Defenders Hails Strong Support for Agriculture Conservation
"It was simply amazing to watch the old bulls of the House Agriculture Committee defend their turf against this common-sense amendment. No distortion of the facts was too outrageous, and no threat was too brazen in their desperate attempt to turn back an amendment that simply spread the benefits of U.S. farm conservation programs to more farmers, to more communities, and to all of us as taxpayers. While the amendment lost, the strong support for it, in the face of this onslaught, puts us in great shape for the debate in the Senate, where the committee leadership takes conservation more seriously," Schlickeisen continued.
The amendment offered by Representatives Sherwood Boehlert (R-New York), Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.), and John Dingell (D-Mich.) included significant changes to key conservation programs, including:
- $3.8 billion over 10 years for the Wildlife HabitatIncentives Program (WHIP), nearly 10 times what the Combest bill provides. In its first two years of existence, WHIP has funded over 8,000 projects improving the habitat for northern bobwhite, Atlantic salmon, Karner blue butterfly, Indiana bat, and many other species.
- Enrollment of 250,000 acres per year of wetlandsto be protected and restored under the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).
- Up to $550 million per year to protect farmlandfrom sprawl, help farmers find local markets, socially disadvantaged farmers and encourage organic production. New programs to preserve grazing andgrasslands.
- Better administration of EQIP, one of the largest agricultural conservation programs.
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Defenders of Wildlife is a leading non-profit conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 470,000 members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on endangered species issues.
Contact(s):
Cat Lazaroff, (202) 772-3270