Statements

‘Right To Farm’ Laws - or ‘Right To Pollute’ Passes?

Thursday, June 6, 2019

In recent months, all 50 states have enacted so-called right-to-farm laws that seek to block citizens from holding industrial animal factory farms and other large-scale agriculture operations accountable for pollution, according to the National Agricutural Law Center.

Key Issues:

Farming

Farming & Tap Water

Factory Farms

The Farm Bill Released Today Creates New Farm Subsidy Loopholes That Will Further Distort the Farm Safety Net

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Today Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, issued the following statement on farm subsidies in Congress’ final farm bill:

“The farm bill released today creates new farm subsidy loopholes that will further distort the farm safety net.

“By extending farm subsidies to a farmer’s first cousins, nieces and nephews and rejecting sensible reforms designed to ensure that farm subsidies flow to actual farmers in need – not millionaires and city slickers – this farm bill takes a major step backwards.

EWG Applauds Farm Bill Drinking Water Reforms

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, issued the following statement today on Congress’ final farm bill.

Key Issues:

Midwest

Farming

Water

MEDIA ADVISORY: Farm Bailout Payments for Trump’s Trade War

Friday, November 16, 2018

Contact: EWG Press Team: (202) 667-6982 or [email protected]

REVEALED: Farm Bailout Payments for Trump’s Trade War

WASHINGTON – The names of Americans who have received bailout payments from the Department of Agriculture in response to President Trump’s trade war will be revealed by the Environmental Working Group at a press conference on Monday, Nov. 19.

Key Issues:

Midwest

Farming

EWG Statement on Senate’s Bipartisan Farm Bill

Friday, June 8, 2018

WASHINGTON – Scott Faber, vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, issued the following statement today on the Senate version of the farm bill:

The bipartisan farm bill released today by the Senate Agriculture Committee is a sharp contrast to the terrible, partisan farm bill proposed by the House.

Key Issues:

Farming

Subsidies

Food

Bill Would Block States from Warning Public About Cancer, Other Risks in Consumer Products

Friday, June 8, 2018

WASHINGTON – Legislation introduced in Congress seeks to preempt state laws that require products to carry labels informing consumers of potential health risks like cancer and developmental harm to children.

The Accurate Labels Act, introduced this week in the House and Senate, is backed by the food industry and other sectors. If it were to become law, state laws like Proposition 65 in California, which requires labels on products that contain ingredients that could cause cancer and other health problems, would be preempted.

Key Issues:

Farming

Food

GMO Foods

EPA’s Scott Pruitt Spent $1,560 of Taxpayer Money on 12 Pens

Friday, June 1, 2018

Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt spent $1,560 in taxpayer money on 12 custom fountain pens emblazoned with his signature and the agency’s seal, according to internal emails obtained by the Sierra Club through a public records request.

Key Issues:

Toxics

Water

EWG: Sen. Casey’s Conservation Bill Would Expand Protection of Drinking Water Sources from Agriculture Pollution

Proposal Would Triple Number of Farm Acres Eligible for USDA Conservation Program

FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018

Key Issues:

Farming

Conservation

EWG: House Farm Bill Will Resurrect Farm Subsidies for Millionaires, Billionaires and Distant Family Members

Thursday, May 17, 2018

WASHINGTON – The House will vote on its version of the 2018 Farm Bill Friday. The bill would balloon the already bloated federal farm subsidy program to hand subsidy checks to individuals worth millions, even billions of dollars, and distant relations who don’t live or work on the farm.

Here is a statement from EWG’s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber:

Key Issues:

Farming

EPA May Ban Deadly Paint Stripper Chemical

Thursday, May 10, 2018

WASHINGTON – Today the Environmental Protection Agency signaled it would move forward with a proposed ban of the highly toxic paint stripping chemical methylene chloride, which was initially proposed under President Obama.

“This is some welcome news out of an EPA that, under Administrator Pruitt’s leadership, is usually bending over backward to appease the chemical industry,” said Melanie Benesh, legislative attorney for EWG. “But we will save the applause for EPA until methylene chloride is actually banned, and can no longer put people at risk of serious injury or even death.”

Key Issues:

Toxics