Washington - The Environmental Protection Agency and the nation's pork producers have reached an agreement that will allow hog farmers to voluntarily undergo environmental inspections and avoid costly fines for violations.
The agreement reached yesterday between the EPA and the National Pork Producers Council is the first of its kind between EPA and a major sector of agriculture, officials said.
Under the deal, pork producers who have their farms inspected under the NPPC's EPA-approved odor and water quality assessment program will be eligible for reduced penalties for any Clean Water Act violations discovered and corrected.
Before, farmers could be fined as much as $27,000 a day for violations. Under the new system, participating farmers will get a flat fine of no more than $40,000.
"This program is an example of government and industry working together to find common-sense solutions to protect public health and the environment," said EPA Administrator Carol M. Browner.
NPPC President Donna Reifschneider called the deal a "win-win for the environment and producers."
"Problems that would have otherwise gone unnoticed will be corrected, while farmers will have strong incentives for participating," Reifschneider said.
The NPPC is paying for the program with checkoff fees that hog farmers contribute.
The deal comes at a time when hog farms, particularly large operations, have been under fire in some parts of the country. In the November elections, Colorado voters overwhelmingly approved the monitoring of large hog lots to ensure that they meet stringent environmental standards. South Dakota voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing only family-controlled farms to operate in the state.
The NPPC has established a team of farm inspectors, also approved by the EPA. The team members include public employees, engineers, university faculty members and private consultants.
Officials hope to see more than 12,000 farms participate in the program over the next three years.
The nation's hog farms are concentrated in Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Ohio.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
Return to Home Page