WASHINGTON, DC – USA Rice President and CEO Betsy Ward met yesterday with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt and thanked him for his early decisive action on the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule and for his back to basics approach to science-based regulation.
The Pruitt meeting occurred during a multi-day planning session of the CEO Agriculture Council that brings together leaders from all major agricultural organizations to coordinate alignment on core issues. The group, that makes its members available to the government’s ag policymakers, also met with U.S. Department of Agriculture transition officials and with leaders from other major associations up and down the food supply chain.
Administrator Pruitt told the group he sees his agency as pro-growth, pro-jobs and pro-environment, and that he is firmly committed to work across agencies to solve complex problems.
“All the CEO’s around the table enthusiastically welcomed Administrator Pruitt to the leadership of EPA,” Ward said. “It was refreshing to be told we can work together to tackle important issues facing our industries and our nation as opposed to having an adversarial relationship from the get go. The first few actions of the Trump Administration signal a real shift in process with outreach already happening between EPA and USDA which is something USA Rice has been encouraging for some time. Administrator Pruitt’s approach to regulatory reform as a means to economic growth is certainly welcome by the rice industry.”