for future federally-designated “navigable” streams, which will lead to expanded regulation and loss of private property.
The Clean Water Act (CWA), enacted in 1972, limits federal jurisdiction to “navigable” waters of the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court, in 2001 and 2007, reaffirmed that “navigable waters” under the CWA does not extend to all waters. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through regulations, guidance, and other means, is seeking to expand its authority beyond the limits approved by Congress. We oppose proposals to fundamentally change the CWA by expanding jurisdiction of the federal government to intrastate waters, including groundwater, ditches, culverts, pipes, desert washes, sheet flow, erosional features, farm and stock ponds, and prior converted cropland.

Not matter how it is justified or what level of government executes the policy, an expanded definition of “navigability” will lead to further intrusion by the public and government in to our private property.