Greenhouse Regulation Disapproval Resolutions Supported

March 8, 2010

The Honorable Ike Skelton
The Honorable Joe Barton
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Skelton and Barton:

The agricultural organizations listed below support your introduction of resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act regarding the decision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to move forward on regulating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act (CAA).  Such regulatory actions will carry severe consequences for the U.S. economy, including America’s farmers and ranchers, through increased input costs and international market disparities.

Both the current and past Administrations have acknowledged that the CAA is not the appropriate vehicle for establishing greenhouse gas policy.  However, this EPA finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare will trigger CAA regulatory actions such as application of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, New Source Performance Standards, and provisions of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Title V programs, essentially establishing greenhouse gas policy through the CAA by default.  The compliance costs for these CAA programs would be overwhelming as millions of entities, including farms and ranches, would be subject to burdensome CAA regulations.  While EPA has attempted to craft a “tailoring rule” to ease such a burden, our experience in these matters is that attempts to administratively relax environmental requirements are routinely challenged in court.

The EPA rule itself claims to establish only a weak, indirect link between greenhouse gases and public health and welfare, going so far as to admit there are uncertainties over the net, direct health impacts of the greenhouse gases it is attempting to regulate.  Further, EPA Administrator Jackson recently acknowledged that unilateral actions by the United States would have no material impact on global warming. China and India, two of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, continue to reject any verifiable reduction measures.  Without an effective international agreement on emission reductions, unilateral action by the U.S. only serves to further damage our economy and encourage businesses to relocate. EPA's finding puts the agricultural economy at grave risk based on allegations of a weak, indirect link to public health and welfare and despite the lack of any environmental benefit.

For these reasons, we strongly support your efforts to prevent EPA from moving forward with its endangerment finding and urge House approval of your resolution as introduced.

Sincerely,

Alabama Soybean Association
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Feed Industry Association
American Hereford Association
American Mushroom Institute
American National CattleWomen
American Sheep Industry Association
American Soybean Association
American Sugar Alliance
American Sugarbeet Growers Association
American Veal Association
Arizona Cattle Feeders Association
Arizona Cotton Ginners Association
Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association
Arkansas Rice Federation
Arkansas Soybean Association
Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Blue Diamond Growers
California Cattlemen's Association
California Citrus Mutual
California Cotton Ginners Association
California Cotton Growers Association
California Floral Council
California Grape & Tree Fruit League
Colorado Cattlemen’s Association
Colorado Livestock Association
Continental Dairy Products, Inc.
Corn Producers Association of Texas
Cotton and Grain Producers of the Lower Rio Grande Valley
Cotton Warehouse Association of America
Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
Delta Council
Exotic Wildlife Association
Florida Cattlemen’s Association
Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association
Georgia Cattlemen's Association
Georgia Cotton Commission
Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
Grain and Feed Association of Illinois
Idaho Cattlemen’s Association
Illinois Beef Association
Independent Cattlemen’s Association of Texas
Iowa Cattlemen's Association
Iowa Soybean Association
Kansas Cotton Association
Kansas Livestock Association
Kansas Soybean Association
Kentucky Soybean Association
Louisiana Cotton and Grain Association
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
Louisiana Rice Producers’ Group
Louisiana Rice Growers Association
Maryland Cattlemen’s Association
Michigan Cattlemen's Association
Michigan Soybean Association
Minnesota Corn Growers Association
Minnesota Soybean Association
Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association
Missouri Soybean Association
Montana Stockgrower’s Association
National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Barley Growers Association
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
National Chicken Council
National Corn Growers Association
National Cotton Council
National Cotton Ginners Association
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
National Grain and Feed Association
National Milk Producers Federation
National Renderers Association
National Pork Producers Council
National Potato Council
National Sorghum Producers
National Sunflower Association
National Turkey Federation
Nebraska Cattlemen
Nebraska Corn Growers Association
Nebraska Dry Bean Growers Association
Nebraska Pork Producers
Nebraska Soybean Association
Nebraska Sugar Beet Growers
Nebraska Wheat Board
Nebraska Wheat Growers Association
Nevada Cattlemen's Association
New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association
New Mexico Federal Lands Council
New Mexico Wool Growers, Inc.
New York Beef Processors
Nisei Farmers League
North Carolina Cattlemen's Association
North Carolina Cotton Producers Association
North Carolina Peanut Growers Association
North Dakota Soybean Association
North Dakota Stockmen’s Association
Ohio Cattlemen’s Association
Ohio Soybean Association
Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association
Oklahoma Cotton Council
Oklahoma Grain & Feed Association
Oregon Association of Nurseries
Oregon Cattlemen’s Association
Peanut Growers Cooperative Marketing Association
Pennsylvania Cattlemen's Association
Pennsylvania Cattlewomen’s Association
Pennsylvania Center for Beef Excellence
Plains Cotton Growers, Inc.
Rolling Plains Cotton Growers
St. Lawrence Cotton Growers
SJV Quality Cotton Growers Association
Sandyland Water Conservation District
Society of American Florists
South Dakota Agri-Business Association
South Dakota Farm Bureau
South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association
South Dakota Grain & Feed Association
Southeast Cotton Ginners Association
South East Dairy Farmers Association
Southeastern Livestock Network
South Texas Cotton and Grain Association, Inc.
Southern Cotton Growers
Southern Peanut Farmers Federation
Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association, Inc.
Southwest Council of Agribusiness
Sunkist Growers
Tennessee Soybean Association
Texas Agriculture Cooperative Council
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
Texas Association of Agricultural Consultants
Texas Association of Dairymen
Texas Cattle Feeders Association
Texas Citrus Mutual
Texas Cotton Ginner Association
Texas Cotton Producers
Texas Independent Ginners Association
Texas Food Producers Association
Texas Forestry Association
Texas Grain & Feed Association
Texas Grain Sorghum Producers Association
Texas Nursery and Landscape Association
Texas Pest Management Association
Texas Pork Producers
Texas Poultry Federation
Texas Rice Producers Legislative Group
Texas Seed Trade Association
Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers Association
Texas Soybean Association
Texas Vegetable Association
Texas Wheat Producers Association
Texas Wildlife Association
The Family Farm Alliance
The Fertilizer Institute
Turfgrass Producers of Texas
United Dairymen of Arizona
United Egg Association
United Egg Producers
United Fresh Produce Association
United States Beet Sugar Association
U.S. Apple Association
U.S. Canola Association
U.S. Rice Producers Association
USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council
USA Rice Federation
Utah Cattlemen’s Association
Virginia Cattlemen's Association
Virginia Cotton Growers Association
Virginia Peanut Growers Association
Western Agricultural Processors Association
Western Growers
Western Peanut Growers Association
Western United Dairymen
Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association
Wisconsin Soybean Association
Wyoming Stock Growers Association

cc:  Chairman Collin Peterson, House Committee on Agriculture
       Rep. Jo Ann Emerson