State commissioners of agriculture have added their voices to the critics of the proposed “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule.

At their annual meeting last week, members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) unanimously called on EPA and US Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the proposed rule.

The action item, submitted by North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture Doug Goehring, also urges the EPA and US Army Corps of Engineers to collaborate with state departments of agriculture and other stakeholders on the appropriate scope of federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction. “We’re being regulated to death, when we have over 4500 new regulations that have come through different agencies at the federal level,” said Goehring during a conference call on behalf of the Republican Agriculture Commissioners Committee.

Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture Mike Stain says regulation of resources is best done from the ground up. “Many of the laws passed by Congress, especially the Clean Water Act, specifically state that the primary jurisdiction is within the states themselves,” said Stain.

Also speaking on behalf of RACC were Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, and South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers.

You can listen to the conference call here: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/racc-14-call.mp3″ text=”Press call with Republican Ag Commissioners on WOTUS”]