"Maryland officials pulled back a proposed regulation Monday aimed at reducing farm runoff polluting the Chesapeake Bay after chicken growers warned it could cripple the state's lucrative poultry industry if imposed now."
"The state Department of Agriculture announced it had withdrawn its request to make immediate changes to rules governing where farmers may use chicken manure to fertilize their crops, two days before a scheduled legislative hearing on the proposal.
Agriculture Secretary Earl 'Buddy' Hance said in a statement that the O'Malley administration wants to give farmers more time to adjust to the changes and intends to resubmit them next month after meeting with "key stakeholders." The rules, which would have taken effect this fall, would be put off until next year at the earliest."
Timothy B. Wheeler reports for the Baltimore Sun August 26, 2013.
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