Rep. Boozman Asks Questions for Farmers

Rep. Boozman Asks Questions for Farmers
Participates in Livestock and Horticulture Field Hearing

Representative John Boozman (R-AR) joined Third District farmers Monday at a field hearing of the House Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture, held on the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.

Boozman, a member of the Congressional Rural Caucus, joined House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Subcommittee Chairman Robin Hayes (R-NC), and Missouri Republican Rep. Jo Ann Emerson.

Congressman Boozman asked the panel questions about issues that are of particular concern to Arkansas farmers, including implementation of a National Animal Identification System (NAIS), increased production of renewable energy, implementation of conservation programs and the threat farmers face from frivolous lawsuits, such as lawsuits claiming manure is a hazardous waste.

"I had my Agriculture Tour in Arkansas a few weeks ago, where I met with farmers about the challenges they are facing, including higher energy costs, higher interest rates and lower commodity prices."

Regarding the NAIS, Boozman said "It seems like there's a disconnect between some of our leaders in Washington and the producers on the ground who need information on what a proposed NAIS would look like."

NAIS is a USDA-initiated program which is a cooperative State-Federal-industry partnership to standardize and expand animal identification programs and practices to all livestock species and poultry. Currently, the program is voluntary.

The FY2007 House Agriculture Appropriations bill includes language, supported by Congressman Boozman that will require the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide detailed information on the proposed NAIS to Congress and producers. This requirement will allow Congress to mandate changes to the system to address any potential concerns.

"We may need a way to trace disease outbreaks in order to ensure market access for our products, and if it's structured properly, it could be an economic benefit to our farmers. But any NAIS that is implemented must ensure confidentiality of producers' information, protect producers from excessive liability, and not place a heavy financial burden, especially on small and medium sized producers."

On frivolous lawsuits, Boozman is a cosponsor of H.R. 4341, a bill to amend Superfund which would protect farmers by providing that manure is no longer considered a hazardous substance, and has worked closely with other members of Congress to advance a solution to this problem.

Currently, poultry farmers in Arkansas are being sued the Oklahoma Attorney General, who claims manure should be covered by federal statutes dealing with hazardous waste.

"Those of us that visit farms throughout the Third District, and have friends that are in the poultry business, do not consider them hazardous waste dumps," Boozman said. "Common sense dictates manure is not what the authors of the Act meant to deal with."

http://boozman.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=49191