The EPA's budget released Monday calls for increases in a variety of programs that affect agriculture The agency's proposed fiscal year 2013 budget would set overall spending at about $105 million less than 2012 levels, but recommends funding increases of about $46.1 million to support a variety of agency efforts affecting U.S. farmers. Those areas include: -- A $12.9 million increase to support the permit program in the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System to include a new federal requirement for federal permits to apply pesticides and to develop an electronic reporting tool. U.S. farm groups have opposed the development of a discharge permit program for pesticide applicators. EPA officials have said the program applies only to those applicators who spray directly to waters of the U.S. to kill mosquitoes and other pests.
Farm groups have expressed concern that the program will subject individual farmers to lawsuits from environmental groups for applying pesticides to puddles in fields, based on the legal definition of waters of the U.S. (more) Feb. 13, 2012 Progressive Farmer