Agricultural News
In the Field- Clay Pope on Conservation and Moving Forward on Farm Bill Passage
Mon, 08 Jul 2013 03:03:51 CDT
Like other leaders from across the spectrum of agricultural groups, Clay Pope of the Oklahoma Conservation Districts was disappointed in the failure of the 2013 farm bill in the House of Representatives. Pope spoke recently with Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays about the bill's failure and how to go forward. The video of their conversation that was seen this past weekend on KWTV News9 during Ron's In the Field segment can be seen by clicking on the PLAY button in the video box below.
Pope said he was appreciative of how hard Rep. Frank Lucas worked in getting a bill through the House Agriculture Committee and onto the House floor. He also had praise for the lawmakers who voted for the bill. Even the though bill was voted down, Pope said he's hopeful for the future.
"We're hopeful they'll come with some other resolution that we can come with another version of the bill that we can move on to conference and get some finality to the farm bill."
He said legislators are trying to understand why the farm bill failed by 39 votes. He said it is absolutely vital that legislators redouble their efforts to get a bill back on the floor and passed soon.
"Trying to plan for the future, trying to make sure that we have the tools necessary to feed and clothe the world while at the same time protecting our natural resources, it is key to get a farm bill passed."
In the past, Rep. Lucas described the farm bill as a three-legged stool with a commodity title, a conservation title, and a nutrition title. All three legs were essential for garnering sufficient support from different quarters to pass a bill. As one of the three legs, conservation has a significant role to play, Pope said.
"People forget the fact that we've got to feed nine billion people by mid-century."
To make that happen, he said, will take efforts on the magnitude of the "green revolution" in the late 20th century that saw agricultural yields explode with the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and modern technology. He said the world's farmers and ranchers will have to surpass those efforts to keep everyone fed and clothed in future generations.
"The next step beyond the green revolution, in my opinion, is the brown revolution. We've got to do things toward soil health that are going to maintain productivity and actually increase that productivity to meet that future demand. Conservation plays a key role in that.
"Also, if we're going to be able to feed and clothe the world while we protect our water, while we protect our wildlife habitats, while we address issues that are out there in our natural resource base, you've got to have those tools to help farmers and ranchers do work on their land to make sure that they're producing the food and the fiber that we need to feed and clothe the world in the most sustainable way possible. That's where the conservation programs come in."
Pope said a successful resolution to the farm bill is crucial in moving the process forward, but he isn't sure how the politics will ultimately play out.
"I am concerned. I don't know what's going to happen. I am concerned that the best we can hope for is an extension. I hope I'm wrong on that. I know Mr. Lucas is working hard. He's done yeoman's work, so far, so we're very supportive of what's he's done so far and hopefully they can come to some sort of resolution and we can have some finality to this issue and we can have some of those tools in place and move forward."
Pope said they are still studying how to move forward with conservation efforts if a comprehensive farm bill is not passed or if only an extension is passed. He said there are several programs that will continue in place due to budget authorizations outside the farm bill.
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