Vilsack: Administration favors conservation compliance, sod-saver provisions
December 03, 2013 | 03:12 PM
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today that the Obama administration favors both a sod-saver provision and tying crop insurance premium subsidies to conservation compliance.
Vilsack made the comments in a call to reporters with Ducks Unlimited Chief Executive Officer Dale Hall in which they emphasized that a new farm bill is needed to continue record conservation efforts achieved in recent years by producers and landowners in partnership with USDA.
In his comments, Vilsack emphasized the importance of programs that help farmers maintain conservation efforts on land that is in production, including land that has been idled in the Conservation Reserve Program, but is now being put back in production.
He noted that 350 million acres are involved in conservation programs ranging from a large-scale watershed effort in the Florida Everglades to the construction of high tunnel houses to extend the growing season for fruits and vegetables in cold climates.
Hall said Ducks Unlimited supports the sod-saver and conservation compliance provisions.
He noted that the last three years have been the best for nesting birds since Ducks Unlimited began keeping track of their nesting grounds in 1955. Nesting grounds have been lost due to land being taken out of the CRP, but Hall said that other farm program provisions “have created a new tool box” for landowners to provide nesting grounds without taking land out of production.
Rice lands are particularly good for bird habitat, he said, while grasslands that are now growing winter wheat have also provided nesting grounds. Hall said it is “unfortunate” that some people believe farmers who get conservation payments are doing nothing for them when efforts to improve habitat on lands in production are improving.
Vilsack made the comments in a call to reporters with Ducks Unlimited Chief Executive Officer Dale Hall in which they emphasized that a new farm bill is needed to continue record conservation efforts achieved in recent years by producers and landowners in partnership with USDA.
In his comments, Vilsack emphasized the importance of programs that help farmers maintain conservation efforts on land that is in production, including land that has been idled in the Conservation Reserve Program, but is now being put back in production.
He noted that 350 million acres are involved in conservation programs ranging from a large-scale watershed effort in the Florida Everglades to the construction of high tunnel houses to extend the growing season for fruits and vegetables in cold climates.
Hall said Ducks Unlimited supports the sod-saver and conservation compliance provisions.
He noted that the last three years have been the best for nesting birds since Ducks Unlimited began keeping track of their nesting grounds in 1955. Nesting grounds have been lost due to land being taken out of the CRP, but Hall said that other farm program provisions “have created a new tool box” for landowners to provide nesting grounds without taking land out of production.
Rice lands are particularly good for bird habitat, he said, while grasslands that are now growing winter wheat have also provided nesting grounds. Hall said it is “unfortunate” that some people believe farmers who get conservation payments are doing nothing for them when efforts to improve habitat on lands in production are improving.
