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By Donna Swicegood
Statesville Record & Landmark

Foxx, whose 5th District includes part of Iredell County, serves on the House Agriculture Committee.

She addressed the concerns of about 30 farmers in a meeting at Golden Corral during one of several such meetings Foxx was holding throughout the district Friday.

The main concern voiced by some of those in attendance was a proposal to toughen environmental regulations.

Charles Carter, a farmer from eastern Iredell County, said he had received information saying that farmers must sign a contract with the Environmental Protection Agency for an inspection or risk high fines.

He said the EPA requirement concerned dust. “I don’t know how you’re going to keep dust out of a poultry house. What are you supposed to do when you’ve done everything you can and they still want more?” he asked.

Foxx said she didn’t believe the inspections were going to help farmers. “I recommend to you not to sign the contracts with the EPA. I don’t believe they have a way to enforce it,” she said.

Carter said he planned to take Foxx’s suggestion. “I’m not going to sign it.”

Foxx called the regulation “blackmail,” and said she would call on President Bush to address their concerns.

Another farmer questioned EPA regulations about odors from farming operations. “The EPA doesn’t have any scientific evidence to support their feelings,” Doug Holland said.

Holland said he believes if the government enacts odor regulations, it should also help foot the bill for implementing them.

Foxx said she agreed. She said government regulations are forcing farmers to sell their land and give up farming.

“It blows my mind that there are people who cannot make the connection between the onerous rules and regulations and the decrease in the number of family farms,” she said.

Ken Vaughn, the agriculture extension agent in Iredell County, said the regulations tend to avoid addressing the issues affecting farmers.

“There has got to be a basic understanding of who it is going to benefit and who’s going to pay the bill,” he said.

Holland said farmers are deluged with regulations. “We’re bombarded with environmental regulations from the federal government and the state, and they’re not the same. We’re fighting two different agencies all the time,” he said.

North Iredell farmer Richard Renegar said the threat to the family farm is one of the biggest crises this country has faced.

“The money is gone and the fun is fast leaving. Our national security rests in these family farms as much as any rifle or rocket,” he said.

Foxx said she would address the concerns over regulations with the president and the agriculture committee.

“I’m going to be on your side,” she said. “You don’t have to beat me over the head to get my attention on the issues you care about.”