"KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Cattle farmers complained on Wednesday that a federal agency is 'spying' on their operations by flying airplanes over Midwest cattle feedlots to see if they are complying with clean water regulations."

"The livestock producers and some members of Congress from rural areas want to know why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is using airplanes to monitor whether feedlots are obeying the Clean Water Act.

'The federal government has literally resorted to spying on producers,' said Kristen Hassebrook, natural resources and environmental affairs director for the Nebraska Cattlemen."

Kevin Murphy reports for Reuters May 30, 2012. [2]