The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), along with other farm organizations and key lawmakers, expressed extreme disappointment last week about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) plan to reverse the current Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) and develop another new definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) to “balance public health, environmental protection, agricultural activity and economic growth.”

“Farmers are committed to water quality efforts and preserving the land; however, they need clarity and certainty in rules to do that,” said Craig Hill, a Warren County farmer and IFBF president, “This proposed action would inject confusion and unnecessary burdens on farm families by making it impossible to understand what farmers can and cannot do on their land.”

Any changes to the rule, Hill said, must consider the...