Votes to stop government requirement on farmers to track gas emissions from manure

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Phil Roe, M.D. (TN-1), a Member of the House Agriculture Committee, voted to pass an amendment offered by Congressman Tom Latham (IA-R) that will prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from implementing a rule requiring farmers to report greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems, a proposal that would drive up input costs for farmers while providing no tangible environmental benefits. This passed the U.S. House of Representatives under a Motion to Instruct Conferees by a vote of 267-147.

The EPA proposal was authorized in a one-sentence provision slipped into the 2008 omnibus appropriations bill that directed the agency to develop and publish a rule requiring mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions in sectors throughout the economy. That one-sentence authorization produced the 285-page rule that proposed the new federal mandate for farmers. Unveiled in March, the proposed regulation would require animal operations to report emissions from manure management systems, potentially saddling farmers with the high costs associated with monitoring the emissions.

“The federal government does a lot of crazy things, but forcing farmers to track gas emissions from animal manure is over the top,” said Roe. “This totally misguided policy will only serve to drive up costs for farmers and provide an abundance of new material for late night comedians.”

 The EPA had estimated that the emissions ruling would affect between 40 and 50 of the largest livestock operations in the country, but agriculture organizations have disputed those numbers. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has estimated that the rule would impact up to 130 cattle facilities, without taking into account pork and poultry operations. The Iowa Farm Bureau estimates the ruling could impact 26 poultry plants in Iowa alone. Producers have also questioned the EPA’s claim that the rule would cost each affected facility $900 to implement.

The price of equipment to measure methane can cost as much as $15,000 and requires trained personnel to operate and maintain. Roe stated that large animal operations must take seriously their duty to protect the environment, but he noted that the EPA proposal contains no mechanism to improve manure management practices.