Agricultural News
NACD Supports Bipartisan Sodsaver Legislation
Thu, 31 May 2012 15:30:43 CDT
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) supports the work of Reps. Kristi Noem (R-SD) and Tim Walz (D-MN) on their recent sodsaver legislation to address crop insurance inequities and preserve habitats for game species on native sod and on grasslands producers cannot certify have ever been cropped. NACD is also supportive of an identical provision included in the Farm Bill passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee.
"It's just common sense to reduce crop insurance assistance for less productive land," said NACD President Gene Schmidt. "Decisions to bring acreage back into production should be based on the ability of the land to produce; not on whether or not you can insure it. By addressing crop insurance fairness, the sodsaver legislation will protect fragile lands, preserve habitat and ultimately save taxpayers money."
The Protect our Prairies Act would reduce crop insurance assistance for the first four years for crops grown on native sod and certain grasslands converted to cropland. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the legislation could save taxpayers nearly $200 million over 10 years.
According to Jack Majeres, NACD Second Vice President and farmer from southeast South Dakota, this issue is of particular importance to the North Central United States, where many areas of land border on prairie development.
"The sodsaver legislation is a smart approach to working lands management where conservation and agriculture go hand-in-hand," Majeres said. "As the costs of land and commodity prices increase, there's more pressure to put the native grasslands into grain production to be used for grazing and row crops. These fragile lands need to be protected from erosion, and the native grasses provide that conservation benefit along with providing needed wildlife habitat."
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