Five combines running non-stop, big trucks moving through one after another and most importantly, no rain in the forecast. This is a busy day for the Aguzzis, but not just to get this rice out of the field.

Working with the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation’s policy team and Mississippi State University Extension, the Environmental Protection Agency is touring the Mississippi Delta.

“We are on a farm tour in Mississippi this week, and the whole purpose is to be able to actually get out in the field and see, talk to real farmers about their practices, about the tools and technology that they’re using,” said Rod Snyder, Environmental Protection Agency’s Agriculture Advisor to the Administrator.

Specifically, EPA officials from the region office in Atlanta and the national office in Washington D.C.  including the director of the office of Pesticide Programs get a three day tour extremely beneficial to folks who make important decisions.

“When you’re working on regulations and you’re stuck behind a desk in Washington, it’s sometimes harder to make, you know, it’s harder to connect the dots.  So, to actually take the time to come down, stand in fields, look at, for example, today, an aerial application from planes, talk to folks who are actually doing that work, it’s incredibly valuable for us,” said Snyder.

Thanks to Farm Bureau staff and members, EPA officials hear directly from the experts…the farmers. On this stop, Joe Aguzzi, who has worked this land since the 50’s and his grandson, Michael, who works on the operation today, explain how their operation works. They even give them a ride through the field on the combine.

“We are putting them face to face with farmers in Mississippi primarily throughout the Delta on this tour,” said Andy Whittington, Farm Bureau Environmental Policy Coordinator. “But, yeah, giving them face time with farmers and giving the farmers an opportunity to inform EPA about the tools that they need and working together with the agency to find out how we can use these tools better so that we keep this technology that we’ve developed.”