DU and Partners Work to Protect Funding for the Conservation Reserve Program

Ducks Unlimited
Friday, 7 November 2003

Senate rejects anti-CRP amendment and passes FY 2004 Agriculture funding bill

In an effort to safeguard the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the U.S. Senate swiftly defeated an amendment that would have blocked critical funding for the program. The 2002 Farm Bill includes significant funding for conservation programs, but implementation has been problematic due to different interpretations of the law by the Administration and Congress. Specifically, funding for technical assistance has not been made available for CRP and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), thereby forcing other conservation programs to provide support for technical assistance. CRP and WRP offer incentives for private landowners to restore and conserve wildlife habitat. CRP is the most important program for waterfowl breeding areas in the United States.

In an attempt to address the technical assistance issue, Senator Patrick Leahy (VT) proposed an amendment to prohibit the use of funds from other conservation programs to pay for technical assistance for CRP. While the amendment would have protected funding for certain conservation programs, it would have effectively ended technical assistance funding for the CRP program. In response, DU, Pheasants Forever, the National Audubon Society, and other national wildlife organizations joined forces to oppose the amendment. The groups argued that prohibiting the transfer of funds without offering a solution to the problem would threaten the viability of the CRP. Senator Harkin (IA), Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee, opposed the amendment on the floor in favor of a more holistic solution to the problem. The amendment was defeated 56-38, but could be raised again during Conference Committee consideration.

As the process moves forward, DU will be working hard with Congress and the Administration to find a long-term solution to the technical assistance problem that will ensure adequate funding is provided to implement CRP and WRP, as well as the other Farm Bill conservation programs.

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world's largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands – nature's most productive ecosystems – and continues to lose more than 100,000 wetland acres each year.

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