Aug 15, 2023NPC, 10 state potato groups express concern about proposed EPA program
The National Potato Council joined 10 state potato organizations in filing comments expressing concern about proposed EPA’s proposed Vulnerable Listed (Endangered and Threatened) Species Pilot Program, including proposed mitigations, an implementation plan and possible program expansion.
The proposed program creates pilot projects for 27 identified endangered species protected by the Endangered Species Act and identifies specific mitigation measures that must be followed in regions of the country where the species are known. States included in the pilot for one or more endangered or threatened species include Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
While recognizing the EPA’s intent to streamline the Endangered Species Act consultation process, NPC said the proposal creates “unavoidable regulatory jeopardy for producers and unintended negative outcomes for producers, species and the environment overall.”
“Given the complicated and often conflicting mandates in the proposal, the most well-intended producers will be unable to comply,” the NPC wrote in a letter (.pdf) to Jan Matuszko, director of the environmental fate and effects division of the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs. “This chaotic structure will result in applications that unintentionally violate the label due to uncertainty in how, when, and where a product can be used.”
The proposal includes assumptions that “all conventional outdoor-use pesticides, regardless of their differences in exposure, will have negative effects on off-target listed species,” the letter continued. “These erroneous assumptions deny users the opportunity to apply ‘softer’ chemistries that are targeted in scope by refusing to acknowledge differences in products.”
NPC also requested the EPA consider the use of reservoir tillage, potato hillers and precision agriculture technology measures in its strategy.
Undersigned affiliated organizations were:
- Colorado Potato Legislative Association
- Empire State Potato Growers
- Idaho Potato Commission
- Maine Potato Board
- North Carolina Potato Association
- Northland Potato Growers Association
- Oregon Potato Commission
- Potato Growers of Michigan
- Washington State Potato Commission
- Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association
In addition to the potato-specific comments, NPC and the state organizations joined comments submitted by the Minor Crop Farmer Alliance and a group of more than 200 state and national organizations.
Specialty Crop Block Grant program legislation
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, co-chaired by NPC CEO Kam Quarles, has endorsed bipartisan legislation to expand and enhance the current Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The program provides federal assistance grants to specialty crop growers through state agriculture departments for a variety of projects.
The Specialty Crop Security Act would:
- Increase funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program by $15 million to $100 million a year.
- Strengthen state plan requirements to ensure grant administrators properly communicate outreach and engagement efforts.
- Reinforce the program’s primary purpose of enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crop producers.
