NCBA Secures Victory in Court to Shield Cattle Farmers from Emissions Reporting
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) recently secured a significant legal win in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. This victory protects cattle farmers and ranchers from burdensome and unnecessary air emissions reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
For years, the NCBA, along with other livestock and farm groups, has fought in court to ensure that family farmers and ranchers would not be forced to comply with the complex, far-reaching requirements of these laws. The ruling upholds an exemption issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2019, which was further confirmed in the 2018 Farm Bill. This exemption shields cattle producers from the requirement to report emissions caused by natural, biological processes like those on family farms and ranches.
“CERCLA and EPCRA were intended to address the worst industrial and toxic chemicals, not govern family farms and ranches. This decision affirms that family cattle producers should not have to file reports for a natural, biological process under a law meant for significant chemical contaminants,” said NCBA Executive Director of Natural Resources Kaitlynn Glover. “NCBA stepped up to protect family farms and ranches through this litigation and we are pleased that the federal district court has brought clarity to this decades-long discussion."
This ruling comes as part of the ongoing efforts to protect family farms from efforts by animal rights activists to impose stricter regulations. The victory ensures that cattle producers are not unfairly targeted by laws intended for far more severe environmental hazards.
By upholding the EPA’s reporting exemption, the court has brought clarity to a debate that has lasted for decades. This decision strengthens the protection of family farms and ranches across the country.
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