Water Quality Rules

Water Quality Rules. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

Water quality was the topic of a meeting earlier this week. The issue is what is being described as a one size-fits-all approach according to Andrew Malcom with Representative Greg Walden from Oregon.

MALCOM: Greg has heard many concerns from growers, especially onion growers in Eastern Oregon about these new water quality rules that the FDA is drafting. And it was something he wanted to take to the highest levels of the FDA to make sure they understood the concerns of growers because sometimes as you know these rule writers in Washington DC they get going. That’s what rule writers get paid to do, they write rules and they get going on something and they don’t stop and think how is this actually - have we talked to anyone who actually has to implement these rules to see how this is affecting people on the ground.

Congressman Walden organized the meeting with 5 other Representatives, a couple of FDA employees and Congressman Fred Upton who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee who has oversight over the FDA.

MALCOM: So we had a good discussion with them. The FDA agreed to listen to these concerns and they’re actually going to be traveling to the northwest next month to meet with growers who are concerned directly so we are very pleased about that.

The biggest concern is over potential testing of water for e. coli and other threats that have not been a concern before and could create extra costs and issues for various growers in the northwest.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.