Oklahoma Farm Report masthead graphic with wheat on the left and cattle on the right.
Howdy Neighbors!
Ron Hays, Director of Farm and Ranch Programming, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network  |  2401 Exchange Ave, Suite F, Oklahoma City, Ok 73108  |  (405) 601-9211

advertisements
   
   
   
   
   

Agricultural News


American Farmland Trust says House Appropriations Bill Threatens Agriculture

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:52:27 CDT

American Farmland Trust says House Appropriations Bill Threatens Agriculture "The appropriations bill before Congress is risky and simply short-sighted when it comes to protecting our nation's agricultural resources and a healthy future for America," says Jon Scholl, President of American Farmland Trust. "Cutting over half a billion dollars in this year's budget and targeting crucial and effective programs by another 20 percent or more in the 2012 budget is a dangerous step in the wrong direction, and we hope the Senate will restore some or all of these funds. Agriculture and conservation shouldn't bear more than their fair share of cuts relative to other sectors."


Scholl notes the recent media attention, including a New York Times story, underscores the challenges facing America's farmers. "Agriculture will be pressed to feed a population of over 10 billion by the end of the century, which is no small feat. We've seen evidence of how severely agricultural production will be affected by the rapidly changing environmental conditions brought on by global climate change," says Scholl. "Together, this is a truly daunting prospect. Our policymakers must address these issues sooner rather than later."


"Protecting the nation's supply of farmland is key to national food security," Scholl adds. "In the last 25 years, more than 23 million acres of farm and ranch land an area roughly the size of Indiana have been converted out of agricultural use to roads, strip malls and other types of sprawling development."


Coupled with the need to safeguard our nation's food supply is the need to support the contributions of farmland to the health of our environment. "In addition to supplying food, fiber, and biofuels, farmland is a tremendous natural resource, providing filters for groundwater, clean air, wildlife habitat and greenhouse gas sequestration," Scholl says. "We have much work to do to support on-farm stewardship of the land. It begins with adequate funding for conservation programs because they are critical to our ability to feed our country and our world."


"We look forward to working with Congress to enhance conservation programs and policies to achieve the greatest public benefit for every dollar spent." Scholl adds. "But with programs that are chronically under-funded, our first priority must be to secure the resources needed to engage as many farmers as possible in this critical work."


   

 

WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI

 


Top Agricultural News

  • Oklahoma Youth Expo Sale of Champions Sale Order Available Here- Sale Set for 4 PM Friday  Fri, 17 Mar 2023 04:50:54 CDT
  • Rural Voters Dominated Vote to Defeat Recreational Marijuana March 7th  Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:13:05 CST
  • Ron Hays Talks to Israeli Ag Tour Guide Colin Lotzof About the Miraclel of Ag in Israel  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 22:11:04 CST
  • OALP Members Experience First Hand View of Cutting Edge Drip Irrigation Technology as Israel Travel Ends  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:51:49 CST
  • OALP Members Get First Hand View of Cutting Edge Drip Irrigation Technology as Israel Travel Ends  Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:50:10 CST
  • Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Sees Fruit, Beef and Dairy Production North of the Sea of Galilee in Israel  Mon, 20 Feb 2023 21:56:02 CST
  • Oklahoma Ag Leadership Program Sees Diverse Farm Operations in Jordan River Valley of Israel  Sun, 19 Feb 2023 21:17:30 CST
  • Israeli Tour Guide Mark Kedem Talks About The Cultural Aspects of What Class XX of OALP is Experiencing   Sat, 18 Feb 2023 22:17:23 CST

  • More Headlines...

       

    Ron salutes our daily email sponsors!

    Oklahoma Beef council Oklahoma Ag Credit Oklahoma Farm Bureau National Livestock Credit Ag Mediation Program P&K Equipment Oklahoma City Farm Show Union Mutual Stillwater Milling Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association KIS FUTURES, INC.
       
       
       
       
       

    Search OklahomaFarmReport.com

    © 2008-2024 Oklahoma Farm Report
    Email Ron   |   Newsletter Signup   |    Current Spots   |    Program Links

    WebReady powered by WireReady® Inc.