For the past several weeks, Congress has been developing an end-of-year bill to extend federal funding before the December 20 deadline, further extend the 2018 Farm Bill, and provide economic assistance for struggling producers, among other priorities. After failed negotiations at the leadership level, the current draft of this bill does not include economic assistance for struggling producers. In dropping this provision, the bill also does not integrate Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) conservation investments into the baseline funding for USDA conservation programs. This bipartisan, paid-for provision would increase funding for oversubscribed, voluntary, locally led conservation programs. This has long been NACD’s highest legislative priority.
“NACD urges lawmakers to pass an end of the year package that includes both economic assistance for producers and the integration of IRA conservation investments,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. “America’s producers urgently require help, and integrating IRA conservation investments has strong bipartisan support and would increase funding for oversubscribed, locally led conservation programs. The time to act is now.”
