Court Ruling a Win for Farmers

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violated the law regarding agricultural retail facilities that supply anhydrous ammonia.

This was a huge victory for American agriculture retailers and farmers. The Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute led the legal challenge.

In July of 2015, OSHA made changes would have subjected 3,800 agricultural retailers to regulations intended for chemical manufacturers.

It would have had a cost of more than $100 million. These compliance costs could have driven many facilities out of business, leading to higher costs for farmers as well as increasing travel distances to transport the product.

"This court decision is a big win for farmers and the ag community," said National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling. "Not only does this ruling protect farmers' safe and affordable access to an important crop nutrient technology, but it also affirms that OSHA and other regulatory agencies must follow proper rule making procedures."

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