The newly proposed Clean Water Rule would empower America’s farmers and ranchers to protect the nation’s water resources and provide much-needed regulatory clarity to guide those stewardship efforts, according to American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall.

Duvall spoke Tuesday in Tennessee during an agricultural stakeholder meeting on the newly proposed waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. The event, hosted by the Tennessee Farm Bureau and kicked off by Tennessee Farm Bureau president Jeff Aiken, included presentations by acting Environmental Protection Agency administrator Andrew Wheeler and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who provided farmers and ranchers with additional details about the proposed rule.

Duvall said farmers and ranchers are committed to protecting America’s waterways and drinking water, and the new Clean Water Rule will provide them with the regulatory certainty they need to farm confidently with those natural resources in mind.

“For more than five years, we have advocated for a new water rule that protects clean water and provides clear rules for people and communities to follow,” Duvall said. “This proposal promises to do just that, by giving farmers and ranchers the clarity they need to farm their land while also ensuring the nation has clean water. Farmers should not have to hire an army of consultants and lawyers just to work their land.”

Related:EPA proposes new WOTUS rule

During his comments, Aiken, a member of the Farm Bureau board, said it was an honor to host Wheeler and Perdue for the informational meeting about the new Clean Water Rule.

“To echo acting administrator Wheeler, since we provide food for the table, we deserve a seat at the table,” Aiken said. “Farmers, homebuilders and businessmen from across Tennessee and surrounding states were excited at the announcement, which will provide clarity to farmers and allow them to continue to be good stewards of the land and environment.”

More information about the newly proposed Clean Water Rule is posted at www.fb.org/cleanwaterrule.