Frequently Asked Questions

Agriculture touches nearly every aspect of a person’s life, whether it’s in the form of food, fiber or fuel. However, less than two percent of the U.S. population is involved in agriculture production. That gap between the consumer and the farm results in a lot of questions about how items are produced. If you’re worried about food safety or just want to learn more about farming, the questions and answers below are a great place to start your research.

Waters of the U.S. refers to a regulatory definition of waters that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate. In 2015, a revised definition of the WOTUS rule worried many in the agricultural community.

The rule proposed in 2015 granted the EPA jurisdiction over seemingly all waters, not just the navigable ones. The U.S. Court of Appeals issued a nationwide stay on the rule shortly after it took effect. The EPA resumed following the regulations set up prior to 2015 in response.

On November 18, 2021, the agencies announced the signing of a proposed rule revising the definition of “waters of the United States.” The agencies propose to put back into place the pre-2015 definition of “waters of the United States,” updated to reflect consideration of Supreme Court decisions. This familiar approach would support a stable implementation of “waters of the United States” while the agencies continue to consult with states, tribes, local governments, and a broad array of stakeholders in both the current implementation and future regulatory actions.

A durable definition of “waters of the United States” is essential to ensuring clean and safe water in all communities—supporting human health, animal habitat, agriculture, watersheds, flood management, local economies, and industry.

Learn more about the WOTUS rule.

Waters of the U.S. refers to a regulatory definition of waters that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate. In 2015, a revised definition of the WOTUS rule worried many in the agricultural community.

The rule proposed in 2015 granted the EPA jurisdiction over seemingly all waters, not just the navigable ones. The U.S. Court of Appeals issued a nationwide stay on the rule shortly after it took effect. The EPA resumed following the regulations set up prior to 2015 in response.

On November 18, 2021, the agencies announced the signing of a proposed rule revising the definition of “waters of the United States.” The agencies propose to put back into place the pre-2015 definition of “waters of the United States,” updated to reflect consideration of Supreme Court decisions. This familiar approach would support a stable implementation of “waters of the United States” while the agencies continue to consult with states, tribes, local governments, and a broad array of stakeholders in both the current implementation and future regulatory actions.

A durable definition of “waters of the United States” is essential to ensuring clean and safe water in all communities—supporting human health, animal habitat, agriculture, watersheds, flood management, local economies, and industry.

Learn more about the WOTUS rule.

Waters of the U.S. refers to a regulatory definition of waters that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate. In 2015, a revised definition of the WOTUS rule worried many in the agricultural community.

The rule proposed in 2015 granted the EPA jurisdiction over seemingly all waters, not just the navigable ones. The U.S. Court of Appeals issued a nationwide stay on the rule shortly after it took effect. The EPA resumed following the regulations set up prior to 2015 in response.

On November 18, 2021, the agencies announced the signing of a proposed rule revising the definition of “waters of the United States.” The agencies propose to put back into place the pre-2015 definition of “waters of the United States,” updated to reflect consideration of Supreme Court decisions. This familiar approach would support a stable implementation of “waters of the United States” while the agencies continue to consult with states, tribes, local governments, and a broad array of stakeholders in both the current implementation and future regulatory actions.

A durable definition of “waters of the United States” is essential to ensuring clean and safe water in all communities—supporting human health, animal habitat, agriculture, watersheds, flood management, local economies, and industry.

Learn more about the WOTUS rule.

Waters of the U.S. refers to a regulatory definition of waters that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate. In 2015, a revised definition of the WOTUS rule worried many in the agricultural community.

The rule proposed in 2015 granted the EPA jurisdiction over seemingly all waters, not just the navigable ones. The U.S. Court of Appeals issued a nationwide stay on the rule shortly after it took effect. The EPA resumed following the regulations set up prior to 2015 in response.

On November 18, 2021, the agencies announced the signing of a proposed rule revising the definition of “waters of the United States.” The agencies propose to put back into place the pre-2015 definition of “waters of the United States,” updated to reflect consideration of Supreme Court decisions. This familiar approach would support a stable implementation of “waters of the United States” while the agencies continue to consult with states, tribes, local governments, and a broad array of stakeholders in both the current implementation and future regulatory actions.

A durable definition of “waters of the United States” is essential to ensuring clean and safe water in all communities—supporting human health, animal habitat, agriculture, watersheds, flood management, local economies, and industry.

Learn more about the WOTUS rule.