WASHINGTON, April 24 – As the “battle” continues over whether or not conservation compliance should be required in exchange for farm program and crop insurance benefits, four former soil conservation Chiefs are weighing in.
“When conservation compliance was enacted as part of the 1985 Farm Bill, it sparked a decade of unprecedented progress in limiting erosion, cleaning up waterways and protecting wetlands,” noted the former Chiefs in a letter to the Senate and House Agriculture Committee leaders and ranking members. They noted that soil erosion was cut by 40 percent on 140 million acres of cropland.
“Maintaining the current conservation compliance provisions, which are both effective and achievable, is essential to our efforts to maintain the conservation gains,” they explained. “Additionally, as you take steps to modernize our farm safety net, we urge you to came sure conservation compliance provisions cover all income support, including eligibility for crop and revenue insurance premium subsidies. “
The letter is signed by former Soil Conservation Service Chief William J. Richards, and Natural Resources Conservation Service Chiefs, Paul W. Johnson, Bruce J. Knight, and Arlen Lancaster.
For a copy of the letter, click: http://www.agri-pulse.com/uploaded/Four_Chiefs_Letter_04242012.pdf
For more on farm group opposition to conservation compliance on crop insurance, click:
#30
For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com