July 1, 2024

Weighing in on U.S. Supreme Court Chevron ruling

Topic: Issues

Photo by Mike Tomko, AFBF

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said farmers will benefit from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that strikes down Chevron deference. Chevron deference instructed courts to defer to federal agencies’ arguments about the scope of their own authority. In essence, it multiplied the power of federal agencies and undermined the principles of separation of powers.

“Farm Bureau applauds the U.S. Supreme Court for recognizing the damage Chevron deference has caused to the federal government’s balance of power. For decades, Congress has passed vague laws and left it to federal agencies and the courts to figure out how to implement them. AFBF has been a leading voice on this issue and has argued on behalf of farmers who are caught in a regulatory back and forth when administrations change the rules based on political priorities instead of relying on the legislative process. We are pleased the Court heard those concerns.

“The Constitution built a system of checks and balances among three branches of government to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. The legislative branch creates the laws, the executive branch enforces the laws, and the judicial branch interprets the laws. Chevron deference created a super-branch of government. The Supreme Court restored balance with today’s decision.”

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Attorney General Drew Wrigley also issued a joint statement applauding the U.S. Supreme Court opinion.

“Today’s Supreme Court opinion marks the beginning of the end of federal overreach by unelected bureaucrats who stretch and twist the laws passed by Congress to advance their own misguided agendas, raising costs for consumers by wreaking havoc on our key industries including agriculture, energy and manufacturing,” Burgum and Wrigley said. “This is a major win for North Dakota and a huge boost to our efforts to push back against federal overreach, with more than 30 federal rules and regulations currently being challenged. The Supreme Court has appropriately tipped the scale away from unelected federal bureaucrats and back toward the people’s Congress while also restoring states’ rights because no one cares more about the land, water, and air in North Dakota than the people who live here.”