Reid-Leahy 'Care' Bill Seeks To Bolster Farm Conservation Spending

Environmental Defense today expressed support for new conservation legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The Conservation Assistance and Regional Equity Act (CARE) would increase funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs to $5 billion annually.

“This innovative legislation will reward willing landowners who work to meet environmental challenges while also ensuring that federal conservation programs benefit every region, not just those that produce certain crops,” said Environmental Defense executive director Fred Krupp. “Without an increase in funding from CARE, farmers and ranchers will continue to be turned away when they seek federal conservation assistance. This shortfall in funding equals missed opportunities to improve wildlife habitat, to clean up polluted lakes and rivers, and to protect farmland threatened by growth.”

The CARE proposal commits $5 billion in annual funding to USDA conservation programs, including $1 billion for water quality incentives, $350 million for farmland preservation efforts, and $320 million for wildlife habitat incentives. The legislation would also provide enough annual funding to restore 250,000 acres of wetlands and reward farmers who conserve water to help dwindling fish stocks.

“Farmers and ranchers are already willing to play a lead role in protecting water quality, restoring wildlife habitat, and serving as a frontline against sprawl,” said Krupp. “But when they seek federal conservation assistance, most are turned away due to a severe shortage of funds. Seventy percent of ranchers and farmers who apply for federal aid to protect waterways are rejected because of funding shortfalls, and that’s just one example. The goal of CARE is to end this backlog and allow more individual landowners, in more states, to help protect the environment.”

In addition to rewarding farmers who participate in USDA’s voluntary incentive-based conservation programs, funding under CARE can also contribute to farm income in other ways, including payments to preserve lands threatened by urban growth. By increasing the number of farmers eligible for conservation payments, the bill would promote greater regional equity.

Under current spending, only certain agricultural products are eligible for traditional income support payments. Consequently, farmers in 15 commodity-crop states receive 75% of all USDA spending, while large farm states like New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, and California receive very little USDA assistance.