NFU WOTUS Comments Urge Inclusive Rulemaking Process

Feb 10, 2022

This week, National Farmers Union (NFU) submitted comments on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of the Army’s (“the agencies”) proposed rule to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

“Farmers and ranchers understand the importance of clean water on their own farms and ranches and as a shared resource. They know that protecting water quality is a key component of achieving sustainable agricultural production,” wrote Rob Larew, NFU President.

NFU also stressed that ambiguity around the definition of WOTUS has presented “ongoing challenges for farmers and ranchers,” and urged the agencies to develop rules that offer more certainty and clarity to farmers as soon as possible.

While the rules are in development, NFU urged the agencies to “consult farmers and ranchers regularly, extensively, and equitably” and consider the legitimate concerns of family farmers and ranchers and others who will be regulated under updated and new CWA rules.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.