WASHINGTON, March 14, 2013 – Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., is leading a group of 40 House members, including House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., in writing a letter to Environmental Protection Agency acting administrator Bob Perciasepe expressing concern over the agency releasing livestock producers’ private information to environmental groups and asking the acting director to ensure the released information is not improperly used.
“I have serious concerns over the EPA’s release of this information, particularly regarding individual privacy rights and possible bio-security threats to the nation’s food supply. Releasing this type of information makes producers potential targets of harassment, or even bio-terrorism,” said Crawford.
In the letter, the House members ask that the agency suspend any plans to build a public database of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation information and ask EPA what steps it will take to protect the affected producers.
“We urge you to suspend any efforts to assemble a public, national database of detailed and person producer information, and instead refocus your efforts to ensure that the recent release of data is not misused in a way that threatens our nation’s producers and the integrity of our nation’s food supply that farm families make possible,” states the letter.
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