The EPA is looking to end plans for reducing wastewater at meat and poultry processing plants, citing concerns that many operations could not afford to make the necessary upgrades.
The effort to reduce wastewater discharges came from the Biden administration, but a study by the EPA shows that as many as sixteen meat plants would be forced to close if the rules went into effect.
A summary of the decision says that the plan would have had significant impacts on the nation’s food supply and pricing.
Jobs would also be on the line too.
The EPA warns that upward of 25,000 Americans would be forced out of work if the agency went forward on the proposal.
Meat groups are backing the EPA’s move.
The National Pork Producers Council says that it applauds the administration’s decision, saying that rules in the Clean Water Act are effective enough and that any other changes would be harmful to processors.
Leaders of that group say that the decision now closes nearly two years of waiting for an answer.
As cattle producers continue to navigate labor constraints and rising production demands, innovation in handling systems will remain a key driver of the industry’s long-term efficiency and safety goals.
Steven McBee Jr. of McBee Farm & Cattle Company joins us to discuss the family farm crisis, producer mental health, cattle industry challenges, farmland preservation, and the role of agriculture in popular media.
Oklahoma State University extension specialist Todd Hubbs joins us for an update on wheat harvest conditions in his state and the key factors shaping marketing decisions.
Laura Priest with the Center for Rural Affairs joins us to discuss solar development trends and opportunities for agriculture and renewable energy production to coexist.
Kansas farmer and friend of RFD-TV John Jenkinson joins us to discuss wheat crop conditions, regional variability, producer financial concerns, and the outlook for the growing season across Kansas.
South Texas ranchers and vets warn that labor pressures will make monitoring for New World screwworm difficult across large cattle operations.
