Page 12 - Sep302021

The Midwest Cattleman · September 30, 2021 · P12
KLA, NCBA PARTICIPATE IN WOTUS MEETING
KLA staff and NCBA, KLA AND OTHERS PRESSURE
NCBA leadership re- CONGRESS TO PROTECT FAMILY FARMS
cently participated AND RANCHES
in a community out- NCBA spearheaded a let- a partisan issue; in fact, it’s
reach meeting held ter to U.S. House Ways and an issue that affects every
by the Environmen- Means and U.S. Senate Fi- single American. With more
tal Protection Agen- nance Committee leadership than 370 million acres ex-
cy (EPA) on how it urging them to consider the pected to change hands in the
should proceed with implications that changes to next two decades, preserving
changes to the defini- federal tax policy will have long-standing provisions in
tion of “waters of the on family-owned agricultural the federal tax code is a win-
U.S.” (WOTUS). EPA groups demanded NWPR be businesses. Signed by nearly win situation for producers
previously had announced immediately repealed and 330 national, regional and and consumers alike.”
its intent to revoke the nav- replaced with wide-sweeping state trade associations, in- Some federal tax poli-
igable waters protection rule federal authority over almost cluding KLA, the letter sent cy proposals have been ac-
(NWPR) and replace it with all water features. These a strong message to Capitol companied by the promise
a new Clean Water Act ju- groups’ statements were not Hill that when drafting leg- of purported protections to
risdictional rule. NWPR was grounded in law and were islation to implement Pres- family-owned businesses.
finalized under the Trump based on dubious facts, but ident Biden's “Build Back However, those accommo-
administration to replace the it was clear they hold sway Better” agenda, it is critical dations may not necessarily
2015 Obama WOTUS rule. with the Biden administra- the “American Families Plan” apply to the diverse complex-
During the August 31 vir- tion. supports family farms and ity of ownership structures
tual outreach session, KLA KLA and NCBA had ranches. across agricultural entities.
staff, along with NCBA Vice worked with the Trump ad- “Congress must consid- Therefore, the letter stressed
President Todd Wilkinson ministration to craft NWPR, er the complex structure of the only way to ensure the
and staff from Nebraska which provided clear jurisdic- family-owned agricultural future viability of family
Cattlemen and the Florida tional boundaries for farmers businesses that serve as the farms and ranches is to fully
Cattlemen’s Association, pro- and ranchers. NWPR adhered backbone of rural economies; preserve critical provisions
vided statements in opposi- to Supreme Court precedent, therefore, understand how such as stepped-up basis,
tion of repealing NWPR. The empowered states to manage changes to long-standing like-kind exchanges and the
group also made clear if a water bodies, solidified im- provisions in the tax code Section 199A small business
new rule is proposed, it must portant agricultural exemp- could be detrimental to the deduction and maintain the
maintain the NWPR exclu- tions and eliminated federal financial viability of these current estate tax code pro-
sion of ephemeral streams control over isolated water businesses as they transfer visions.
and exemptions for stock bodies that do not contribute to the next generation,” said KLA
ponds and prior converted to downstream water quality. NCBA Senior Executive Di-
cropland. KLA and NCBA will work ag- rector of Government Affairs
Other participants in the gressively against its repeal. Danielle Beck. “This is not
session ranged from agri- However, if it is repealed,
business, mining and con- both organizations will work
struction interests to com- to ensure any revisions re-
munity activists and radical spect private property rights.
environmental groups. Pre-
dictably, the environmental KLA

NCBA CALLS agriculture sources by incen-
continued from page 3 tivizing the deployment of im-
proved manure management
sion is also working to accel- systems, anaerobic digesters,
erate the uptake of mitiga- new livestock feeds, compost-
tion technologies through the ing, and other practices,” the
wider deployment of ‘carbon White House said.
farming’ in European Union In a news release, NCBA NCBA Vice President of food. This happens due to the
Member States and through urged the Biden administra- Government Affairs Ethan cow’s specialized ruminant
their Common Agricultural tion to maintain an open dia- Lane said, “We’ve engaged digestive system, which al-
Policy Strategic Plans, and to logue with experts in agricul- with the Biden administra- lows cattle to consume grass-
promote biomethane produc- ture and said to achieve the tion since Day One to ensure es which grow on marginal
tion from agricultural waste goal of curbing global meth- the U.S. cattle industry is rec- land that would be otherwise
and residues,” according to ane emissions by 2030 “the ognized for our strong record unusable for growing food.
the release. administration will need the of environmental stewardship The gas breaks down in the
“At the president’s urging voluntary participation, sci- and that our voice, and our atmosphere in 9-12 years, is
and in partnership with U.S. entific research and practical priorities, are heard loud and sequestered in soil and grass-
farmers and ranchers, the U.S. knowledge of U.S. cattle pro- clear. The administration can- es, and then consumed by ru-
Department of Agriculture is ducers.” not accomplish lasting conser- minant animals as part of a
working to significantly ex- NCBA noted last month vation without the buy-in of natural grazing cycle.”
pand the voluntary adoption that the U.S. cattle industry cattle producers.” –The Hagstrom Report
of climate-smart agriculture will be working to demon- In the release, NCBA ex-
practices that will reduce strate climate neutrality by plained, “Cattle emit meth-
methane emissions from key 2040. ane when they digest their