Page 84 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK

AFBF Policies – Page 28
4.1.6. National legislation to ban Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) because of water quality concerns raised in scientific studies;
4.1.7. State governments be given primary authority and responsibility to respond to agriculturally contaminated groundwater with site specific recommendations to the producer to mitigate contamination. Such a response should involve coordinating all appropriate and necessary resources available to the state to make the determination. The state agriculture departments, where possible, should serve as a lead agency;
4.1.8.
4.1.9.
That regulations adopted to prevent pesticide contamination take into account the geological differences of our nation as well as regional agricultural practices, thus allowing the most economical and practical method of contamination prevention; EPA and state government authority to require chemical registrants to conduct groundwater monitoring programs in support of their products and as a condition for registration or reregistration. Monitoring must be tied to the development of groundwater standards;
4.1.10. Emphasis be placed on the protection of current and potential potable groundwater. Recognition should be that all groundwater cannot be expected to be potable and should not be subject to the same degree of protection;
4.1.11. The replacement of salt as a deicer on roads, bridges and highways with the alternative products calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) and other agriculturally based products;
4.1.12. We encourage the inclusion of environmental concerns as well as damage to road surfaces, bridges and vehicles as a part of overall cost considerations when comparing salt to CMA as a deicing agent;
4.1.13. Increased research by USDA, in the use of computer modeling, to predict pesticide migration. Cooperative Extension Service offices and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) District offices should develop capability to assist agricultural producers in making site specific use decisions;
4.1.14. Liability for groundwater contamination caused by pesticides be based on levels supported by competent, scientific evidence that show actual harm to human health;
4.1.15. The federal government underwrite groundwater liability insurance much in the same manner that it currently underwrites floodplain insurance; and
4.1.16.Re-evaluation of P.L. 83-566 (NRCS small watershed program) and its emphasis on flood control projects and consideration of its use in the water quality of watersheds and public water supplies.
4.2. We oppose:
4.2.1. EPA arbitrarily lowering maximum arsenic levels in rural water
systems because a lower level will substantially increase the
costs to rural water users;
4.2.2. Legislation that would regulate the sale and use of nitrogen
fertilizers;
4.2.3. The enactment of federal legislation that would place either
civil or criminal liability on farmers and ranchers for following generally accepted agricultural practices, including label instructions;
4.2.4. Linking farm program benefits with well testing and groundwater contamination concerns; and
4.2.5. State or federal legislation that would place a presumption of liability upon farmers or ranchers for pollution of public or private water supplies near agricultural operations.
5. Nonpoint Source Management
5.1. Locally administered programs are better able to achieve the goals
of the CWA. The CWA does not give EPA authority over nonpoint
source pollution controls. This authority lies with individual states.
5.2. Any watershed management plan should include among its goals
and objectives the preservation of agricultural productivity and the
livelihood of farm families in the watershed.
5.3. We support: