OldDog/NewTricks
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House votes against defining manure as hazardous waste
House Votes to Protect Farmers from Environmental Extremists
Contact: State Rep. Terry Hyman
Capitol: (405) 557-7383
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 19, 2006) – Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted Wednesday to protect state farmers and ranchers from bogus lawsuits claiming manure is the equivalent of toxic waste.
Senate Bill 1444, by state Rep. Terry Hyman and state Sen. Richard Lerblance (D-Hartshorne), would ensure that animal manure is not categorized as hazardous waste by regulatory authorities.
The bill states, "In no case shall manure be defined as or considered a hazardous substance or a hazardous waste …"
"This bill does not change any water quality standard or state monitoring policy," said Hyman, D-Leon. "It simply brings common sense to our regulatory and legal systems. There's 5.4 million head of cattle and 3.2 million people in Oklahoma. If animal manure is hazardous waste, then the entire state is a hazardous-waste area."
Senate Bill 1444 has been endorsed by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Farmers Union and other grass-roots agriculture groups.
Hyman noted that environmental extremists have begun using regulatory harassment in their crusade to destroy traditional rural businesses.
At the recent spring livestock show in Oklahoma City, officials from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality were called to the site in response to claims that animal urine was wreaking environmental havoc.
"At the rate things are going, we'll have to slap diapers on every cow before we haul them down the road in a trailer," Hyman said. "It's pretty ludicrous."
Environmental extremists have based their claims on the fact that trace amounts of chemicals can be found in manure, but Hyman said that claim is just a red herring.
"Every livestock feed has trace chemical nutrients in it," he said. "Why? It's just like the vitamins you give your children. Those nutrients are needed to sustain growth."
If lawmakers do nothing to prevent regulatory harassment of livestock producers, Hyman noted there could be serious economic consequences.
For example, the annual American Quarter Horse Association show contributes $180 million to Oklahoma City's economy each year. If manure is considered toxic waste and "every time a horse moves out of a barn, we're going to have to call a Hazmat crew to clean up after them," Hyman said the show may move out of state.
At the same time, many of Oklahoma's farms and ranches are small businesses that could be driven to bankruptcy by excessive, heavy handed regulation and lawsuits.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were more than 56,000 cattle operations in Oklahoma in 2004, with more than 42,000 of those ranches running less than 100 head each.
Senate Bill 1444 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 68-27 vote on Wednesday and now returns to the state Senate.
http://www.okhouse.gov//OkhouseMedia/pressroom.aspx?NewsID=712
Josh B. Payne, Ph.D.
Area Animal Waste Management Specialist
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
230-B W Okmulgee
Muskogee, OK 74401
Office: 918 686 7800
FAX: 918 686 7819
[email protected].
www.poultrywaste.okstate.edu
House votes against defining manure as hazardous waste
House Votes to Protect Farmers from Environmental Extremists
Contact: State Rep. Terry Hyman
Capitol: (405) 557-7383
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 19, 2006) – Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted Wednesday to protect state farmers and ranchers from bogus lawsuits claiming manure is the equivalent of toxic waste.
Senate Bill 1444, by state Rep. Terry Hyman and state Sen. Richard Lerblance (D-Hartshorne), would ensure that animal manure is not categorized as hazardous waste by regulatory authorities.
The bill states, "In no case shall manure be defined as or considered a hazardous substance or a hazardous waste …"
"This bill does not change any water quality standard or state monitoring policy," said Hyman, D-Leon. "It simply brings common sense to our regulatory and legal systems. There's 5.4 million head of cattle and 3.2 million people in Oklahoma. If animal manure is hazardous waste, then the entire state is a hazardous-waste area."
Senate Bill 1444 has been endorsed by the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Farmers Union and other grass-roots agriculture groups.
Hyman noted that environmental extremists have begun using regulatory harassment in their crusade to destroy traditional rural businesses.
At the recent spring livestock show in Oklahoma City, officials from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality were called to the site in response to claims that animal urine was wreaking environmental havoc.
"At the rate things are going, we'll have to slap diapers on every cow before we haul them down the road in a trailer," Hyman said. "It's pretty ludicrous."
Environmental extremists have based their claims on the fact that trace amounts of chemicals can be found in manure, but Hyman said that claim is just a red herring.
"Every livestock feed has trace chemical nutrients in it," he said. "Why? It's just like the vitamins you give your children. Those nutrients are needed to sustain growth."
If lawmakers do nothing to prevent regulatory harassment of livestock producers, Hyman noted there could be serious economic consequences.
For example, the annual American Quarter Horse Association show contributes $180 million to Oklahoma City's economy each year. If manure is considered toxic waste and "every time a horse moves out of a barn, we're going to have to call a Hazmat crew to clean up after them," Hyman said the show may move out of state.
At the same time, many of Oklahoma's farms and ranches are small businesses that could be driven to bankruptcy by excessive, heavy handed regulation and lawsuits.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were more than 56,000 cattle operations in Oklahoma in 2004, with more than 42,000 of those ranches running less than 100 head each.
Senate Bill 1444 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 68-27 vote on Wednesday and now returns to the state Senate.
http://www.okhouse.gov//OkhouseMedia/pressroom.aspx?NewsID=712
Josh B. Payne, Ph.D.
Area Animal Waste Management Specialist
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
230-B W Okmulgee
Muskogee, OK 74401
Office: 918 686 7800
FAX: 918 686 7819
[email protected].
www.poultrywaste.okstate.edu