Farm Bureau: EPA Action Threatens to Harm Family Farms

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 1999 Ð A young farm leader told Congress today that actions announced by the Environmental Protection Agency this week regarding agriculture chemicals have the potential to cause severe economic harm to many farm and ranch families.

"Our food supply is safe and our ability to produce the safest, most abundant and affordable food on Earth is unequaled," said Kevin Gardner, chairman of the American Farm Bureau Federation's Young Farmer and Rancher Committee. "Our regulatory system is the most rigorous in the world and yet that system, as it is currently being administered, threatens to do serious economic harm to family farms in this country, with no increase in consumer safety."

Testifying before a House Agriculture subcommittee regarding implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act, Gardner said, "Monday's actions give me great concern because of the lack of any coherent objective or science-driven process."

Kevin and his wife, Glenna, are parents of four young children and operate a corn, wheat, soybean, tobacco and alfalfa hay farm in Barren County, Ky. Gardner explained, "As a younger member of the farming community and an individual now only beginning to invest in the business of food production, I need to be assured that safe crop protection tools I depend on will be available to me when I need them. (more)

"Starting out in farming is not an inexpensive undertaking," Gardner said. "It involves a substantial amount of investment and risk. My creditors are relying on me to produce a product that has value in order to return their investment. I plan to farm for years to come. I also plan to support my family with a farm income and supply consumers with a safe and affordable product. And, as far as children's safety, my wife and I shop at the same grocery stores and serve to our children the same foods that any member of the public would buy."

The young farmer reminded the members of Congress that a year ago Vice President Gore issued a memorandum with four basic principles to guide the implementation of FQPA: sound science, transparency, transition for agriculture, and public input.

"We welcomed that attempt to establish a rational meaningful process," Gardner said. "Until recently it seemed to be succeeding in bringing some order to a very complex and difficult task. I believe the four principles are sound and based on common sense.

"Our society derives significant benefits from the safe use of pesticides on farms and in the community at large. But over a year and half after the vice president's memorandum, and the first deadline, not a single science policy paper has been finalized. How can the agency make fair pesticide risk assessments at the same time they are still seeking public comment for that same process? Without these policies can anyone possibly understand the process?"

Gardner said Farm Bureau supports bipartisan legislation (H.R. 1592 and S. 1464) to ensure fair and science-based FQPA implementation FQPA.

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