Agricultural News
NACD Outlines Farm Bill Priorities
Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:46:33 CDT
National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) President Earl Garber sent a letter to Farm Bill Conferees today outlining the association's priorities for the Farm Bill.
"Our nation's farmers and landowners deserve to have long-term certainty to effectively and efficiently manage their land, resources and businesses for the years ahead," stated Garber. "Locally-led conservation is critical for America's long-term environmental and economic stability. Not only do Farm Bill conservation programs play a key role in supporting clean air, clean water and productive soils, they also help producers avoid unnecessary regulation and promote our nation's long-term economic and food security."
NACD strongly supports the passage of a five-year Farm Bill, including the following key priorities:
-- Senate language on Technical Assistance (TA) which gives decision-making authority to the Secretary of USDA for effective implementation of conservation programs.
-- Senate budget for Title II. These cuts are fair and justifiable, and we are doing our part to contribute to our nation's deficit reduction. Cuts beyond the Senate version will hurt the very viability of the programs in the Title.
-- Tying conservation compliance to crop insurance (while opposing AGI limitations or premium assistance reductions to crop insurance) as part of our broad coalition agreement.
-- Senate's national sodsaver provision to address crop insurance disparities and preserve habitats for game species on native sod and on grasslands that producers cannot certify have ever been cropped.
-- The Forestry Title pilot program taken from the National Forest Emergency Response Act, which gives the Secretary of Agriculture authority to assign relief to our National Forests decimated by insect infestation, drought, disease, and storm damage.
To read Garber's full letter to Conferees, click here.
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