EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin recently engaged with the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) in Washington, D.C., addressing critical issues impacting the agricultural community. Zeldin emphasized his commitment to balancing environmental protection with the economic realities faced by farmers and ranchers.
Zeldin began by highlighting his recent farm visits, stating, “It’s great to be with all of you. I was actually on a farm in Georgia on Friday with Governor Kemp. I spent National Ag Day in St. Louis on a farm. And while it’s, it’s nice to be able to spend this time with you here in Washington. I do enjoy those trips outside of Washington a bit more.” He underscored the importance of direct engagement with the agricultural sector.
Key topics of discussion included the National Insecticide Strategy, Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS), and Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) issues. Zeldin addressed the complexities of WOTUS, stating, “Our goal is to be able to come up with a simple definition that farmers, ranchers, landowners across this country are going to know whether or not there’s a water of the US on their land without having to hire an attorney or a consultant.”
Regarding the National Insecticide Strategy, Zeldin highlighted the positive feedback received from farmers. “Farmers across the country have provided good feedback on the national insecticide strategy, both during the public comment period and also since the announcement,” he said. He also noted the EPA’s reorganization efforts to streamline pesticide reviews: “Part of the announcement last Friday with the other reorganization is to bring scientists over from the Office of Research and Development, which was a very compelling case that the chemicals office had made to us.”
Zeldin emphasized interagency collaboration, particularly with the USDA. “I have a great relationship with Secretary Rollins and her team. The same goes with many people on my team. We want to make sure that the collaboration between EPA and USDA is strong,” he stated. He also addressed the administration’s broader priorities, “The President campaigned on it. Part of that mandate earned from the voters is to help unleash energy dominance, pursue permanent reform, advance cooperative federalism, make America the AI capital of the world, and bring back American auto jobs. These are some of the other priorities that EPA has been assisting with.”
Addressing the sheer volume of regulatory work, Zeldin said, “If one of the questions that I’ve gotten asked is what’s the biggest shock since you became administrator EPA? And the answer is, just how much we’re able to do it once.”
He encouraged farmers to provide feedback, “My message is, anything that you have, large or small, let us know. You’re not doing yourself or us a favor by holding anything back. Our desire is to fix everything in 2025.”
On the issue of herbicide challenges, Zeldin reiterated the EPA’s commitment to science-based decisions. “At EPA, the first principle is to follow the science,” he stated. He also acknowledged the legal challenges faced by the agency, “Every single decision that I make, someone’s going to sue me no matter what. Any yes or no or inactivity, there’s no way to navigate any issue where I’m not going to get sued for every decision.”
Regarding Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) and E15, Zeldin indicated upcoming announcements. “Soon, there will be an announcement. It’s a very active conversation inside of EPA,” he said. He emphasized that the most durable solution for E15 would come from congressional legislation. “The most durable, long-term solution is going to be for Congress to legislate,” he asserted.
Concerning the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and pesticide compliance, Zeldin pointed to the National Insecticide Strategy. “We feel confident that this helps growers in compliance with EPA. It helps EPA perform our statutory obligations,” he explained.
On WOTUS, Zeldin clarified the EPA’s approach. “We have a definition from Sackett that we’re inheriting from the Supreme Court. We have a map of America that has states operating under multiple definitions. We have a whole lot of feedback from farmers, ranchers, landowners, and states on how the current rule is not working for them. I believe we have a very clear path on how to finalize a simple definition that would allow the entire country to be operating off of the same definition that farmers, ranchers, land owners, and states will be happy with,” he said. He named the end of 2025 as a goal to finalize the clarified language.
Regarding sustainable aviation fuel and ethanol, Zeldin pledged to investigate further. He said, “Now that you’re re-upping it for me, I’ll definitely see what our team is thinking as far as ways that we can assist on that.”
Finally, addressing concerns about pesticide availability, Zeldin reiterated the importance of scientific evidence. “If there’s ever a disagreement on an individual pesticide that’s brought up, or a group of pesticides that are brought up, I will tell you right now, I’m not burying the lead or keeping any mystery behind it. My answer is going to be, let’s look at the science,” he concluded.
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