The American Farm Bureau Federation recently produced a video highlighting the struggles a farmer in California, which is currently facing years’ long severe drought, and the Army Corps of Engineers who enforce water regulations.
The video shows how water regulations will become much worse with consequences because of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.
John Duarte, a fourth-generation tree, vine and wheat grower and member of the Farm Bureau in California, was told he was breaking the law by the Army Corps of Engineers because he plowed his land. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), normal farming like Duarte is doing is exempt from the law. But there are loopholes that the Corps and EPA are jumping through to punish farmers.
“The Corps and EPA aren’t trying to micromanage farmers. They’re trying to stop farmers,” Duarte said. “They’re trying to turn our farm land into habitat preservation. They’re simply trying to chase us off of our land.”
Duarte took his case to court and was met with a countersuit from the U.S. Justice Department which is now seeking millions in penalties from Duarte because he plowed his land.
“Anyone who’s being told not to worry about the new WOTUS rule, they should be thinking about this case,” Tony Francois, a Pacific Legal Foundation attorney representing Duarte, said. “The very thing they are telling you not to worry about is what they are suing Duarte over – just plowing.”
The three minute video can be found at http://fbvideos.org.
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