The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, along with other commodity organizations and the state’s lawmakers, applauded the Trump administration’s new water rule to provide a new, and clearer, definition of what constitutes a water of the United States.

The new Navigable Waters Protection rule, announced last week by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is designed to protect the nation's primary waters from pollution while encouraging economic growth across the country. “The EPA and the Army are providing much needed regulatory certainty and predictability for American farmers, landowners and businesses to support the economy and accelerate critical infrastructure projects,” said An­­d­rew Wheeler, EPA administrator. 

Respecting states' rights

The rule, the agencies said, also respects and ensures that states have the certainty to manage...