Agricultural News
Izaak Walton League Says Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Protects Grasslands
Tue, 14 May 2013 17:05:57 CDT
The 2013 Farm Bill approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee will help conserve critical grasslands, maintains key protections for wetlands, and takes an important first step in reconnecting common-sense conservation standards with crop insurance premium subsidies . The Izaak Walton League of America applauds these protections for American taxpayers - including famers - and America's natural resources.
"The bill adopted by the Senate Agriculture Committee advances the League's conservation priorities on multiple fronts," says League Agriculture Program Director Bill Wenzel. "By adopting a nationwide Sodsaver program, the bill will help conserve grassland habitat critical to wildlife and will save taxpayer dollars. The bill also takes a critical first step toward reconnecting conservation standards for soil and wetlands with crop insurance premium subsidies."
Although the League strongly supports re-linking conservation standards with crop insurance premium subsidies, questions remain regarding enforcement provisions, mitigation requirements and the processes for re-establishing eligibility for taxpayer subsidized crop insurance premium benefits after violations occur. The League is committed to continuing to work with policy-makers, farm and commodity groups and other conservation organizations to resolve outstanding issues on this critical piece of legislation.
The bill included a Sodsaver provision to protect native grasslands across the United States. Also included in the manager's amendment was language offered by Senator John Thune (R-SD) that adds a requirement for USDA to track the conversion of noncropland to cropland beginning in 2014. This represents a major step forward in protecting America's remaining grasslands.
As the Farm Bill process moves forward, the Izaak Walton League will continue working to ensure a strong link between conservation compliance and federal crop insurance premium subsidies and to include a strong nationwide Sodsaver provision in the final bill.
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