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statement of Judy Olson 



President, National Association of Wheat Growers 



On Behalf of the Clean Water Working Group 



Before the 



Subcommittee on Environment, Credit and Rural Development 



House Committee on Agriculture 



Nonpoint Source Pollution on Agricultural Lands 



March 23, 1994 



Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: 



My name is Judy Olson, and I am president of the National 

 Association of Wheat Growers. My husband and I have raised wheat, 

 barley and lentils in the Palouse region of Washington State for 

 the past 2 years. Today I am speaking on behalf of the Clean 

 Water Working Group, comprised of 37 agricultural and soil and 

 water conservation organizations. 



We appreciate the opportunity to comment on legislation 

 regarding nonpoint source pollution on agricultural lands. I would 

 like to begin with an explanation, and an illustration, of the 

 basic principles which the CWWG believes should be embodied in 

 Clean Water Act amendments to be considered by the Congress. And 

 then I will offer several specific comments on legislation pending 

 before the Committee on Public Works and Transportation. 



Better identification of impaired watersheds and better 

 programs to manage sources which have been associated with impaired 

 water quality are important goals of Clean Water Act amendments. 

 Where this is already occurring, and where impairment has been 

 specifically related to agriculture, farmers have been willing 

 participants in cooperative watershed projects. This fact is 

 exemplified by ongoing efforts in the state of South Dakota to 

 reduce sediment loadings in the Bad River watershed. Landowners 



