President Signs U.S. Farm Bill With Record Conservation Spending

Ducks Unlimited
Monday, 13 May 2002

On May 13, President Bush signed the 2002 U.S. Farm Bill into law at a White House ceremony attended by Ducks Unlimited representatives. The six-year bill increases spending for conservation programs by 80%, compared to the 1996 bill.

"This is a huge accomplishment for conservation," said Ducks Unlimited's Executive Vice President, D.A. (Don) Young. Ducks Unlimited, the Memphis based waterfowl and wetlands conservation group, has been outspoken in its support for farmland conservation programs. "Since our inception, our most effective wildlife conservation programs start on the farm with cooperating landowners," said Mr. Young. "By supporting Farm Bill programs like the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program, the Administration and the U.S. Congress are advocating a strong commitment to farmer conservationists, the hands on stewards of the land," continued Young.

"We can't be shy about our support for these conservation programs. There's stacks of scientific evidence indicating that they're vital to migratory birds, in addition to hundreds of other species of wildlife, " said Dr. Alan Wentz, Group Manager of Conservation Programs at Ducks Unlimited. In addition to dispatching several biologists to Capitol Hill for congressional testimony before agricultural committees, Dr. Wentz enlisted Ducks Unlimited's D.C. based governmental affairs office to facilitate meetings between farmers and members of Congress in support of the Farm Bill. "We're concerned about economic duress for farmers, which is leading to loss of family farms. When farms get sold, they often get drained and paved," said Dr. Wentz. "We're excited about these programs because they conserve our natural resources, help wildlife, and also help financially strained farmers and ranchers stay on the farm," added Wentz.

According to Scott Sutherland, who directs Ducks Unlimited's Governmental Affairs office, the new bill contains record spending levels for conservation programs, including $1.5 billion for the Wetlands Reserve Program. $1.517 billion will fund the Conservation Reserve Program, which will increase the total from a 36.4 million acre ceiling to 39.2 million acres. "We're happy with the bill. We are excited about this package and the impact it will have across the country," said Sutherland. The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), a popular cost share program that focuses on fish and wildlife conservation, will get a ten fold increase in spending, putting the total budget for that program at $700 million. And the Farm Bill also calls for a new program called the Grasslands Reserve Program, which will enroll up to two million acres of grassland in 10, 15, 20, and 30-year contracts, as well as perpetual easements, at a cost of approximately $254 million.

For more information, or to contact Ducks Unlimited, see their website at: www.ducks.org