North Dakota Farmers Threaten Trump Nominations Over Biden-Era Wetland Rule
North Dakota growers say a 2024 Fish and Wildlife Service regulation blocks drainage tiles on their fields, harming crops, and Senator Kevin Cramer vows to withhold all of President Donald Trump’s nominations until the rule is revised.
A regulation finalized by the former President Joe Biden’s administration in 2024 imposes minimum setbacks for agricultural drain tiles around Fish and Wildlife Service-owned wetland easements, a requirement that North Dakota producers say prevents proper water management, creates soil salinity and eliminates large portions of arable land. Farmers including Steve Hansen, Drew Courtney and Cody Peterson recount lost production and argue the rule oversteps federal authority on private property.
In retaliation, Republican Senator Kevin Cramer warned he will refuse to confirm any of President Donald Trump’s nominees until the agency revises the policy. The Fish and Wildlife Service, citing its dedication to both wildlife protection and landowner rights, said no further action is planned while it reviews public input, after more than 219,000 comments. Conservation organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers maintain the rule safeguards critical waterfowl breeding grounds in the Prairie Pothole Region. Prior legal challenges to the rule have been dismissed, leaving the dispute between agricultural interests, environmental groups and federal regulators unresolved.
Why it matters
The dispute could stall key federal appointments and affect farm profitability and waterfowl conservation in the Upper Midwest.
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