US poultry orgs support Chesapeake Bay act

In the US the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization and Improvement Act has been introduced, which will allow states and communities more flexibility in meeting water quality goals to help restore and protect natural resources.

The bill would also set up programs to give farmers, homebuilders and localities new ways to meet their water quality goals. The National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation released the following statement in support of the legislation:

“On behalf of the US poultry industry, the National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation commend Reps. Bob Goodlatte, R.-Va., and Tim Holden, D-Penn., for introducing the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization and Improvement Act.

“The bill offers a sound and straightforward approach in dealing with on-going efforts to enhance the water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. It also provides a good combination of incentives, coordination and technical assistance needed to achieve the necessary goal of advancing the Bay’s water quality objectives.

“We also applaud this legislation for recognising the significant financial contributions made by conservation programs that have utilised existing public-private partnerships between agricultural producers, state officials and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve water quality.

“The legislation strikes an important balance between regulatory requirements that are achievable and the use of technologies that have proven results while not jeopardising the financial sustainability of the poultry farmers that care about the quality of the land and water they rely upon in the Chesapeake Bay.

“We hope that Congress will pass this legislation as the future of agriculture in the Chesapeake Bay is critical to the health of the region’s economy, along with the health of the Bay.”

Source: National Chicken Council