Opinion: Troubled Waters For Florida Growers

Florida is blessed with an abundance of water from its aquifers, bubbling springs, rivers, creeks, and lakes. And, the heavens release amazing amounts of water on the state’s land surface virtually every day. On average over the year, 150 billion gallons of rain falls on Florida’s land surface per day. That’s right, billion.

With so much water, we’ve had to manage it just to be able to live in many places in the state. And for agriculture — Florida’s second largest industry — it is the lifeblood. Too much or too little can break an operation, while just the right amount brings abundant crops.

Playing By The Rules

Understanding that nutrient and chemical runoff can pollute Florida’s waterways, growers have worked with regulators to curb the sources of both. And, they have worked to conserve water through more efficient irrigation technology and building reservoirs for water storage. Growers are no strangers to regulations and water. Though burdensome at times, by and large, they understand the critical importance of preserving Florida’s fresh waters. Look at the state’s successful BMP program, which is designed to conserve and improve Florida’s water quality. Nearly 2 million acres are enrolled in the program, with more than 4,500 growers participating.

One Little Word

There are times when the regulations become so burdensome that they have the potential to make it impossible for growers to do their jobs. One example of this is legislation called the Clean Water Restoration Act. It would amend and remove the word “navigable” from the Clean Water Act. So what? It is just one word. But, removing that one word could create a regulatory nightmare for growers. It would apply to any body of water in the U.S. and would add increased compliance costs and burdensome permit processes for growers. It would give EPA and the Corps of Engineers the right to regulate all waters, including farm ponds, storm water basins, and even ditches. It has been called a federal power grab over states’ rights.

Every expert I’ve spoken to stresses that this is a bad deal for growers. So keep track of Senate bill 787, and let your lawmakers hear about where you stand on the legislation.

Meanwhile…

EPA has announced a settlement of a lawsuit with environmental groups, which will result in strict numeric limits for farm and urban fertilizer and animal runoff. Just another issue for growers to face when it comes to water. It is a lot to keep up with. I encourage you to consider attending the Florida Ag Expo this month in Balm, because an entire session will be dedicated to water management and conservation. That’s knowledge you need to know these days.