One issue that motivated me to run for office all those years ago was frustration with government’s growing intrusion into private citizens’ lives. Not only has that issue worsened under years of Democrat control of the executive branch, but a secondary issue has emerged: activist groups using the levers of government to go after private individuals.
Last fall, southeast Minnesota got an up-close view of what this looks like, when the federal Environmental Protection Agency conducted two surprise inspections of dairy farms at the behest of a number of environmental activist groups.
These inspections have sparked considerable controversy. Rep. Pam Altendorf, Rep. Steve Jacob, and I immediately condemned them.
The inspections were prompted by a petition from 11 environmental groups claiming excessive nitrate levels in the region’s drinking water. Yet only 3 of these groups are actually local – the rest are based in Minneapolis or Washington D.C. They appear to have a political agenda beyond simple environmentalism, given their ties to progressive politics and Democrat PACs.
The quality of our drinking water is obviously important. You won’t find anyone who disagrees with that. But the heavy-handed approach taken by the EPA, at the urging of anti-agriculture activist groups, sets a precedent that should trouble private citizens everywhere.
Demanding access to private farms without warning is provocative, to say the least. A better procedure would have been to first collect substantive data showing a definite problem originating from these farms. However, the EPA instead seems to have skipped straight to enforcement mode without sufficient evidence.
The causes of increased nitrates can vary greatly by region. The issue demands careful study and fact-gathering before laying blame. To target dairy farms specifically from the start suggests a rush to judgment. If we are to “follow the science” as environmentalists urge, then science requires objectively collecting and analyzing data first.
Farmers today utilize cutting-edge technologies allowing for better environmental stewardship than ever before. Having grown up on a farm and worked closely with hundreds more as an extension educator, I have witnessed firsthand the improvements in these practices. Farm families drink the same water and breathe the same air as the rest of us – they have every incentive to farm responsibly.
Rather than inspections based on allegations by activists with an agenda, what’s needed is an open discussion grounded in facts. We must determine whether current farming methods may actually be lowering nitrate levels over time. Unfortunately, these activists likely realize scare tactics represent their best chance to push more regulations on family farms.
On January 12, 2024, the Minnesota Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, and Pollution Control Agency jointly issued a work plan to address the EPA’s concerns. At first glance, the plan appears reasonable: Namely, it currently only calls for voluntary water testing and provides resources for at-risk homeowners with contaminated wells.
However, I remain concerned about additional overreach down the road. We have all seen mission creep from government agencies time and again. There is legitimate concern this could eventually lead to forced inspection programs and costly mandates on farmers to adopt certain practices.
Here in Southeast Minnesota, the farming community is tightly knit with the non-farming population through generations of families and friendships. Rather than heavy-handed government intervention, the best way forward is to gather all the facts first and then have an open dialogue with the community.
Let’s resist letting outside political activists drive a wedge between neighbors. We can strike a balance between continuing our robust agricultural tradition and keeping our water clean for all.