Federal agency warns state officials to stay within their jurisdiction after actions against ranchers raise alarms about overreach
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has raised concerns over Washington state regulators’ recent actions targeting cattle producers, issuing a formal warning that state-level enforcement must stay within federal jurisdictional limits.
In a letter to the Washington Department of Ecology and the Department of Natural Resources, EPA Regional Administrator Emma Pokon cautioned that state agencies may be overstepping their legal authority in actions affecting livestock operations.
The EPA emphasized that stock watering ponds—long recognized as essential infrastructure for ranching—fall within established federal guidelines. Pokon warned that state efforts interfering with their maintenance “appear to be impeding producers’ ability to earn a livelihood and contribute to the nation’s food supply.”
The warning comes after controversial enforcement actions taken against King Ranch, a long-standing cattle operation in Washington state. Regulators had targeted the ranch over the maintenance of its historic stock watering ponds, prompting backlash from producers and agricultural organizations.
Federal involvement escalated in late 2025 when U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins intervened, expressing concerns about regulatory overreach and signaling that the USDA was prepared to withhold federal funding if necessary.
R-CALF USA, which has been vocal in its opposition to what it describes as rising regulatory pressure on independent producers, said the King Ranch case is part of a wider trend.
According to the organization, the actions taken in Washington reflect “a broader pattern of regulatory abuse aimed at driving family ranches out of business.”
R-CALF USA Property Rights Chair Shad Sullivan welcomed the EPA’s intervention, saying the agency’s warning highlights the need for accountability among state agencies administering federally overseen programs.
“EPA’s warning reinforces the need for accountability when states administer federally overseen programs and sends a clear message that state agencies cannot stretch environmental authority beyond its limits to target private property and ranching families,” Sullivan said.
“We must bring an end to regulatory lawfare that threatens private property rights, food security and the survival of independent producers.”
The situation continues to unfold, but the EPA’s strong stance signals growing federal scrutiny of how environmental regulations are being interpreted and enforced at the state level—especially when those actions may jeopardize agricultural livelihoods and the security of the nation’s food supply.
Photo Credit: Pxels - Лев Рогожников