NASDA Highlights Farm Bill Recommendations -- Conservation

News Date April 09, 2007

NASDA is presenting farm bill highlights each week in NASDA News as Congress gears up for consideration of the 2007 farm bill. NASDA's recommendations and a summary of highlights are posted on the NASDA website at http://www.nasda.org/fb2007. This week the highlights focus on conservation.
        
|NASDA calls for a bold, new initiative to address agriculture conservation and natural resource and environmental priorities through state partnership agreements. A new Agriculture Stewardship Partnership Agreement would be a "block grant" type initiative that would give state and local government greater flexibility, innovative tools, and resources to implement agricultural conservation priorities. Under Agriculture Stewardship Partnership Agreements, USDA would provide grants to states as a means to provide assistance and support, cost-share payments, incentive payments, technical assistance, and education to agricultural producers and landowners for environmental enhancements, best management practices, and air and water quality improvements for addressing resource concerns.
        
The state departments of agriculture or a collaboration of state agencies would administer the program. States would have maximum flexibility to: (1) address threats to soil, air, water, and related natural resources; (2) comply with state and federal environmental laws; (3) make beneficial, cost-effective changes to cropping systems, grazing management, manure, nutrient, pest, or irrigation management, or other measures needed to conserve and improve soil, water and other natural resources; and (4) target statewide conservation efforts to address environmental threats.
        
NASDA's 2007 Farm Bill Recommendations also call for enhancing the Farm and Ranch Lands Preservation Program (FRPP) by establishing additional flexibility, resources and local control. NASDA believes the FRPP should not exclusively focus on soils preservation, but should incorporate farm viability into its overall mission. NASDA recommends enhancing the effectiveness of FRPP through the following specific proposals: (1) amend the statutory purpose of FRPP to protect land with prime, unique or other productive soils that are at risk of non-farm development; and (2) expand the definition of eligible land to include "cropland, rangeland, grassland, pasture land, and forest land that is an incidental part of the agricultural operation." (Contact: Charlie Ingram)