Michigan Farmers Back Walberg's Flexibility to Farm Act

Press Release

Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-07) introduced the Flexibility to Farm Act today to protect farmers from EPA overreach and restore common sense to farm regulations. H.R. 1993 would allow individual states to opt-out of regulations stemming from the Clear Air Act and Clean Water Act if the state's governor finds them to be excessively burdensome to the farming community. The legislation is supported by farmers across the 7th District and also the Michigan Farm Bureau. During an agriculture tour earlier this month, Walberg visited farms across Jackson and Monroe Counties to hear firsthand from Michigan farmers.

"When the EPA wants to regulate mud puddles, it's clear the agency is wading into territory that goes far beyond reasonable environmental protection and only adds more red-tape for Michigan farmers. The Flexibility to Farm Act gives states more say in the decision-making process so they can develop policies that appropriately balances maintaining a healthy environment and helping farmers successfully manage their farms," said Congressman Walberg.

"I applaud Congressman Walberg for introducing the Flexibility to Farm Act. Farmers work in an environment of constant uncertainty from Mother Nature, commodity markets, input costs, and the always-shifting regulatory landscape. Allowing states ability to weigh in on new regulations and proposals from agencies like the EPA would help minimize those uncertainties and leave more decision-making in the hands of people here in Michigan," said Doug Darling, a farmer from Monroe County and member of the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

"Giving states the ability to review new federal-level environmental regulation and estimate their impact on farmers just makes common sense. Farmers rely on clean natural resources--air, water and soil. We can't feed a growing world without them," said Jennifer Lewis, a farmer from Hillsdale County and member of Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

"Farmers across the country work in a variety of different environments, each with unique needs and challenges. Rule-makers in Washington should listen to the states about their concerns and how proposed new regulations would affect their area. This bill will help states do just that," said Brian Preston, a farmer from Branch County.

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