46 



guard the land and safeguard the water. We also are in a very 

 competitive world and we have crops to sell if we are to remain in 

 business. With the competition we have, we need to save every 

 penny we can. I am concerned as we move ahead with clean water 

 activities in a working arrangement with farmers that we not end 

 hurting them economically and putting them in a noncompetitive 

 position. 



I am very impressed with the testimony we have received today 

 from farmers and from the professionals who work with farmers on 

 the land. People who are on the land dealing with these problems 

 see how solutions can be achieved in a low cost, effective, efficient, 

 easy to apply way, and I am very impressed with the care and 

 thought that we've heard in the testimony from the farming groups 

 and farming individuals here today and from the land management 

 professionals. 



I am also concerned, having viewed this area for some time now, 

 that perhaps EPA is too far removed from farming as an agency 

 and too bureaucratic. It doesn't really take the time to get down 

 on the land and study for low cost, easy to apply solutions. It comes 

 on in a very arbitrary way sometimes and it creates problems for 

 everybody, especially the people who are trying to do well at the 

 same time they are trying to eke out some small profit so they can 

 stay in business year after year in a very troubled farm economy. 

 We are under tremendous pressures, we all know that, in our farm 

 economy. 



So I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the hearings and 

 appreciate very much the testimony that we're hearing today. 

 Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Barlow. 



Let me say to Mrs. Olson and Mr. Stallman, I appreciate the 

 work of the Clean Water Working Group. My experience is in the 

 instances we get the Farm Bureau and the Farmers Union and all 

 the agricultural groups in-between all in agreement on an3^hing is 

 not a daily experience and so we are always glad to see that kind 

 of concerted effort at unanimity from production agriculture. I 

 think all too often we tend to march off in nine different directions 

 and that is not always helpful to where we are trying to go. So I 

 appreciate your work in bringing the diverse groups in agriculture 

 together. 



Mr. Talbert, have there been any studies to indicate how much 

 existing conservation compliance programs will impact nonpoint 

 pollution in the country once they are fully implemented? 



Mr. Talbert. I am sure that is possible. When these practices 

 are implemented, there are estimates that are developed by soil sci- 

 entists that would indicate tons of soil saved and that sort of thing. 

 These figures exist I think on a watershed basis. These are all very 

 well recorded when these practices are implemented. So, yes, I 

 think that information is available. 



Mr. Johnson. I would think they would have an impact not just 

 on soil erosion, but as well on chemical runoff and a range of other 

 nonpoint pollution problems. 



Mr. Talbert. Yes. 



Mr. Johnson. Let me say thank you to everyone on the panel. 

 I think your insights are very valuable. We are at the early stages 



