Groups Urge Harkin To Help Farmers Help The Environment

Eighteen national and Iowa conservation and farm groups today sent a letter to Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) urging him to use his new authority as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee to craft a farm aid bill in the coming weeks that makes conservation a key goal.

The letter notes Senator Harkin led efforts in Congress this year to increase agricultural conservation funding by $1.65 billion in next year’s budget. Senator Harkin also authored a letter to the Appropriations Committee, signed by 43 Senators, urging the increase in conservation funds just to work off the backlog of farmers already seeking support to help the environment.

“Most farmers who want to protect the environment are being turned away by the government because of a lack of funds,” said Environmental Defense senior attorney Tim Searchinger. “Because the Congressional budget resolution gave the Agriculture Committee vast new spending authority, Senator Harkin now has the power to realize his goal of helping farmers help the environment.”

Iowa groups signing the letter include the Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Wildlife Federation, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State. In addition to Environmental Defense, national groups include American Farmland Trust, American Rivers, Center for Rural Affairs, Defenders of Wildlife, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, Land Trust Alliance, Mississippi River Basin Alliance, National Audubon Society, National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Sierra Club, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and Trout Unlimited.

Yesterday, 11 Wisconsin conservation organizations sent a similar letter to Senator Herbert Kohl (D-WI), Chair of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senate committees may act as early as next week on two major spending bills for agriculture, one a normal appropriations bill, and another an “emergency” spending bill.

Copies of the letters to senators Harkin and Kohl can be obtained at www.environmentaldefense.org or by contacting Tim Searchinger at Environmental Defense, 202 387-3500. For information on opportunities for agricultural conservation programs to help farmers and the environment, visit www.environmentaldefense.org