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Ag groups give feedback on federal water legislation

Missouri agriculture groups are giving their feedback on what should be included in the Water Resources Development Act.

The federal legislation (WRDA) outlines the projects the Army Corps of Engineers will work on to improve the nation’s inland waterway system and other water resources.

“We’ve got to have protection against any floods.”

Missouri Corn CEO Bradley Schad says it might seem strange to talk about flooding when going through a multi-year drought, but “it takes many years to fix issues that have happened. A levee damaged during the flood of 1993 is still being fixed in St. Joseph this year. That’s too long.”

Tom Waters, a farmer from western Missouri with the Missouri Levee and Drainage District Association, says there’s concern what a new lower Missouri River study might mean for existing levees.

“It won’t be completed until 2027 and we’re still in the starting stages of it.”

U.S. House Transportation Committee Chairman Sam Graves from Missouri tells Brownfield the bill is more project-driven this year and markup is expected in the summer.

He says the deadline to pass the bill is September 30.