Ohio Farmer Highlights 4Rs Before House Subcommittee

Source: The Fertilizer Institute

On May 17, the House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held a hearing titled, “Focus on the Farm Economy: Impacts of Environmental Regulations and Voluntary Conservation Solutions.” The purpose of the hearing was to highlight the potential impacts of environmental regulation on voluntary conservation solutions.

Terry McClure, president of McClure Farms LLF, in Grover Hill, Ohio, cited the positive impacts of 4R Nutrient Stewardship and the 4R Certification program in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB).

In reference to 4R efforts in the WLEB launched in 2012, McClure stated, “Farmers began implementing these voluntary 4R measures on their farms as a win-win proposition of reducing fertilizer costs while continuing to be good stewards of the environment.” Click here to view McClure’s full testimony.

Chairman Glenn Thompson emphasized the importance of combining the innovation of farmers in achieving goals for the health of our nation’s resources with a focus on science and the exploration of alternative, non-regulatory, voluntary conservation methods. Ranking Member Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) discussed the importance of clean water to ensure the livelihood of farmers is sustained as well as the necessity for all regulations to be straightforward, affordable, and supportive of farmers.

Click here to view additional witness testimony and for more information about the hearing.