AgriTalk: What Would You Say To EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt?

One of the questions posed to guests on AgriTalk’s Farmer Forum today was “If given the opportunity, what would you say to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.”

It is a question that a lot of farmers have at least contemplated, but very few have had the opportunity. After Pruitt visited an ethanol refinery in Kansas on Tuesday, AgriTalk host Chip Flory was interested in what the guests had to say. Regulations and regulation rollbacks seemed to be at the top of their minds

“Less government inclusion is a good thing in my mind,” said Chad Leman, a pork producer in Illinois. “We get so used to the environmental crowd or the animal crowd trying to impose their will on farmers, that it’s a breath of fresh air to have the other side of it come on top once and a while.”

His thoughts were largely echoed by Randy Urhmacher, a producer from Nebraska, but would focus his hypothetical time on ethanol.

“I would like to try and have a conversation with him about some of the ethanol stuff he is doing,” said Leman. “ I’d like to see the exemptions be eliminated and help things go the  way they were supposed to.”

Finally to round things out Michelle Jones, president of the Montana Grain Growers Association, said she’d give him an earful.

“I’d tell him the industry is happy to see some of the rollbacks in regulations,” said Jones. “But there are also concerns about how he is handling the Renewable Fuels Standard. I think that is a conversation that any farmer, that was involved and had the opportunity, would give him an earful.”

The group also discussed trade policies, crop conditions, and much more.

Click on the Player Below for the Full AgriTalk Conversation