Edward Schafer on Jobs Former Democratic ND Governor

State instead of federal rules for animal operations.

• WHEREAS, Midwestern governors have undertaken successful partnerships with the agricultural community in their respective states to promote sustainable agriculture, address water quality and public health impacts as the result of farming activities, and promote common-sense stewardship of farmland and natural resources; and
• WHEREAS, The members of the Midwestern Governors’ Conference support the guiding principles and goals of the Unified National Strategy for Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) released by USDA and EPA, but are concerned that the Strategy is too prescriptive, permit oriented, and emphasizes process over environmental performance; now, therefore be it
• RESOLVED, That the Midwestern Governors’ Conference supports the implementation of a national AFO strategy which allows states to implement functionally equivalent alternative programs that result in meeting national environmental performance standards, and such alternative state programs should include nutrient management plans, technical and financial assistance, proactive inspections, complaint response and enforcement, and statewide water quality monitoring; and be it further
• RESOLVED, That State programs, including permit, non-permit, and voluntary compliance programs, must be allowed to operate in lieu of the federal Strategy, so long as these alternative State programs include the above elements and meet national environmental performance standards.