WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today introduced a bill that would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from monitoring methane emissions from livestock. Specifically, this legislation would prohibit the EPA from using any of the new methane monitoring funding provided in the Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spending spree to surveil livestock methane emissions in South Dakota, Iowa, or anywhere else in the country.

“Farmers and ranchers – the people who work tirelessly to help feed America and the world – should not be subject to government surveillance as part of a broader effort to implement radical climate policies that would threaten their ability to operate,” said Thune. “This common-sense legislation would protect South Dakota livestock producers and their operations from government snooping.”

“Democrats are seeking to weaponize the EPA against our farmers by spying on their operations. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch!” said Ernst. “With this effort, I’m fighting to protect Iowa’s livestock producers from the Left’s radical climate agenda and costly government overreach that will only fuel higher food costs and more reckless spending in Washington.”

Thune recently spoke at a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing about his related bill, the Livestock Regulatory Protection Act. Thune’s legislation would prohibit the EPA from issuing permits related to livestock emissions. Specifically, the bill would amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the EPA from issuing permits for any carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions resulting from biological processes associated with livestock production.